Hike Like a Smurf in the Rain: Showa 281 Temres Gloves
Inexpensive waterproof blue gloves
Showa Temres Gloves, often called Smurf Gloves, are named after an 1980’s Belgian comic and popular TV show featuring bright blue humanoid creatures who lived in mushroom-shaped houses in the forest. They’re inexpensive, waterproof, PU-coated gloves that offer good dexterity and are used in industrial applications such as commercial fishing and cleaning.
- Model: 281 Temres
- Insulation: Not insulated
- Interior: Nylon
- Exterior: Micro-ventilated Polyurethane
- Latex Free: Yes
- Weight: 1.8 oz in size XL
They come in an uninsulated model (281 Temres) that makes a good rain glove (advocated by Andrew Skurka) and an insulated model (282 Temres) popular with ice climbers, which I’ve used successfully for winter hiking.
I’ve been testing out a pair of the uninsulated 281 Temres gloves this spring in rainy Vermont, in preparation for a thru-hike in England and Scotland, which will undoubtedly require hiking in cold, lashing rain, possibly for days at a time. Since there’s virtually no tree cover along my route, I need rain gloves that will keep my hands warm while still providing a reasonable amount of dexterity.
I’ve attempted to use other rain gloves, rain mitts, and rain pogies on previous hiking trips in Scotland with less-than-satisfactory results, but I have had great success with the insulated 282 Temres for winter hiking, so I figured the uninsulated 281 Temres were worth a try.
There are a few things about the 281 Temres that appeal to me so far.
- Dexterity: I can zip and unzip jacket zippers or open and close backpack buckles while wearing them.
- Wrist Gauntlets: They have long gauntlets that extend below the wrist and can be tucked into the wrist cuff of my rain jacket to help retain warmth.
- Layering: They layer well with the fingerless OR ActiveIce sun gloves I like to wear when hiking, and Tenkara fly fishing. More on sizing below.
- Waterproof: They’re completely waterproof, without any seams to seal.
- Price: At approximately $20 per pair, the price can’t be beat.
- Durable: They’re much more durable than nitrile gloves, for instance, and even thicker than Playtex dishwashing gloves of my youth.
- Conversational openers: These blue gloves are a great way to start a conversation with people I meet while hiking!
The manufacturer claims that the Showa 281 gloves are breathable, whatever that means. After years of disappointment, I usually shrug off such claims because they’re not repeatable or verifiable. But if commercial fishermen swear that they keep their hands dry, I can be convinced.
With regards to sizing, you want to size up. I normally wear a medium-to-large-size glove, but wear an XL in the 281 Temres. That gives me enough room to fit a thin sun glove inside. But there isn’t enough room for me to use a Zpacks possum down liner, my preferred warm, lightweight glove. I’d have to get an XXL for that.
Just goes to show that the best backpacking gear is often not backpacking gear at all.
SectionHiker never accepts payment for gear reviews or editorial coverage. When you buy through affiliate links on our site, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Help us continue to test and write unsponsored and independent gear reviews, hiking and backpacking FAQs, and free hiking guides.
How does using these compare performance-wise with thin unlined barrier gloves like Gtex WindStoppers? Will my fingers resemble raisins end of day? Have a great trek.
Been a long time since I tried GS windstopper gloves. But I haven’t experienced any pruning with these showas. Maybe the claims of breathability are warranted or maybe the gauntletts allow more ventilation. Hard to say. The fit inside the gloves is also kind of loose, not tight like a nitrile, but without affecting dexterity if that makes sense.
I’ll give them a shot. Including with the NZ opossum gloves, which perform well. I own a ton of chit that’s “obsolete” because I load up when something just works or appears to work. So I do have and use early Windstoppers/North Face barrier gloves that are fuzzy but if still around they get used. Otherwise, the neoprene thing in various thicknesses seems to work for me. Cheap Chinese and leather have their roles, too. But Smurf gloves are interesting.
