Hestra CZone Incline

The Hestra CZone Incline is a cowhide ski glove built around Hestra's CZone waterproof membrane, with a lining sewn in rather than removable. Wet snow stays outside the glove; in exchange, there is no liner you can pull out and dry overnight.

Leather and construction

The shell is impregnated cowhide, backhand and palm alike — leather treated to repel water instead of drinking it, so it stays lighter and stiffens less on a wet day.

Under the leather sits the CZone membrane. Insulation is foam plus G-Loft Needle over a brushed polyester lining. The glove is cut on Hestra's Ergo Grip construction, which positions the seams to leave minimum surplus fabric in the palm: less bunching, more grip.

Warmth and weather

The membrane is real. On Hestra's structured spec sheets, CZone gloves are listed Waterproof: Yes — a membrane "that prevents moisture from reaching your hands, keeping them dry in wet and snowy conditions." Plenty of premium leather ski gloves, including some of Hestra's own, are rated Waterproof: No. This one is not.

Warmth is the honest gap. Hestra grades warmth on a published 1–8 scale, Light through Expedition, but has published no number for this model, and we will not invent one.

There is no snow lock and no gauntlet. It closes with a neoprene cuff, a Velcro strap, a puller and handcuffs, and sits under a jacket sleeve. In deep snow, the seal at your wrist is one you make with your jacket, not one the glove makes.

Fit and sizing

Hestra sizes by hand circumference, and its own instruction is to measure "around the widest part of the palm." Hestra adds a caveat worth repeating: "The recommended size is an indication. Hands vary, and some models have a tighter fit than others."

PTO stocks one colourway, Cork, in sizes 8, 9 and 10.

Who it is for, and who should skip it

Buy it if you ski wet, heavy snow and want leather that keeps water out while leaving enough hand to work a buckle.

Skip it if you want maximum warmth on a cold chairlift: the CZone Mountain carries the same membrane but is rated 6/8, "Insulated," with a longer cuff and a snow lock. Skip it too if a removable liner is non-negotiable — the Army Leather Heli Ski has one, though Hestra's spec sheet lists that glove as Waterproof: No. Warm and waterproof are separate questions. This one answers the second.