Review and comparison with the Markhof V3 model
Articolo in italiano QUI
As a female photographer I always have some difficulty finding equipment specifically designed for women. Although there are many more specific products on the market today than a few years ago, most brands still only have items that are unisex at best.
So, when Vallerret asked me to try their new glove model specific for women photographers I couldn’t be happier! I already have a pair of gloves from this brand, unisex to be precise, which I have used for several winter seasons and which I have always found comfortable, but I was really curious to see the difference between the two models.
Saga Women’s Glove
The model is called Saga, in Old Norse, a saga means “a story worth telling” and is intended to be a tribute to women who pick up cameras and write their stories through light and movement.
The model takes on the characteristics of others from the brand, such as the iconic (and in my opinion very practical) FlipTech system that allows you to reveal your thumb and index without having to remove the entire glove, the pocket for inserting a heating pad and the hidden tripod key, and many others.
Technical features
To be specific, Saga gloves have medium thermal protection, meaning they are designed for mid-winter or in any case for winter climates that are not excessively harsh.
They are designed with the aforementioned FlipTech system. Thanks to this feature, the gloves can be easily used both to adjust the machine controls and to change, for example, the square filters, which, personally, I have always found very uncomfortable to do with the gloves on. Having the ability to discover only the tips of two fingers for each hand I had great freedom of movement without cooling my hands. The thumb and forefinger also come with a Touch Screen cover so you can use phones and other devices without taking off your gloves.
There is also a non-slip pattern on the palm of the gloves that allows you to hold any object firmly without risking losing your grip and dropping something. There is also a pocket on the back of the hand containing a tripod key and which can also be used to have cleaning cloths, SD cards and other small items handy.
The glove’s extended cuff seals in wind and snow, keeping heat inside, and a lace is included to keep the gloves tied to your wrists even when you take them off, so you don’t lose or forget them lying around.
Differences between Saga and Markhof V3
As I mentioned at the beginning, I also own a pair of Markhof V3 gloves, but what are the differences between the two? Although many technical features are similar, if only the classic ones that make the products of this brand recognizable, I have noticed some substantial differences.
The first difference is the fit: I have rather small hands and, despite having gotten one of the smallest size available of the Markhofs, which are a unisex model, the palm of the glove was quite wide, while the Saga model fits perfectly. What I would call funny is that when I only had the first model I thought they fit me perfectly because I had always used unisex or men’s gloves, but as soon as I tried the Saga I realized the huge difference in fit. This is still a factor to consider if you want to wear undergloves for example for an additional thermal layer because with the female model you will probably have to size up in this case. For reference I have a size S Slim of the Markhof V3 model and an M for the Saga model.
Another difference I appreciated was the grip on the wrists; while the Markhof model has a fixed elastic cuff that does not fit perfectly, the Saga model has a Velcro strap that allows you to adjust the glove closure perfectly, avoiding drafts, which I particularly appreciated given that the main environment where I photograph is windy cliffs.
Finally, I noticed that, although both models are listed as being designed with medium thermal protection (Mid Winter as indicated in the product datasheet), the Saga model is significantly warmer than the Markhof, giving me a significantly superior feel of heat.
Conclusions
The truth is, I really enjoyed both models; the versatility of these gloves allowed me to keep my hands warm while still being able to shoot with maximum comfort. They are definitely a product that I recommend to anyone looking for gloves that allow maximum freedom of movement without sacrificing a warm layer.
If you are a woman photographer and have always had problems using male or unisex gloves because they are huge compared to your hand, then surely the Saga model is for you. Overall, this model has a design that fits the female hand better (at least in my case it does), while I definitely found the Markhof model less structured for my hand. I really appreciated that the features I loved in the first model remained in the second one as well.
Why I chose to collaborate with Vallerret
A small note of merit for Vallerret, whose focus on the environment I’ve always particularly appreciated with several projects, including paying homage to a tree through Tree-nation with every purchase or deciding to donate ’1% of all their annual proceeds to support environmental organizations. (You can find all their commitments to the environment in the Sustainability section of their website.)
As a female photographer, I obviously greatly appreciated the commitment to meeting women’s equipment needs by creating a specially designed model for our hands.
Valentina Parente 