Like the ill-fated internet meme says, "Winter is coming" ... or at least, it is for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere. Chaval's Response XRT heated gloves are designed to help outdoorsmen battle the cold that comes with the season, using some innovative new technology – and for US$389.97, they'd better.
Chaval claims that its gloves last three times longer than any other heated gloves on the market. Having heated gloves is great, but if they die during a long trip to the wilderness, all a user has is a really expensive pair of regular gloves, and that seems counterproductive. The Response XRTs are rated to last four to seven hours, depending on how cold the conditions are.
The gloves have what Chaval calls alphaHEAT technology. Essentially, this means that there is no manual thermostat for regulating the temperature – instead, the heat level adjusts itself automatically. This allows winter adventurers to turn the gloves on and not have to worry about the temperature. This is also what allows the gloves to last longer (battery-wise) than their competitors. Chaval claims that thermostats and other electronics in other gloves waste "upwards of 50 percent of stored power."
The gloves come with a simple cable tucked inside for charging. It makes charging the gloves comparable to charging a cell phone, which should make life a little easier for adventurers. A full charge should take four to six hours.
Instead of wires, which are common in many heated gloves, the XRTs use flat, flexible, conductive traces to transmit power inside the gloves. This is designed to improve their weight and flexibility.
These gloves additionally feature some nice design ideas such as a jointed thumb for easier movement, an elastic wrist and a full gauntlet for keeping snow out of the gloves. The XRTs also have a microfiber fleece lining that adds warmth and moisture wicking.
Source: Chaval
