Holiday Gift Guide 2010: Arc'Teryx Alpha SV Glove

When we first saw the price tag on this snazzy new glove, we thought there was no way we could endorse it. Then we tried it during a dismal day of crevasse rescue training with Rainier Mountaineering, Inc. If you’re looking for the ultimate splurge gift for your skier, ice climber, or mountaineer, you can’t go wrong with this glove.

Of course, it’s warm (thanks to the Polartec Wind Pro fleece insert) and waterproof (thanks to the Gore-Tex Pro Shell liner), but it also “has better dexterity than any glove this warm that I’ve ever worn,” declares our tester. The secret? Extreme ergonomics. Fingers are aggressively articulated and the complex stitching pattern keeps all seams—from the supple leather outer right through the interior of the fleece—away from the tips of your fingers. The cinchable cuff is also the easiest and quickest we’ve seen—just pull the bungee to tighten and flip the webbing tab to loosen. $275; unisex xs-xl: 8.4 oz.; arcteryx.com