Kinco Pigskin Leather Review
Cons: Cold, absorbs water, unisex and limited fit, few to no features
Manufacturer: Kinco
Our Verdict
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Kinco Pigskin Leather | |||||
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Awards | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ||
Price | $18.71 at Amazon | $200 List | Check Price on Amazon Compare at 2 sellers | $60.47 at Backcountry | $38.51 at Amazon Compare at 2 sellers |
Overall Score ![]() |
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Star Rating | |||||
Pros | Incredibly affordable, durable leather, no-frills design, decent dexterity, cool points | Warm, lightweight and packable, breathable, waterproof, single construction, dextrous | Super warm, removable liner, durable construction, weather resistant liner | Very warm, dexterous for a mitt, durable shell, waterproof, removable and water resistant liner | Warm, versatile, dexterous for a mitt, touchscreen-compatible liners, excellent value |
Cons | Cold, absorbs water, unisex and limited fit, few to no features | Expensive, won't fit super small hands | Bulky, difficult to get liner back into glove, expensive | Liner packs out after a season, split finger design leaves index finger cold, no leashes included | Not a lot of extra insulation |
Bottom Line | If you're pinching pennies this winter, this pair will get you through the season for minimal cash | The best all-around unisex ski glove that you'll find on the market | A durable, warm, and comfortable glove | A versatile mitten with dexterity that's perfect for all types of winter activities | A high quality and fairly priced double-construction mitt that'll perform at any of your favorite winter locales |
Rating Categories | Kinco Pigskin Leather | Arc'teryx Fission SV Glove | Black Diamond Guide - Women's | Black Diamond Mercury Mitt | Gore-Tex Mitten |
Warmth (25%) | |||||
Water Resistance (25%) | |||||
Dexterity (25%) | |||||
Durability (15%) | |||||
Features (10%) | |||||
Specs | Kinco Pigskin... | Arc'teryx Fission... | Black Diamond... | Black Diamond... | Gore-Tex Mitten |
Waterproof Material | Leather outer | 84% nylon/16% elastane, Gore-Tex | GORE-TEX waterproof insert | Pertex Shield | Dry-Ride Two Layer & Gore-Tex Insert |
Insulation Type | HeatKeep Thermal Lining (polyester) | 200g PrimaLoft Silver and 133g Gold synthetic fibers | 170 g PrimaLoft® Gold insulation | 340-grams Primaloft Gold w/ high loft synthetic insulation | ThermaCore Synthetic Insulation |
Palm Material | Grain pigskin leather | Goat leather | Goat leather | Goat leather | Leather, Sticky Icy Grip Palm |
Inner Glove Material (if applicable) | n/a | Octa Loft | Boiled wool and 200 g fleece palm lining | High-loft fleece | Fleece |
Double or Single Construction? | Single | Single | Single | Double | Double |
Gauntlet or Cuff Length? | Gauntlet | Medium Cuff | Medium cuff | Gauntlet | Gauntlet |
Special features | None | Unisex fit, kevlar stitching, removable wrist leash, carabiner loop | Nose wipe, knuckle padding, no leash, kevlar stitching | Nose wipe, trigger-finger liner, carabiner loop, no wrist leash, foam padding on knuckles, kevlar stitching | Nose wipe, leashes, warmer pockets, wrist cinch |
Sizes (Women's) | Men's S, M, L, XL, XXL | XS, S, M, L, XL | XS,S,M,L | XS, S, M, L | XS, S, M, L |
Fit | Fits large (unisex sizing) | Fits large (unisex sizing) | Fits small | True to size | True to size |
Treatment Required? | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
Warranty | n/a | Lifetime | 1 year | 1 year | Lifetime |
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Pigskin Leather Glove by Kinco is a great option for those seeking a glove that will perform well on warm, dry days. In addition, it's very affordable.
Performance Comparison
Warmth
As one of the colder contenders tested, this glove is best used in warm weather or aerobic endeavors on cold days. Many of our friends and family members love this glove because it breathes incredibly well, especially while skinning uphill in the backcountry. The polyester insulation, in addition to its 'Heatkeep' thermal lining, is actually pretty warm itself and does a great job of wicking away moisture from the skin.
The cloth material on the back of the hand, however, is what makes this glove cold when the wind is ripping, or when the mercury dips into the double negatives. The cotton is porous and doesn't provide much in the way of wind resistance. That's why it's best for more aerobic endeavors. There are many types of Kinco gloves online, like the Pigskin Leather Gloves, that do not have the breathable cloth back but are instead completely leather. Based on feedback from friends and online, this type of glove is far warmer, but not as breathable. It also has a similar low, low price.
Water Resistance
To be quite blunt, this glove is not very water-resistant. It does wonders on warm, dry days, but in cold, wet climates, it's not the best option. In our at-home dunk tests, this glove was instantly flooded in just two squeezes. In addition, the glove held 14 oz of water after the 100 squeeze test, which is a lot!
In the field, we noticed that when sweating, the cloth held moisture, and when the snow started falling, the glove eventually became saturated. The big reason this glove failed in this metric is because of the absorbent cotton knit cloth on the back of the hand. The pigskin leather, on the other hand, always did a great job of keeping the water out.
Dexterity
Providing better dexterity than most of the mitten options in this review, this is a great glove if you want something that performs simple tasks — like zipping up a jacket or taking off a pair of skins. Ensuring that you have the proper fit really impacts the dexterity of the glove. It features thick insulation in both the fingers and palm. As a result, it's not as dexterous as other contenders that are built with less insulation in the palm with a female-specific fit. We found it did the job when we had to switch our ski & splitboard set-ups from touring mode. As a result, we'd recommend it for both resort and backcountry skiing.
Features
As one of the most featureless gloves, this contender really is no-frills. It only features an under the coat cuff and an incredibly small glove clasp that we were unable to use.
The single glove construction doesn't integrate a detached liner, adding to its minimalist design. That said, if you buy a larger size, you could probably fit an additional liner underneath as the cuff is quite elastic. If you're in the market for something with bells and whistles, this is not the glove for you. But, if you're all about simplicity and don't have a ton of cash to drop, you may have found your match.
Durability and Construction
When kept properly maintained, we've seen this glove last for years. The pigskin leather in the palm and fingers provide great durability over the years, as long as the gloves are kept moisturized with the proper treatment. This is a big reason its a top choice among penny-pinching guides and mountain people. It's a workhorse that can really stand up to tumultuous and consistent abrasion.
Even though it has a track record of glorified resilience, this glove earns a fairly low score in this category because of its lesser craftsmanship. When looking closely, we see thread fly-aways and widely spaced stitching. The cloth material on the back of the hand showed some abrasion and wear after our three month testing period. While it doesn't have the best craftsmanship, we have seen these hold up over the years.
Value
This glove isn't the highest performer and doesn't compete with other gloves in specific categories, but it is a favorite amongst ski guides and ski bums. It is cheap, offers okay performance, and is easy to replace. There are many options out there, but none with a durable outer like this, for such a low price. Those that will find the most value will appreciate a single-glove design that is breathable and dexterous.
Conclusion
This glove is perfect for the penny pincher that loves to ski on a bluebird, warm, clear days. We like it for both the resort and backcountry. However, as soon as the skies darkened and snow spat down, we left these gloves at home and exchanged them for a warmer, more water-resistant option.
— Amber King