Inspired by Andrew Skurka myself, I’ve used these several times hiking in cold rain in the U.S. and for one trip in Scotland. Both my kids used them for month-long trips in Alaska with NOLS. I’ve been very happy with them with various liners. The best liners I’ve used were some old REI fleece things that were surprisingly warm for how thin they were. Alas, I lost them a few years ago and can no longer find anything like them, so I now use thin merino gloves from Kuiu.
Phil you are on the right track with these gloves! I have extensively tested the 281 gloves hiking gardening and powerwashing and can attest to the fact that there is a MVTR aspect to them. I only experienced the sweaty feeling in sun and warm temperatures. It took me about 2 years for a pair to degrade and develop breakdown and tearing, I did abuse them pretty well though. The SHOWA TEMRES 282-02 Waterproof Insulated glove I have used and abused for 5 years now at work doing many things including stacking pallets. The grippy texture is gone but they still breathe well and the crappy fleece lining is packed down but man for the price wow. They have a cinch cuff to go over a sleeve which let in very little water or put it under as it will hold in warmth. I got a new pair in xl snowshoed with them and a thin alpacka liner at 9-10 deg F performed as good or better than my expensive Arcteryx gloves. Don’t know Temps you will be getting but assuming cold windy rain 30s or 40s these would be my pick. If you want the modularity turn them inside out rip out the fleece the use your choice of liner. Again, the shock cord cuff is gold. The choice of many ice climbers too! You are spot on about sizing up 1 or 2 sizes
I own a pair of the insulated kind, Black in color so not to stand out too much. As stated for 20 bucks with guaranteed results of dry hands they are worth their weight. The loop style with closeable gauntlets are the way to go as they add warmth and can be cinched up tight under your rain gear. From personal experience I used them this winter in fairly cold conditions and they kept my hands dry with blowing wet snow all day long.
However I find adding the Possum down gloves as liners adds a measure able amount of warmth. Yes they are breathable and quite frankly I don’t know how they do it as I was climbing with lots of sweat and most of it was absorbed outward and some into the Possum Down. They do have a limit to the cold though and I have found about anything under 40 degrees and my hands got uncomfortably cold. So for me 50 and over is where they shine and I run cold if that helps. When real cold just grabbing onto the outer part of the glove is cold and clammy, something my fabric Cabellas Gore Tex Thinsulate gloves do not do.
I might suggest the insulated ones for you Mr Werner as once the rain and wind comes in it gets cold and miserable very quickly.
Hope this helps.
When I click on the link to buy 281 model, it shows only insulated option. I can’t find uninsulated model.
That link takes you the 281 product page. Ignore the word “insulated” in the product description. It’s an translation mistake. This is literally the identical place I purchased my 281s.
I have used these for a few years to great success. Perfect for cold rainy camp chores too…all the expensive “ waterproof” gloves never do as well.
Are these touch screen compatible?
I don’t care if I look like a Smurf. I already look dorky enough when I’m hiking!
nope.
I received a pair of the uninsulated ones today and decided to test them on my phone to see if they were screen compatible. I don’t know if the fact that I was canoeing in a tank of radioactive bilgewater from Chernobyl had anything to do with it, but they were compatible, at least until the bottom melted out of my canoe. It’s a good thing the gloves are waterproof, otherwise, I would never have been able to grab the life vest.
Sizing up is definitely a must–didn’t you say that?. I normally wear medium (M) size gloves. These are large (L), and fit like a glove… imagine that! If planning on using a liner, a person really needs to size up. I might try a size larger to see if I can slip my normal liner gloves in an XL.
I couldn’t get it to work with my screen so that’s a new data point.
Location. Location. Location.
A waiting for a pair ($23) and will be taking them to NW Ontario for a fishing trip. I’m hoping I get to use them but will at least be glad to have them along as 50F and rain can be miserable. I’ve got several options for liners including some REI Sun gloves. Thanks for the review!