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    Black Diamond Kids’ Spark Gloves and Mitts: Expert Review

    Black Diamond Kids’ Spark Gloves and Mitts: Expert Review

    By Kristin L.Gear Reviews

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    You can stop searching for the perfect winter gloves for your kids! These might be exactly what you’ve been waiting for. After testing so many gloves over so many years, Black Diamond’s Kids’ Spark Gloves are the new champions.

    Quick look

    Product: Black Diamond Kids’ Spark Gloves
    Price: $59.95 USD
    Pros: Durable, warm, water-repellent, wrist straps included
    Cons: Not quick-drying when very wet
    Worth it? Absolutely

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    Kids hiking frozen lakes skiing snowshoeing

    Kids hiking frozen lakes skiing snowshoeing

    Black Diamond Kids’ Spark Gloves: The Verdict

    We don’t want to sound dramatic here (or do we?), but finding these gloves is like “meeting the one". Warm, cozy, and water-repellant are only a few of the reasons these gloves shine above the rest. They are absolutely worth the money, especially if you’ve been in the glove-searching game for years, like Richard, the founder of 10Adventures, and his family.

    Find Spark Gloves in store

    Overview of Black Diamond Kids’ Spark Gloves

    So, here’s the scoop on the history of gloves in Richard’s family. For the last ten years, they’ve gone through dozens of brands and models, and each pair usually lasts for one season, which is not an ideal investment if you need to replace them each year. With harsh temperatures during Albertan winters, gloves that retain warmth are crucial, and Richard’s family hadn’t found a pair that lived up to this challenge. Yet. Enter, the Black Diamond Spark Gloves. Once all three of his kids tried them out this year, the review came back glowing. The kids’ hands stayed much warmer than other pairs, and these are so robust, they’ll surely last more than one season. The only downside is that when they get really wet after prolonged use, they’ll take a while to dry—best to air them out as soon as you get home. For this gear review, we’ll focus on the gloves, but if you’re interested, Black Diamond uses the same technology in their Kids’ Spark Mitts, which offer slightly more warmth than the gloves.

    Find Spark Mitts in store

    Exploring Alberta

    When to use

    When the weather starts to creep down to 0°C, you’ll want to pull these gloves out of the closet. They’re excellent for snowy adventures in cold conditions, like snowshoeing, any style of skiing, or just building snowmen in the yard. The extra padded parts will give a little extra cushion during any wipeouts, and the fleece lining will fend off the cold and keep mini human hands toasty during your adventure.

    Weight

    The Black Diamond Kids’ Spark Gloves will be a welcome addition to your gear list for winter adventures. Each pair of gloves weighs 158 g (5.6 oz) and will protect your little ones’ hands down to temperatures of –12°C (10°F). Here’s the bonus if you prefer the mitts: they weigh less at 151 g (5.3 oz) per pair, and they’ll retain warmth in temperatures of –17°C (1°F).

    Black Diamond Kids’ Spark Gloves: The Verdict

    Pros

    High-quality materials. These gloves are designed to last more than one season. Your kids can try as they might to destroy them, but you can rest assured the durable material will withstand it.

    Goat-leather waterproofing. With reinforced goat leather on the palm and fingers, the gloves are water-repellent. So pack your snowballs without getting wet, cold fingers.

    Suede nosewipe. With cold weather comes runny noses! No need to carry nose tissues on your adventure—just wipe it away with the suede nosewipe on the thumb.

    Various sizes and colours. The gloves and mitts both come in Small, Medium, or Large to fit your kids at any age. And they have a few colourway options so you can easily distinguish which are which if you have more than one little adventurer.

    Cons

    Not quick-drying when very wet. While these gloves have a waterproof lining and water-repelling goat leather reinforcement, unfortunately, if the gloves get super wet after longer adventures, they can take a long time to dry. Richard’s advice is to hang them near a vent as soon as you get home to speed up the drying process.

    Black blue yellow Black Diamond Kids Spark Gloves Review

    Long-lasting materials

    By now, you’ve realized that these gloves use goat leather materials. This leather layer on the palm and fingers creates supreme durability and will withstand a lot more use than a polyester blend. The goat leather also helps with grip if your kids are holding onto poles. Inside the gloves, you’ll find Black Diamond’s technology in its 100% waterproof BD.dry™ insert. This insert with extra protection from wet conditions is built to last and withstand seasonal wear and tear. To keep your gloves in top shape and extend their already-long life, make sure to properly care for them by handwashing, drying, and treating the leather according to Black Diamond’s glove care instructions.

    Extra protection for your little ones

    We think it’s safe to assume that you have adventurous kids if you’re reading this review. Well, these gloves will impress you even more with all the features that add protection. First, you have foam padding added on the back of the hand and across the knuckles to soften the blow of an impact on that area. This extra foam also protects from potential abrasions from twigs and branches. Second, you know that kids will change their mind about something and remove their gloves at some point, but with the removable elastic wrist leash, you can prevent the gloves from getting lost. And last, a cool feature to mention is the suede nosewipe on the thumb. No more worrying about packing tissues or teaching your kids the Bushman Blow—just dab those runny noses using the nosewipe on the thumb.

    Blackout Black Diamond Kids Spark Gloves Review

    Retain crucial warmth

    No more cold hands! 10Adventures founder Richard says that these are the best gloves his kids have ever tried. The fixed lining is made from a super-soft fleece that will retain warmth, and it feels so good on the skin. Above the fleece lining, the gloves are insulated with 150 g of Thinsulate® insulation on the back and 100 g on the palm. The insulation surrounds your kids’ hands with warmth to battle icy conditions. The gloves have an extra-long Pertex® Shield gauntlet cuff, meaning the gloves fit past the wrist, and can be tightened and secured with a drawstring closure around the wrist that keeps everything locked into place, including the heat. How cozy does that sound!?

    Should you buy the Black Diamond Kids’ Spark Gloves?

    Richard’s kids have been using these gloves for a season, and he says they are a game-changer. So far, he hasn’t noticed any wear—and this is an adventurous bunch! For the price they’re listed at, they are 1000% worth the investment. You’re paying for long-lasting, quality gloves that withstand below-freezing winter temperatures and keep hands warmer for longer. That’s a “yes” from us!

    Find Spark Gloves in store

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