Black Diamond Legend Review
Compare prices at 2 resellers Pros: Dexterous, lightweight, supple, packable
Cons: Not very durable, marginal water resistance
Manufacturer: Black Diamond
Our Verdict
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Black Diamond Legend | |||||
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Awards | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | |
Price | Check Price on Amazon Compare at 2 sellers | $199 List | $276.22 at Backcountry Compare at 2 sellers | $179 List | $118.96 at Backcountry Compare at 2 sellers |
Overall Score ![]() |
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Star Rating | |||||
Pros | Dexterous, lightweight, supple, packable | Warm, water resistant, durable, dexterous, lightweight and packable | Great fit and dexterity, weather resistant, electrical heat works, great glove even when turned off | Excellent dexterity and durability, fairly warm, water resistant | Super warm, extremely tough, great weather resistance, removable liners help them dry quicker, our go-to expedition glove |
Cons | Not very durable, marginal water resistance | Expensive, lacks some features | Doesn't get as warm as other heated gloves, expensive | Expensive, lacks some nice features | Not very dexterous, take time to break in, if in between sizes you should consider sizing up |
Bottom Line | Very supple for fantastic dexterity, our reviewers found doubt in its durability | Top-tier performance, coupled with exceptional versatility across a wide range of conditions | Well-built ski gloves that perform even when the heat is turned off | A good choice for warmth and weather resistance in a dexterous package | If rugged capabilities and warmth top your list of importance, think about investing in this pair |
Rating Categories | Black Diamond Legend | Arc'teryx Fission SV | Hestra Power Heater Glove | Arc'teryx Sabre | Black Diamond Guide |
Warmth (25%) | |||||
Dexterity (25%) | |||||
Water Resistance (25%) | |||||
Durability (15%) | |||||
Features (10%) | |||||
Specs | Black Diamond Legend | Arc'teryx Fission SV | Hestra Power... | Arc'teryx Sabre | Black Diamond Guide |
Double or Single Glove | Single | Single | Single | Single | Double |
Gaunlet or Cuff? | Cuff | Gauntlet | Hybrid | Cuff | Gauntlet |
Palm Material | Sheep leather | Leather | Goat leather | Leather | Goat leather |
Waterproof Material | Gore-Tex | Gore-Tex | CZone | Gore-tex | Gore-Tex insert |
Insulation Type | 170g PrimaLoft Gold | 133g Primaloft Gold Eco and 200g Primaloft Silver Eco | Fiberfill polyester | Primaloft | 170g PrimaLoft Gold and 100g boiled wool fleece lining |
Nose Wipe? | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
Our Analysis and Test Results
Performance Comparison
Warmth
The Legend is a decently warm glove, especially considering it's lightweight and lacks of a large storm gauntlet. Our testers were comfortable wearing this glove down to 10 degrees Fahrenheit. Compared to the over-the-cuff/gauntlet style gloves we tested, these aren't as warm, but they are way more dexterous. Synthetic insulation in the palm, back of hand, and fingers keeps your body heat in, and a soft fleece lining adds comfort and warmth. Overall, this glove is surprisingly warm and will be adequate for most days at the ski hill, unless you live and ski in very cold environments like the northern Rockies or Alaska.
Dexterity
The Legend features some of the best dexterity among models we tested. These gloves use a sheepskin leather on the palm, which is incredibly soft and broken in straight out of the box. Common skiing tasks like bucking boots and opening zippers are a breeze while wearing this glove. Writing, using car keys, and taking a phone out of a pocket are also easily accomplished. These gloves were designed for snow professionals like ski patrollers and guides, and their dexterity reflects this purpose. We felt that the thumb is tailored a bit large and could be more snug, but this didn't affect overall dexterity that much.
Water Resistance
The Legend lacks somewhat in water resistance. It uses a Gore-Tex insert to keep water outside the hand chamber, and a Pertex softshell material on the back of the hand and cuff, which also repels water from the outside of the glove. However, most of the glove's exterior is made from a very supple and soft fabric that seemed to absorb water more easily than other leathers we have seen in glove construction, both from Black Diamond and also from other manufacturers.
All leather gloves should be treated with a snow sealant before use and regularly throughout the winter. We treated these gloves with the best snow sealant on the market, and still, the leather seemed to get soaked in the afternoons of the wettest days, and after about two weeks of testing, the gloves needed another snow seal treatment. Water never reached the interior of the glove, but when the leather soaks through, the glove feels wet and is also less durable.
Durability
The Legend's palm leather is significantly softer than any other ski glove we have seen. While this material provides excellent comfort and dexterity, it also brings major durability concerns. After about two weeks of heavy use, the leather palm showed significant signs of wear, including minor rips and thin spots. A common practice in leather glove construction is the placement of additional leather patches in areas of high use, and these gloves don't do that. Furthermore, the soft leather can more easily tear away from the stitching used to keep the glove together, because the stitches are sewn through a very soft material to begin with. All of these concerns are exacerbated when the leather gets damp.
Features
The neoprene cuff is one of our favorites, especially among the under-the-jacket-cuff models we tested. It seals tightly around the wearer's wrist, with a Velcro closure keeping snow out and reducing volume. This makes it easy to pull your jacket sleeve over the top of the cuff of the glove. The nose wipe is very comfortable as well. Otherwise, there aren't many other features to speak of, which is welcome news to those who prefer to avoid dangling straps and drawcords.
Value
The Legend is a relatively expensive ski glove, and despite all of its strengths, the poor durability performance makes us doubt the value of this product. It wears out faster than a hardware store leather winter glove, and for the price, this short lifespan is unacceptable. The good news is that Black Diamond has an exceptional warranty program, and they will most likely replace the glove when it wears out.
Conclusion
Durability aside, the Black Diamond Legend is a great ski glove, providing warmth for most temperatures, protection in most weather, and excellent dexterity. It broke our hearts that they wore out so fast. If you don't subject your ski gloves to heavy-duty use, this is a great choice, but if durability is at all a factor in your decision, we would recommend other models.
— Jeff Dobronyi