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Kinco Pigskin Leather Review

This pigskin glove is perfect for the penny-pincher looking to explore the mountains in dry, warm conditions.
Kinco Lined Grain Pigskin Leather - Women's
Best Buy Award
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Price:  $16 List | $16.50 at Amazon
Pros:  Incredibly affordable, durable leather, no-frills design, decent dexterity, cool points
Cons:  Cold, absorbs water, unisex and limited fit, few to no features
Manufacturer:   Kinco
By Amber King ⋅ Senior Review Editor  ⋅  Feb 21, 2017
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46
OVERALL
SCORE

RANKED
#12 of 12
  • Warmth and Breathability - 25% 4
  • Water Resistance - 25% 3
  • Dexterity - 25% 7
  • Features - 10% 3
  • Durability - 15% 5

Our Verdict

If you're shopping around for a glove that will keep a little more cash in your wallet, the Kinco Pigskin Leather Gloves may be your best option. With a price tag in the area of $16, this glove is super inexpensive and high quality considering the price. Featuring an outer with pigskin leather outer and a cloth-knit material on the back of the hand, this glove is fairly warm and quite breathable. It features a polyester knit cuff that slips under jackets nicely. Not only is it perfect for skiing on warm days at the resort, or hiking uphill in the mountains, but it's also a great option if you're looking to do yard work.

Even though this glove has a lot of great features and a low price tag, we weren't too impressed by its warmth or water resistance. The knit cloth on the back of the hand provides a place for heat to easily escape and for water to absorb readily. Because of this, we can't recommend this glove as a cold weather or wet climate option. Instead, consider the Gordini Gore-Tex Down III for those environments. Or, if you can't afford the prices on those gloves, take a look at this glove's cousin, the Kinco Pigskin Leather Heatkeep. It features a full leather pigskin outer (without the breathable and absorbent cloth back) and fantastic insulation that will keep your hands more protected from the elements.


Compare to Similar Products

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Kinco Lined Grain Pigskin Leather - Women's
This Product
Kinco Pigskin Leather
Awards Best Buy Award Editors' Choice Award  Best Buy Award Top Pick Award 
Price $16.50 at Amazon$149.25 at Backcountry$170 List$68.01 at Amazon$67.73 at REI
Compare at 3 sellers
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Pros Incredibly affordable, durable leather, no-frills design, decent dexterity, cool pointsWarm, breathable, lightweight, great dexterity, versatileSuper warm, removable liner, durable construction, weather resistant linerFantastic warmth, good dexterity, durable goatskin palm, super affordable priceHand warmer pocket in liner, long gauntlet, double glove construction, great price, carabiner loop, versatile
Cons Cold, absorbs water, unisex and limited fit, few to no featuresExpensive, limited sizingBulky, difficult to get liner back into glove, expensiveFew features, less breathable constructNot warm, lacks durability, no wrist adjustment, tight fit, not recommended for the resort
Bottom Line This pigskin glove is perfect for the penny-pincher looking to explore the mountains in dry, warm conditions.This Editors' Choice stands out for its fantastic balance of warmth and breathability, perfect for skiing the resort or exploring in the backcountry.A classic workhorse glove designed to keep hands warm and comfortable all day long.This Best Buy Award winner is perfect for any lady seeking an affordable and cozy glove that offers superior warmth and dexterity.This Top Pick for Backcountry Adventures will surely breathe and perform during any winter aerobic sport.
Rating Categories Kinco Pigskin Leather Arc'teryx Fission - Women's Black Diamond Guide - Women's Gore-Tex Down III Women's Arete
Warmth And Breathability (25%)
10
0
4
10
0
6
10
0
8
10
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8
10
0
4
Water Resistance (25%)
10
0
3
10
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9
10
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9
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7
10
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9
Dexterity (25%)
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7
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6
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9
Features (10%)
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7
Durability (15%)
10
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5
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10
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9
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7
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6
Specs Kinco Pigskin... Arc'teryx Fission... Black Diamond... Gore-Tex Down III... Arete
Waterproof Material Leather outer Gore-Tex XCR waterproof insert GORE-TEX waterproof insert Gore-Tex waterproof/windproof membrane Gore-Tex waterproof/windproof membrane
Insulation Type HeatKeep Thermal Lining PrimaLoft insulation 170 g PrimaLoft® Gold insulation 600-fill of 70% goose down 30% waterfowl feathers on back of hand, Megaloft on palm side Radiant Fleece (100-grams)
Palm Material Grain pigskin leather Leather Goat leather Goat skin (leather) AlpenGrip Synthetic material
Inner Glove Material (if applicable) Polyester liner Brushed polyester liner Boiled wool and 200 g fleece palm lining Polyester fleece liner Polyester fleece liner gloves.
Double or Single Construction? Single Single Single Single Double
Gauntlet or Cuff Length? Gauntlet Medium cuff Medium cuff Medium cuff Medium cuff
Special features None Removable wrist leash, carabiner loop, adjustable wrist cuff. Nose wipe, foam padding on knuckles Adjustable wrist closure, nose wipe. Carabiner loop, nose wipe, adjustable wrist cuff, removable wrist leash.
Sizes (Women's) Men's S, M, L, XL, XXL XS, S, M, L, XL XS,S,M,L S, M, L S, M, L
Fit Fits large (unisex sizing). Fits large (unisex sizing). Fits small True to size. Fits small.
Treatment Required? Yes Yes No Yes 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


