Think winter’s over? Think again. Much of the Midwest and Northeast is about to get blasted with yet another snowstorm, which means it’s the perfect time to tell you about my favorite leather gloves. They’re from a brand called Hestra – a company started by Martin Magnusson way back in 1936 that’s now in its third generation of family operation. Known in large part for their skiing and outdoor recreation gloves, Hestra has also perfected the classic and always-in-style leather glove. And after owning several pairs, I can tell you firsthand that you’ll have an incredibly difficult time finding any other gloves that can match the quality leather and design that Hestra has combined. I wear mine daily, and I’ve yet to find a pair of leather gloves I love more.
In picking a pair of Hestra leather gloves, there are two main types of leather to choose from – deerskin or lambskin – with an additional elk option as well. For men, Deerskin is an exceptionally strong and durable leather that protects your hands from the elements. Combined with Hestra’s linings, it also ensures your hands stay perfectly warm. Another great benefit of deerskin over some other leathers is its ability to retaining it’s incredibly soft texture, even after getting wet and drying out.
Lambskin, another leather used by Hestra for its classic gloves, is a very soft and thin leather that gives you complete mobility while you wear them. For their classic gloves, Hestra sources their lambskin from Italy, which is highly regarded for the quality of their lambskin production. Lastly, another type of leather that you can choose from for a pair of classic leather gloves from Hestra is elk. For Hestra’s gloves, the Scandinavian Elk is a Swedish moose leather that’s stronger than nearly any other leather, yet still retains a soft texture for a very durable glove.
Once you’ve chosen the type of leather that suits your needs best, the next step is choosing from one of Hestra’s many classic designs. Here are three of my favorites (two men’s, one women’s), but there are numerous other designs in the Hestra online store to choose from as well.
Hestra Deerskin Classic Wool Gloves
A great all-around men’s glove is the Hestra Deerskin Classic Wool, a distinctly classic style that’s completely handsewn and made from deerskin leather with a knitted wool liner and three point seams on the upper section. This particular style has three color options, dark brown, black or cork. One thing to note: Hestra Classic Gloves are meant to fit like a great suit, so take the time to measure yourself and use their size guide.
$75, Hestra.com
Hestra Deerskin Country Gloves
Another great option for men is the Deerskin Country Glove, which are my go-to winter driving gloves. Similar in style to the Deerskin Classic Wool, the glove features a classic fitted design with three point seams on the upper. Made from North American Deerskin, the Country Glove has a lambswool lining for added warmth and is also available in three standard colors: cork, black and dark brown.
$80, Hestra.com
Hestra Claire Gloves
For the ladies, we particularly like the Hestra Claire, a stylish and warm glove designed from Italian Lamb Nappa and also handsewn with lambsfur lining. The Claire gloves come in five different color options: Sienna, Cork, Chocolate, Black and Red. Like the men’s gloves, the Hestra gloves for women also come in a variety of sizes to ensure a perfect fit, so be sure to follow the size guide.
$145, Hestra.com
