Gloves or Mittens

[DougPaul]

I haven't been winter hiking very long, so take that into consideration. My system of choice has turned out to be some $14 Fox River wool gloves that have little rubber nubbies (hey "little rubber nubbies" is fun to say! go on, say it...out loud) on the palms.

Wool resists moisture better than fleece, but also takes longer to dry. Wool also sticks to velcro, fleece does not (a constant nuisance on some of my shells). Either will keep your hands warm if you keep them dry and block the wind. (It is very difficult to impossible to keep your hands dry when in motion--they sweat and the moisture tends to accumulate in your hand insulation. Shells, and particularly waterproof shells make it even harder to dissipate the moisture.)

I carry backup synthetic liners and really cozy down mittens for emergencies. I also am not embarrassed to use a little chemical help, but usually find that I don't need it for long and end up putting them into my pockets. It's good to pass them around your hiking group in my opinion. I'm a chemical hand warmer pusher!

Down mittens are pretty much overkill for the NE (we are not talking about high-altitude mountaineering here) and if you get them wet, will be next to impossible to dry in the field. IMO, they are only useful (in the NE) for people with severe hand warmth problems. (Polyester-fill mittens might be more moisture tolerant.)

There is a danger in relying on chemical hand warmers. They aren't very reliable and if you get yourself into a situation where you need one and it doesn't work or you run out, you may be setting yourself up for frostbite. An extra-warm pair of mittens is more reliable. (That said, I know many rely on chemical warmers. I've never even carried them, although I might consider adding one or two to my emergency gear.)

The ultimate wool mitten is the boiled wool mitten--Dachstein is the classic brand. (Available at Campmoor, IIRC.) Very warm--I used to wear them ice climbing where liquid water could drip through them. My hands would be warm withing a few minutes. Dougal Haston wore two pairs in a storm on the top of Annapurna and returned with fully intact hands.

Wool vs fleece has been discussed a number of times. See, for instance: http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=11412 http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=9712 http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=5811 and
http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=14311

Doug

 

[Kevin Rooney]

Campmor carries Dachstein wool mittens, and they happen to be on sale now. . Unfortunately, the only sizes are S and M. Due to their nature, these mittens don't stretch much, and when your hands are cold and damp it's even harder to get them into a snug wool mitten.

I'm also a big fan of Dachstein wool socks (sometimes sold as Himalyan (sp?) socks), and in a pinch they double as mittens. Have used this trick once or twice in summer when above treeline and I neglected to pack some gloves/mittens. Any sock will serve this purpose to some degree.

 

[jmegillon149]

three layer method:
1. light wicking liner gloves
2. fleece mittens
3. water/windproof mittens

mittens are so much warmer. the liner gloves are so I can use my fingers occasionally, without having to expose them to the elements

I have found that big heavy gloves are not good for much, they are not as warm as similiarly insulated mittens, and really don't offer that much dexterity. with a half onch of padding around each finger, you can't do all that much more than with mittens

 

[Toe Cozy]

I am going to get into winter hiking next year and I am going to start getting my gear now. This way I am not sinking 500 bucks into new gear just before a trip.

In your expierences which is better gloves or mittens?

Thanks,
Adam

So Adam, with this much varying experience, advice, technique and information it looks like you'll just have to sink $500 into various layers of mittens and glove configurations and figure out what works for you. Hope you're not planning on asking any questions about winter boots!

I am a person who gets extremely cold fingers and toes. I was scared of winter hiking for a long time. I was convinced my fingers and toes would freeze off. It took me a while to figure out what works for me. I don't like synthetic gloves or mittens despite the positives that DougPaul mentions and many people find to be true. They seem to make my fingers colder faster. I once used my down mitts for actual hiking and found how quickly they became soaked with sweat and rather useless. I never did that again! However, I still carry them in case I have to stop for a while or want to stop for a while. I know I can keep my fingers warm longer while I'm not moving with the big down mitts. So while they may be overkill for NE while in motion, I don't believe they are overkill if you want to keep fingers comfortable longer while not moving. Same reason I carry my down jacket. I hardly ever put it on, but if I wanted to be stationary for a bit, the down jacket is critical.

You'll learn what works for you. Winter hiking is awesome.

 

[Bolivia]

1 - 4 layers

What I have on my hands at any given time depends on MN, aka Mother Nature.

However, I always have with me glove liners, fleece gloves, woolen mittens and Gortex shells. I bring two pair of glove liners with me since they get wet from snow, water or sweat.

I guess my blood is as thin as water because my hands often get cold regardless of what I am wearing.

 

[1ADAM12]

Thanks all for the great advice! I really appreciate it.