Over mitts

[Mongoose]

After last weekends hike in -15F weather, I needs a better pair of mittens. I wear a medium-large fleece glove and would like an insulated mitten I can fit over it. Then I can pull the fleece glove out when I need finer control. Does anyone know what size mitt I would need? I went to REI today and they only had a few pairs of mittens. The large mitts were a tight fit on my bare hand. It seems like everyone wants gloves these days?

 

[sierra]

I swear by my OR gore-tex mitts, many years old, still going as I use them only in extreme cold.

 

[NewHampshire]

Darn, looks like you might be a couple years too late. About 2 1/2 years ago I bought a pair of REI brand overmitts with these heavy duty fleece liner mitt inside of them. These things are TOASTY! So toasty in fact that I can't use them on "average" winter days because the minute I start moving my hands feel like they are on fire and sweat like a waterfall....yes, TOASTY! I keep them for VERY cold days and whenever I occasionally get out for some winter camping. Alas I just checked their website and found they are no longer made (or at least right now they are not....I have noticed sometimes REI brand gear comes in and out of production sometimes.) They were not cheap....about $80......and I take it the general idea was they were made for serious high altitude climbing due to how warm they were.

Yeah, I know, this is of no help to you. Sorry.

Brian

 

[TomD]

I just bought a pair of these-
http://www.sierratradingpost.com/gr...ring=snow-sport-gloves~d~5250/&colorFamily=27

When I bought them, one had a defect so I returned them to STP (very good return policy, btw). I had bought a large, but since I had to return them anyway, I replaced them with the XL and I have small hands. They come with a fleece liner, but I can pull that out and use my REI liner gloves in them instead.

Not knowing how big your hands are once you have your gloves on, I'd say at least an XL and most likely XXL. Kevin Kinney at Empire Wool & Canvas makes two different big winter mitts, but they are not cheap.
www.empirecanvasworks.com

 

[sardog1]

I swear by my OR gore-tex mitts, many years old, still going as I use them only in extreme cold.

Yep. I pair mine with Dachstein mitts inside. The OR shells I have are very roomy and came with fleece liners. These shells are no longer available, but you will want to look at OR's current mitt offerings.

 

[Jason Berard]

OR Meteor Mitts with either liner gloves, or wool mitten, depending on weather.
They are bomb proof.

 

[DSettahr]

I swear by my OR gore-tex mitts, many years old, still going as I use them only in extreme cold.

Came here to also recommend the OR gore-tex mitts. Mine aren't quite "many years old," but they area amazing nonetheless. My fingers never get cold in them.

They have removable liners, so you could easily use the shells with whatever glove/mitten you desire.

 

[Maddy]

I uss OR outer gortex mitts with really thick Marmot fleece mittens. The liners that the mitts came with didn't cut it for my digits. (Raynaud's).

I always use hand warmers because once I remove my hands for even a few fleeting seconds, they freeze up.
I noticed that age has really compounded the issue.

 

[freighttrain48]

+1 for OR. I have the cornice mitts, a nice tuff goretex shell and primaloft inserts that look like oven mitts, but keep your hands nice and toasty. If its not very cold a I take the liners out and wear the shells with or glove liners

 

[Mongoose]

It seems like all the mitts have fleece inserts, very few have primaloft or similar insulation? That surprises me. It sounds like a better option for me is to buy an empty shell mitt and put my own combination of fleece mitten + fleece glove inside it.

Last night I measured my hand with my fleece gloves on and compared it to a size chart. I probably need an XL-XXL to fit over my glove.

 

[Chip]

leave the fleece home and get a few pair of surplus 100%wool gloves. wear one pair, put on a second pair if cold, pull on shell over-mitts if really cold. keep a couple sets dry in your pack. glove/shell combos don't need to be expensive. I have several sets of "shooter" or penguin mitt/shell combos that have the thumb and forefinger, then the last 3 fingers are together. Like these; http://shop.vtarmynavy.com/trigger-finger-mittens-p130.aspx

 

[DSettahr]

It seems like all the mitts have fleece inserts, very few have primaloft or similar insulation? That surprises me. It sounds like a better option for me is to buy an empty shell mitt and put my own combination of fleece mitten + fleece glove inside it.

Last night I measured my hand with my fleece gloves on and compared it to a size chart. I probably need an XL-XXL to fit over my glove.

I have the OR Alti mitts, with just regular polyester insulation. Even though they don't have primaloft, my fingers haven't gotten cold once in them, even in sub-zero conditions.

 

[una_dogger]

I uss OR outer gortex mitts with really thick Marmot fleece mittens. The liners that the mitts came with didn't cut it for my digits. (Raynaud's).

I always use hand warmers because once I remove my hands for even a few fleeting seconds, they freeze up.
I noticed that age has really compounded the issue.

I'm starting to wonder if I'm developing Raynauds - hands, feet, thighs....

I have a pair of EMS three in one waterproof over mitt with fleece liner glove, I pair them with handwarmers.

 

[Chip]

wool gloves cheap; http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/swi-wool-tri-mitten-4pk-new.aspx?a=926282

I found gortex shell gloves somewhere, like these; http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/...ry-trigger-finger-mittens-black.aspx?a=931990. the surplus ones linked to above are cloth and leather.

 

[peakbagger]

I have a older pair of OR shells with some double fleece liners. They work real well. It is surprising that many of the outdoor gloves dont have removable liners.

The trade off with warm hands is minimal dexterity. I have gotten good at ripping open ziplock bags with my teeth as getting them open with mitts isnt going to happen. I usually wear a pair of light liner gloves in the mitts so that if I dont have to do something that requires dexterity I have some insulation.

By the way I have run into folks who wear rubber surgical type gloves as a vapor barrier inside their mitts. The claim is it keep the insulation much drier.

 

[TEO]

Dachstein felted-wool mittens & OR or REI overmitts--you'll be hard-pressed to find a better combination. The Dachsteins have a tight enough weave, because the wool is felted, so that they can be worn sans overmitts in many conditions.

 

[DougPaul]

Wool liners have the advantage that they can absorb more water before feeling wet than than other forms of insulation (fleece, primaloft, etc).

And, of course, mitten liners will be warmer than glove liners.

Doug

 

[MadRiver]

Dachstein felted-wool mittens & OR or REI overmitts--you'll be hard-pressed to find a better combination. The Dachsteins have a tight enough weave, because the wool is felted, so that they can be worn sans overmitts in many conditions.

That is what I use as my emergency mittens. I put a hand warmer in each at the start of the hike so If I need them, they are already warm.

 

[Jim lombard]

I love my military surplus Air Force arctic mittons. Gloves are leather with a fake fur backing and wool liners. Amazing warmth, you can buy them at military surplus stores. View attachment 3535

 

[Chip]

I love my military surplus Air Force arctic mittons. Gloves are leather with a fake fur backing and wool liners. Amazing warmth, you can buy them at military surplus stores. View attachment 3535

these are those; http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=490282