Dents is an English leather goods company that has been making gloves since the days of powdered wigs and petticoats. How do their gloves compare to today’s competition? Read on to find out!
From winter hiking tips, to cold-weather suit-buying guides, to how to wear an overcoat, I’ve written a lot about dressing for the cold here at The Modest Man.
I try not to let chilly conditions keep me from embarking on outdoor adventures. Since I wear a suit frequently (1-3 times a week, on average), I’ve slowly been accumulating more formal winter accessories.
Until recently, however, I’ve never owned a pair of classic leather gloves. A few months ago, I acquired a pair of Dents “Bath” Men’s Classic Cashmere Lined Leather Gloves.
Quick Take
If you don’t have time to read the whole review, here’s the main takeaway — Dent’s gloves, while pricy, are well-made.
Their “Bath” Men’s Classic Cashmere Lined Leather Gloves are a good choice (but perhaps not the best choice) for those who like to dress to the nines, even in the winter.
About Dents
Dents is one of the oldest menswear brands I know of. According to one source, Dent’s may be the UK’s oldest fashion manufacturer.
They have been making gloves since 1777. For reference, Dent’s has been around since the reign of the infamous King George III and is just a year younger than the United States.
In 2016, Dent’s received a Royal Warrant from HRH The Prince of Wales. This “seal of approval” from the Crown indicates the brand’s quality and that Dent’s gloves are worn by the British royal family.
Not only do the Windor’s sport Dents, so have many of your favorite silver screen icons, including Daniel Craig’s James Bond.
There’s an interesting story concerning Daniel Craig, gloves, and the filming of Skyfall. I won’t get into it here as I can’t verify the tale’s origins.
What is clear, however, is that Craig wore these unlined leather gloves from Dents in the film. In Spectre, you also can spot 007 wearing these Dents driving gloves.
While Dent’s may have a storied history and lofty credentials, how well do their products stand up to real-life use?
I’ll share my first-hand experience after I briefly explain how their gloves are made and a few cursory details about my gloves.
How Are Dent’s Gloves Made?
Making a pair of Dent’s gloves is an intensive process.
According to a pamphlet put out by the company, the patterns used today date back to 1839.
The gloves’ lining “is actually made as a separate glove and, when inserted into the glove, it effectively becomes a glove within another glove. This gives an improved fit, and makes the gloves more comfortable to wear.”
There are approximately 32 steps to make a pair of Dents gloves. After completion, they undergo a thorough quality control examination before shipping.
Although some of Dents’ Heritage Collection gloves are now made in a custom-built facility in Warminster, England, my gloves’ tag indicates they were made in the Philippines.
Dents “Bath” Gloves Construction & Finishing
My Dents gloves, the “Bath” model (presumably named after Bath, England), are made from super smooth and soft hairsheep leather. They’re lined with cashmere for added warmth.
A very similar unlined version is also available.
They feature a traditional three-point stitching design on the back.
Additionally, the seams are hidden inside of the gloves, keeping the design sleek (but they’re not quite as streamlined as I expected).
At the bottom of the inside of the gloves are palm vents, and Dent’s classifies these gloves’ length as “above the wrist”.
Dent’s Glove Sizing / Comfort
Prior to ordering my gloves, I measured my “dominant hand at its widest part, excluding the thumb”, as directed on Dent’s site. I determined I was a size 7.5.
When my gloves arrived, I wasn’t sure if I’d chosen the right size — they seemed to fit a bit loose on my hands. However, I chalked up this departure from my fit expectations to the cashmere lining.
As I’ve worn the gloves for approximately two months, I wish I would’ve ordered a size 7 instead.
Leather gloves, like a leather jacket, tend to stretch out a bit over time. So, if you’re hemming and hawing about if your brand-new leather gloves of jacket are the right size, choose the smaller size (as a rule of thumb).
I’ve read that Dent’s gloves reviewers have also wished they’d sized down.
As they are, however, my gloves are very comfortable. The cashmere lining is certainly cozy.
Dent’s “Bath” Cashmere-Lined Leather Gloves Review
Besides wishing that they fit a little better, I really like these gloves.
In fact, I’m wearing them as I type this article! (Just joking — I tried, but it’s too hard).
They help me to better enjoy my long winter walks. Before getting these gloves from Dents I normally either didn’t wear gloves or wore my thin gloves meant for running.
Needless to say, black leather gloves pair much more nicely with a formal overcoat than reflective sports gloves.
Not only that, these cashmere gloves are warmer. I’ve found that they keep my hands warm down until about 20-25°F (when the windchill’s factored in). That’s to be expected, though.
Unfortunately, where I live it regularly gets colder than 20 degrees, in which case I’ll sometimes wear my mittens. Mittens are better suited for extremely frigid conditions. (Check out this article for more comparisons between gloves and mittens).
In terms of warmth, fur-lined gloves are a good option that lie between cashmere-lined gloves and mittens.
One of the only things I don’t like about my “Bath” gloves is that they don’t have a fastener on the inside of the wrist. Consequently, every time I wear these gloves the palm vents get caught on my coat, leaving my wrist exposed.
Other Dents offerings have a fastener — I don’t know why it’s not a standard feature.
Pros
- Quality leather
- Soft cashmere lining
- Hidden seams
- Somewhat streamlined design
Cons
- I feel the sizing is a bit off
- High price (above $140)
- No stud fastener near the wrist
- Not always warm enough for my needs
- Limited color options (only black and brown)
My Recommendation
I’m a bit conflicted on whether or not to recommend Dents gloves.
On one hand (get it?), I’m overall pretty satisfied with these gloves — they are comfortable to wear, keep my hands warm enough on most days, and look great.
I like them, but I don’t love them.
Then again, I received these gloves for free, with the understanding that I’d include them in content on the site. (However, it’s important to note that this review is in no way sponsored). Had I paid over $140 for them, I think I’d be somewhat disappointed.
I think that there are better options out there at this price point. For instance, I’ve personally inspected Fort Belvedere’s gloves (which only cost about $40 more than Dent’s) and I was impressed with the attention to detail, the fit, and the comfort.
Also, speaking with Fort Belvedere’s owners, it seemed like they thought of everything when designing their gloves. (For one thing, all of their gloves appear to feature a wrist button closure).
While I don’t own a pair of Fort Belvedere gloves, I’d be more comfortable forking out well over 100 bucks for a pair of their gloves than I would for a pair of Dents.
What’s your favorite winter accessory? Let me know in the comments!
