Olympia 8800 Traveler Winter Gloves - Waterproof, Windproof & Insulated for Skiing, Snowboarding & Outdoor Activities

I used Olympia summer gloves and winter gauntlets some 35 years ago. They didn't have so many sizes back then, just S, M, L I think. I bought the largest; the summer gloves were OK but the gauntlets were terrific. I used those for years, and wore them to tatters. I'd love to get another pair exactly like them.These 8800s look a bit like those gauntlets, although these cuffs are obviously shorter. I consulted the size chart on the Olympia site (olympiagloves dot com). The Olympia site actually has five different pages (that I found) telling how to measure for fit. They all showed me at the upper range of "MD" or the lower range of "LG" (or "L" - Olympia terminology isn't entirely consistent).So I ordered the Large. [Amazon says I bought the 2XL, but that's incorrect, I'm writing about the "L" size.] Holy cow, are these things small! And the vendor didn't send the wrong ones, there's a little tag with an "L" attached. They fit ... but they're the only gloves I've ever tried which I'd call claustrophobic. How claustrophobic? Well, any sort of liners are obviously out of the question. Not a good trend - the Olympias I bought a few decades ago fit just fine, no problems. But now the sizes are just plain wrong, even when the customer follows Olympia's fitting instruction meticulously.Also, the fingers are too short. Olympia sizing makes no allowance for finger length; only hand width across the knuckles. But I suppose if Olympia can't do the hand width right even with accurate measurements, they wouldn't be able to do finger lengths either.One of those pages on the Olympia site says "Leather will stretch around 5% with time and constant use, so they can start out a little snug. This will ensure a great fit once broken in." Maybe, but 5% isn't much; I think these would still feel weird after stretching.Construction quality seems first-rate. But somebody really has to solve the size problem. This is the twenty-first century ... we were supposed to have flying cars by now. And gloves which fit a human hand in size L.IMPORTANT NOTE - the vendor for these makes the customer pay for returns of stuff that doesn't fit.They live up to the description. Ive been using them for a few weeks, in the brisk morning air in on those country roads my hands stay warm, which is important due to the hand surgery I hand years ago my hand gets cold fast and for me to have my hand warm is important. Rained once while I was riding and my hands stayed dry. Sizing chart was spot on. I would definitely recommend.**Update 9/6/2018**They are not good for rain! If your caught in a light drizzle for a short time your hands will stay dry and warm. But if you are caught in any type of downpour for a short time your hands will get wet. I dont recommend for riding in rain. Other than that they do keep hands warm on chilly days.A very nice product. Unfortunately, the sizing is very small. I ordered an XL which should have been an easy fit, but was quite small. I've ordered the 2XL which should be a near perfect and snug fit. As for durability....time will tell, but the quality seems to be very good and the leather is soft and supple. The bell on the cuff could have been a bit wider, but more a preference than a function. Haven't taken them on the road yet, but instinct tells me these gloves will be excellent. I have "boxers hands"...square, wide across the knuckles and thumb, and just a bit heavy. If these are your hands...DEFINITELY order at least one size larger...consider two.Great winter touring glove for the price. I normally wear a large men's glove and these fit me really well. Just remember to undo the Velcro strapsbefore you try to take them off, I damaged my last pair doing that. They were still usable, until one ended up falling into some used motor oil. So this is my second pair... In extremely cold weather riding you are still gonna want heated grips. But that is true with any glove. So if your considering heated grips for you motorcycle I would highly recommend them. Ride Safe. P.S. Years ago I had a pair of finger less riding gloves by Olympia.They had the gel pad in the palms. Those were excellent gloves as well.Runs a little small across the hand, but the fingers are a little long. I wish the gauntlet was a little bigger around. They serve their purpose as far as keeping my hands warm.They are good.didn't like the strap on top of the conlet sleeve.My boyfriend rides motorcycles... These were perfect for hishands. The length helps to keep the cold winds from creepinginto his clothing!