Star Crack Gloves
Description
Crack gloves made in partnership with Vibram, featuring their world-famous XS-grip rubber.
The uniqueness of this product comes from the details, starting from the quality of the materials such as the famous Vibram XS-grip rubber used in climbing shoes, that ensures maximum friction and a better coverage.
Velcro closure is covered with rubber to ensure greater strength and durability.
Retail price
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| Weight (g) | 52 g |
Closure location Closure locationInside or OutsideCrack gloves close around the wrist typically with a velcro-like strap which lays either on the inside of the wrist (the palm side) or the outside of the wrist (the back of the hand). Most gloves close on the inside of the wrist where the closure is more protected from coming undone while jamming, though some manufacturers choose to close on the back for a lower profile closure that is more comfortable against the softer inner arm. |
Outside wrist |
Thumb CoverageThumb CoverageYes/No/Partial
Crack gloves are made with different types of cracks and rock in mind. Some manufacturers have begun building greater thumb protection into their designs which can be beneficial if you are climbing wider cracks where fist-jamming is common. We consider thumb coverage to completely cover the knuckle and at least part of the first digit of the thumb. If only part of the knuckle is covered it is considered partial. | Partially covers thumb knuckle |
FeaturesFeaturesStrap CoverageStrap coverage refers to the wrist closure strap having a built-in place to stow once it is closed. This feature is included on some gloves to help avoid the strap being opened when you don’t want it to be. VeganIf the manufacturer claims no animal products were used in the production of the product. | Covered strap |
| Sizing | S
< 19 cm / 7.4" M
19 - 21 cm / 7.4 - 8.2" L 21 - 23 cm / 8.2 - 9" XL
23 > cm / 9 >" WeighMyRack Tips: Runs Small. Most who are mid to top of their range choose to size up. May be sized tight for thinner cracks, but comfort drops greatly. Tighter than average finger holes made from die cut rubber sheet. The finger holes stretch well, but have a small constant pressure against the fingers that some find uncomfortable. |
MaterialGlove MaterialsMain GloveThis refers to the material or materials that make up the main body of a crack glove. This is usually either a form of natural or synthetic suede, synthetic material or combination of both. This may include the materials used to make holes or loops for fingers but should not be confused with the Backing material that is added on the back of the glove for contact with the rock.
BackingThis is the material that crack glove manufacturers adhere to the back of the glove to add friction and padding between your hand and the rock. This is usually some form of rubber or synthetic rubber compound and can be in very thin to relatively thick, although not all crack gloves have backing material. | Main Glove: Suede
Backing: Vibram XS-grip rubber |
| Thickness | Brand Thickness: Not specified |
| WeighMyRack Says | OK on splitters and sandstone depending on size of crack. Stiffness of rubber makes them feel a bit numb in some delicate jams. Wrist coverage for deep cracks is nice, but sticky rubber a bit too sticky in tighter cracks and can get caught when reaching deep. Good to Great on flaring, greatly traveled cracks. XS Grip rubber really shines on bagged out/polished jams and flares. Shallow fists almost seem too easy if you can get a lot of weight onto them. These gloves performed the best on slippery rock out of all the models we tested, though we have found those with less body weight can struggle to generate enough force to deform the XS Grip to make it stick best. |
No reviews yet.
We’ve found the performance of the Grivel Star Crack Gloves to be fairly good in most areas we’ve tested them. They do struggle from an ironic twist that their very sticky rubber backing makes them difficult to use in thinner scenarios, but we have found ourselves reaching for them often when climbing in areas of heavy travel where jams can be more polished. These gloves feel very different on the hand than every other glove we’ve tried and we think that is because they are not made to be a glove, but rather a shoe for your hand. Anywhere where you’d be reluctant to jam a hand because it it too sharp, too glassy, or too flaring, you probably wouldn’t think twice about jamming your foot; this is the way your hand feels in this glove. This glove has been found to perform the best in jagged, craggy, flaring cracks– especially in the palm up fist jam when you can really put a lot of weight on it and let the Vibram rubber do its job. If you are climbing thin, grippy cracks like sandstone splitter fingers, you should probably opt for something with a lower profile.
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