Safariland Hatches New Gloves

HatchWhile we can hope we won’t need gloves for a while, Safariland Groups’ Hatch has released its news series of duty glove models with touchscreen capability. The new Hatch gloves features integrated ATS (Advanced Touchscreen System) technology that allows law enforcement and other wearers to be able to touch the screen without exposing the hands. The gloves also include touchscreen capability into the knuckle – just don’t punch the screen and hope this will work!

Hatch Official Website

Paint It On

NanotipsOne thing that this endless winter has taught us is that smartphones are hard to use with gloves. Sure there are plenty of specialty gloves that work with touchscreens, but Nanotips has another option – a special paint that transforms most gloves into ones that are touchscreen-compatible.

The company recently completed a successful Kickstarter campaign to bring out two versions of its product; one for leather and another for rubber gloves. Each comes in a little bottle that can be applied directly to gloves, and there are about 20 to 30 applications per bottle. The special touchscreen nano-particle paint is washable and durable, but can be reapplied as needed. Video after the jump

Crafty Gloves

CraftWhen cycling in the winter you need to have your hands covered but still have ample dexterity in the digitals. Craft has you – or rather your hands covered – with its line of new Hybrid Winter Glove that is actually a hybrid of a glove and mitten.

The glove is made of warm yet stretchable polyester with a brushed interior that keeps the fingers warm yet still allows you to use a touchscreen device such as a smartphone. When the wind picks up or the temperatures drop you can add a waterproof mitten cover to the mix.

Craft USA Official Website

Powered Up Gloves

HuntworthThe Arsenal Gloves are part of Huntworth’s Sensor Series hunting glove line-up and are constructed with a bird’s-eye mesh on the back of the hand and a durable triple-layer palm, the Arsenal is both lightweight and rugged, and yet can still be used with a mobile device.

The back of the glove is water-resistant and the palm is breathable and water-resistant, enabling the glove to easily shed moisture and light snow, while the silicon print on the palm provides a sure grip on a firearm no matter what the weather. The seamless, wrap-around fingertip construction allows an ultra-sensitive feel, while the index finger and thumb feature touch tips, making it possible to use a touchscreen device without the hassle of removing your gloves.

Huntworth Official Website

ION Grips Cycling

German glove maker ION has introduced its new bike gloves for spring. These include the Path, Ledge and Wisp and each model features “digital tips” that can work with touchscreen-enabled devices. ION has placed the tips on the actual tips of the fingers to make use with touchscreens a little easier.

The Path and Wisp are designed for off-road riding and for men and women respectively, while the Ledge model is for endure and gravity-oriented riders. All three models feature pre-curved fingers while the inner palm and inside panels of the gloves are made of “holy_cow” synthetic leather.

ION Products Official Website

Gloves that Let the Digits Go Digital

One downside to touchscreen technology is that it isn’t exactly easy to use with gloves – but then again most handsets are tough to use with gloves. So maybe those with touchscreens have an advantage thanks to winter products such as the Outdoor Research Stormsensor Gloves, which utilize TouchTec water-resistant leather on the fingers and palm. This allows the digits on your hand to active the digits or other items on the touchscreen. This way your hands can stay warm and you can still text and type away. Of course it does mean more people will be using handsets on the slopes, but that’s simply called progress.

Outdoor Research Stormsensor Gloves Official Website

Touchscreen Compatible Tactical Gloves

Protecting the hands for shooting and other tactical uses shouldn’t keep the wearer from using a tablet PC. This spring 5.11 Tactical, which provides apparel and equipment for law enforcement, is introducing the Screen Ops Gloves, which feature specially constructed fingertips that enable efficient and precise operation of capacitive resistance touch screen devices with all five fingertips.

These are compatible with products from cell phones to iPads, and feature a patented Tactical Touch seamless fingertip construction that assures superior dexterity, fit and comfort. The technology enables the wearer to operate touch screens with all five fingers while retaining the protection of their gloves. Three styles of the Screen Ops Gloves will be available this spring including the Patrol and Duty Gloves, which are constructed with seamless sheepskin palms; while the Tactical Gloves are made with seamless goatskin on the palm and fingers, with perforated leather padding over the knuckles and American made Kevlar fabric for added protection in tactical environments. All should fit… like a glove!

5.11 Tactical Official Website

CES 2012: Garmin Approaches Golf Courses with G6 GPS

Golf is quickly becoming more competitive. It was always more than a friendly walk along 18 holes, but technology is giving some players an edge that just can’t be beat. Garmin is arming golfers with a GPS device that will offer strategic knowledge of over 25,000 courses worldwide.

Continue reading CES 2012: Garmin Approaches Golf Courses with G6 GPS

Velocomp iBike Coach Pushes Riders

Gone are the days of the cycling computer with one or two buttons that cycle through speed, distance, cadence and limited readings. The smartphone is the perfect venue for the cycle computer, with the appropriate app. It’s got a nice big screen, and connectivity offers real-time maps and location data along with those stats of speed, distance and time on the bike.

Velocomp just introduced its iBike Coach for the iPhone. It’s a handlebar-mountable case that holds the iPhone and protects it from water and other damage. The case encloses the phone and protects it in the event of a crash or other blunt force.

Video after the jump

The Tough Touchscreen GPS

GPS is popular in the car, but it really likes the outdoors. The new Montana, a GPS handheld from Garmin, gives you a ruggedized device with touchscreen functionality. The Montana goes far beyond the state it was named after. It supports a wide range of Garmin cartography with its dual orientation and screen layout options. It has a barometric altimeter for elevation profiling and the ability to profile the route ahead using a worldwide elevation model. The device has a 3-axis compass that provides a heading while standing still, on the move or even when the Montana isn’t held level.

The ruggedized device has a 4-inch touchscreen and a 5-megapixel autofocus camera. Several features make the Montana useful for more than just directions. Two battery options keep your device powered during remote, outdoor adventures. The rechargeable, lithium ion battery pack is said to last up to 16 hours. You can substitute three AA batteries for an additional six hours of battery life when you can’t plug in your handheld.

The Montana supports geocaching GPX files for downloading geocaches and details straight to the unit. It stores key information including location, terrain, difficulty, hints and descriptions.

Official Garmin website