When I first started paddling, I received a pair of NRS Maverick Gloves as a gift. The Maverick Gloves are made out of 2mm neoprene, with a pretty tight cuff that keeps water from getting into the glove.

I was still quite new at paddling and so these were my first pair of paddling gloves and ended up using these gloves for at least a year. Currently they are going for around $50 at a number of retailers, however REI has them on sale for about $30(which is what they cost several years ago.) They appear to be on the way out, as NRS currently has them listed as a Closeout product, so if you do want them, now would probably be a good time to buy some.

From a fit/comfort standpoint, these are pretty neat gloves. The texture of the palm provides a good grip, even when wet, and they are really warm in the winter. During the summer, they can get a bit hot, although they are thick gloves and this is to be expected and really once you get them wet not that big of an issue.

Unfortunately, from a durability standpoint, the Maverick/Titanium gloves did not hold up very well for me. You have to be incredibly careful taking them on/off, so that you do not damage the cuff. Both of mine ultimately tore at the cuff area and I had another friend who had to put some additional neoprene glue on his after tearing them the first day. The advice from the manufacturer is to roll up the cuff prior to taking them off, but I’ve found with the tightness of the glove, it is still quite easy to tear the cuff area.

The gloves themselves also tear quite easily and the first time I had them out, I pushed a branch out of the way and ripped the fingers.

Certainly some of this is due to me being too rough on them, although this is indicative of some other people’s experience with them as well. By the time I retired them, the cuffs were falling apart, there were tears in between and on several fingers and cracks going up from the cuff. Despite that, they were still comfortable and warm, just no longer water proof/resistant.

So, for my paddling style and use, they didn’t end up being a great fit, although I did use them for over a year and they really are quite comfortable. I’ve always thought that if I went into it with the understanding I would be replacing them every 6-12 months, they would be pretty awesome gloves.

A new version of these is available for 2016, which has a different style cuff, but otherwise look to be quite similar. While the cuff is a bit different, with fewer seams, they still get the same manufacturer warning/instructions about rolling up the cuff when putting them on. It would be interesting to try one of the new versions and compare it to the older Maverick Gloves.

Rating: If I was sponsored and could replace as needed, I would definitely buy again. Otherwise, I would be cautious if the durability in their newer version is similar to the maverick’s I tried.