Trekmates Classic DRY Glove Review

Overview

The Trekmates Classic DRY Glove is the entry point into Trekmates’ waterproof glove lineup — a lightly insulated, packable glove built around the brand’s in-house DRY Protect™ membrane rather than licensed GORE-TEX. It’s aimed at hillwalkers, skiers, and cold-weather commuters who want dry, reasonably warm hands without paying GORE-TEX prices, rather than climbers or mountaineers who need bombproof durability and precise dexterity.

Key Specs

Spec	Detail
Weight	~100 g (single glove, size-dependent)
Waterproofing	DRY Protect™ membrane, 5000mm hydrostatic head / 5000 breathability
Insulation	120gm/m² polyester hollowfibre
Lining	Brushed fleece
Palm/Fingers	Tough PU
Cuff	Drawcord adjuster with cord lock
Touchscreen compatible	Yes
Sizes	S, M, L, XL

Performance

Warmth and waterproofing. The 120gm/m² hollowfibre fill plus brushed fleece lining puts this glove firmly in the “shoulder-season and cold-but-not-brutal” category rather than deep-winter territory. In a head-to-head test against Trekmates’ own pricier Chamonix GTX and Matterhorn GTX, reviewers described the Classic Dry as the thinner budget model, well suited to hillwalking, skiing, and general outdoor fun, but noted that the step-up Matterhorn GTX is the clear winner for properly cold and gnarly winter mountain conditions thanks to its heavier insulation. That tracks with what I’d expect from a 120g fill — fine for brisk walks and lift-served skiing, less so for standing around a belay in January.

On waterproofing, the DRY Protect™ membrane’s 5000mm rating is a mid-pack number — enough to shrug off drizzle and wet snow, but not in the same class as a 20,000mm+ GORE-TEX shell glove for sustained downpours. User feedback on the closely related Classic DRY Lite model is a useful signal here: one buyer reported one finger of one glove got soaked through in the rain, and had to return them for a replacement pair, while another simply said the gloves were warm enough for the weather so far this year and, most importantly, no sweaty hands. That’s a mixed bag — most buyers seem happy, but there’s clearly some batch-to-batch or seam-taping inconsistency worth knowing about.

Fit and dexterity. This is where the budget positioning shows most. Reviewers found the fit relatively small compared to some makes, so it’s worth thinking about sizing up from your usual, and once on, the fit is a bit boxy in the fingertips for fine manual dexterity despite the pre-curved roll-tip finger construction. There’s also a baggy feel between the outer and lining, which is a common trade-off in gloves that separate the waterproof insert from the shell rather than laminating them together. Bottom line from testers: you won’t be tying laces or fiddling with climbing gear in these gloves — but at this price point that’s not really the expectation.

On the plus side, the cuff is generously sized, giving plenty of wrist coverage to seal out the weather while still fitting neatly inside a jacket sleeve, and the drawcord cinches it down reliably. Weight-wise, testers found a size XL pair weighed 144g, which is pretty light for insulated gloves — a genuine point in its favor if you’re trying to keep pack weight down without going to a bare liner glove.

Durability. This is the soft spot. One long-term user of the Lite version reported that after wearing the gloves three times a week since December for walking, the palm had cracked and part had broken away. PU palm coatings are notorious for this kind of degradation with repeated flexing and UV exposure, and it’s a fair warning that these aren’t a buy-once-wear-forever proposition — treat them as a solid budget option you’ll likely replace every season or two of regular use, not a decade-long investment.

Touchscreen compatibility. The touchscreen-compatible panel is a nice-to-have, though feedback on similar Trekmates gloves suggests it’s more useful at a desk than on a cold hillside — testers of a related model found it worked better sat at a desk than on a cold, windy hill, and reliably operating a smartphone in gloves this thick was a bit redundant anyway. Don’t buy these expecting to text comfortably mid-hike.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Genuinely light for an insulated waterproof glove — around 100–144g depending on size
• Generous cuff coverage that layers well under a jacket sleeve
• Decent value; significantly cheaper than GORE-TEX equivalents in the Trekmates range
• No reports of sweaty, clammy hands — the membrane breathes reasonably well
• Touchscreen panel is a bonus, even if limited in practical field use

Cons

• Runs small — size up from your usual
• Boxy fingertip fit limits fine dexterity (no fiddly gear handling, zippers, or laces)
• 5000mm waterproofing is adequate, not bombproof, for sustained heavy rain
• At least one reported instance of a leaky finger and a case of the PU palm cracking after a season of regular use
• 120g insulation is best suited to cool, not truly cold, conditions

Who Should Buy This

This glove makes sense for hillwalkers, dog walkers, and casual skiers who want a dry, warm hand covering for three-season use and don’t want to spend GORE-TEX money. It’s also a sensible spare-pair-in-the-pack option thanks to its low weight and packability. If you need fine dexterity for scrambling, climbing, or photography, or you’re heading into properly cold, wet conditions for extended periods, look at the step-up Chamonix GTX or Matterhorn GTX instead.

Verdict

The Trekmates Classic DRY Glove delivers reasonable warmth and waterproofing for the price, with a standout weight-to-warmth ratio, but the boxy fit and reports of PU palm cracking mean it’s a budget buy in every sense — good value, but not built for daily abuse or precision tasks. I’d rate it a 6.5/10: solid for casual hillwalking and skiing, but size up, and don’t expect it to survive years of hard use.