“The simpler the better”

When Kaj Zackrisson and Sverre Liliequist began designing their pro model glove, they looked carefully through Hestra’s entire product line. The glove that caught their eye was the Fält-glove, a model most similar to a traditional working glove. It is made of goatskin and has a detachable liner made from wool terry cloth and wool pile. “I had been wearing them for the entire winter. Being able to take out the liners is great if you’re going to hike up, so you don’t get sweaty hands,” says Kaj. Sverre fills in: “We wanted to make a glove that we like. A clean, functional glove without any frills.”

A Sick Bird for the sickest run

The goal was to develop the glove to match their hands and style of skiing. Big mountain skiers are always riding different snow conditions, carrying skis and falling. Hestra’s designer along with Kaj and Sverre, tested many different solutions. They wanted a tight cuff without Velcro and exterior seams. Another request was Army Leather. When the design was almost completed, they made an unexpected request: an illustrated “Sickbird” on the back hand. “During freeskiing competitions in the States, riders can win the Sickbird Award for the sickest run. We’ve won this title many times!”