Simple great materials and super affordable. What else could a penny pincher ask for?
Simple, great materials, and super affordable. What else could a penny pincher ask for?

Warmth & Breathability


As one of the colder gloves tested, the Pigskin Leather is probably one of the better choices for warm weather and aerobic endeavors on cold days. Many of our friends and family 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.

The Heatkeep insulation is soft fuzzy and warm. However the cloth exterior on the cloth allows heat to escape way too fast making this one of the coldest gloves tested.
The Heatkeep insulation is soft, fuzzy, and warm. However, the cloth exterior on the cloth allows heat to escape way too fast, making this one of the coldest gloves tested.

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 14oz of water after the 100 squeeze test!


Here we see the water draining from the Kinco glove after the squeeze test. This was the most absorbent glove tested and the least water resistant. Water seeped in through the cloth fabric on top not through the actual leather textile.
Here we see the water draining from the Kinco glove after the squeeze test. This was the most absorbent glove tested and the least water resistant. Water seeped in through the cloth fabric on top, not through the actual leather textile.

In the field, we noticed that when sweating, the cloth held moisture, and when the snow started falling, the glove eventually became saturated. Once again, we think the Kinco Pigskin Leather Heatkeep, not tested here, will perform better in this metric as it features a full leather construct. 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 at keeping the water out.

The cloth exterior fully absorbed water after just a squeeze or two completely soaking the glove. No other product performed this poorly.
The cloth exterior fully absorbed water after just a squeeze or two, completely soaking the glove. No other product performed this poorly.

Dexterity


Since this glove has a unisex fit, make sure to order it in a smaller size. For example, if you normally fit a women's medium, be sure to order a Kinco small.


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. The Kinco Pigskin 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.

Amber on a cold day putting skins away before descending down Browns Gulch. The Kinco Pigskin gloves provide good dexterity but at this point Amber can't feel her fingers due to the cold windy conditions (despite her smile).
Amber on a cold day, putting skins away before descending down Browns Gulch. The Kinco Pigskin gloves provide good dexterity, but at this point Amber can't feel her fingers due to the cold, windy conditions (despite her smile).

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, you may have found your match.

The cuff fits nicely under jackets while the glove connecters (pictured on the right) are almost too small to use. This glove features little to no features. A perfect option for those who love no-frills designs.
The cuff fits nicely under jackets while the glove connecters (pictured on the right) are almost too small to use. This glove features little to no features. A perfect option for those who love no-frills designs.

Durability and Construction


To ensure this glove maintains its water resistance and durability, be sure to treat it at least three times a season with a leather sealant.


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.

The pigskin leather is fairly durable providing good protection from the elements at the palms. Ensure to treat the leather consistently to avoid the leather from cracking and losing its water-resistant properties.
The pigskin leather is fairly durable, providing good protection from the elements at the palms. Ensure to treat the leather consistently to avoid the leather from cracking and losing its water-resistant properties.

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. As a result, while it doesn't have the best craftsmanship, it can hold up over the years. It is only $16.

Here we note a widely-spaced stitching patterns with a couple of fly-aways.
Here we note a widely-spaced stitching patterns with a couple of fly-aways.

Best Application


If you're charging in warm, dry conditions, this glove is simply perfect. The cloth on the back of the hand provides wonderful breathability while the insulative interior provides the right amount of warmth you need. We found great applications of this glove in both the resort and backcountry. Because of its incredible breathability, lack of water resistance, and questionable construction, it's not our top recommendation for yucky cold or wet days. Opt for something a little warmer and a little more water resistant in that case.

Value


Even though this glove isn't the highest performer and doesn't compete with other gloves in specific categories, it is a favorite amongst ski guides and ski bums. For a price ranging between $14 - $18 online, this is our Best Buy for Penny Pinchers!!! If you want a glove with a similar price, but actually performs better (based on online feedback and talking to long-time owners), the Kinco Pigskin Leather Heatkeep may be a better option at roughly $29 (and cheaper with some sales).

Conclusion


This glove is perfect for the penny pincher that loves to ski on 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