Gear Review

North Face Pamir

1. windstopper™ fleece
2. siliconized palm
3. grip disappoints
4. 2.8 oz/pair (men's medium)

The North Face's lightweight Pamir is a windstopper™ glove that attempts to address the typical grip liabilities of fleece.

While I am a big proponent of using wind-blocking fleece gloves as a one-size-fits-all solution in the backcountry, fleece, on its own, tends to feel nearly frictionless on smooth, hard surfaces. To deal with this vexing issue, North Face has added a siliconized lattice to the Pamir's palm (see detail photo) to enhance the glove's ability to securely grip ice axe handles and ski pole shafts.

Adding silicon patches or other ‘sticky’ materials to fleece is not unique to North Face and the Pamir. Other glove makers have their own grip-enhancing strategies.

What is notable about the Pamir, however, is the extent of the siliconized area.

What is also notable, alas, is the overall lack of effectiveness. To be sure, the Pamir glove's grip is better than a pure fleece palm. It is not significantly better, however, in the sense that your hands will still slip and slide on metal tool shafts, bringing unwanted fatigue and worry.

Compare the Pamir's so-so grip to that of a lockdown-glove climbing glove like Black Diamond's Torque, for example, and the difference is glaringly obvious. If secure grip is a priority, the Pamir is a disappointment.

If grip isn't your top priority, you may still find the Pamir a tad lacking. The glove pays a price for its extensive siliconized area, in the form of a noticeably stiffer, less comfortable feel that impedes easy curling of the fingers. It will also be more difficult to use the Pamir as a liner glove in an outer shell, as here the added friction will indeed come into play.

As a general preference I like Windstopper™ fleece over all the other wind-blocking fleece variants (one of the rare instances where I prefer Gore-Tex's proprietary technology). I also like the Pamir's gentle elastic cuff—a nice touch. And of course you get North Face's industry-leading quality and lifetime warranty with the Pamir. But I just can't recommend this one. It was a good try, but it just doesn't come together.

»» Bottom Line: Windstopper™ fleece — but disappointing overall

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