Mitten Recommendation

Hello everyone. Hope you've all had a chance to get out there this
season. I just finally got out for my first set of runs this past
Thursday and had a great time.

Anyway, I've been thinking of retiring my Dakine gloves for a pair of
mittens to increase warmth in my hands. I don't think I'll miss the
flexibility of gloves very much.

Anyway, I've been looking at mittens and wondering what level I should
be considering. My first searches suggest two brands that I wonder
about.

First there are Marmot Randonee mittens that run $100!!! Then there
are REI Vertigo mittens for $55. Not sure either of these are nothing
more than overpriced brand products.

I'm thinking I might like the insert concept as then it'd be easy to
take off the outer layer without having to fully expose your hand but
I have no experience there.

Also, are the features of these gloves massive overkill? They mention
things I've never thought of. Nose wipers? Goggle wipers?

What brands and prices should I be looking at (and websites if there's
a great discount location) for mittens that will absolutely keep my
hands warm in typical ski conditions? My gloves have been great but at
20 degrees I notice my fingers can get chilly and below that they get
cold after a bit.

Rich Heimlich wrote:
Hello everyone. Hope you've all had a chance to get out there this
season. I just finally got out for my first set of runs this past
Thursday and had a great time.

That's great. Did you have to put the move on anyone? (You must get
that all the time.)

Anyway, I've been thinking of retiring my Dakine gloves for a pair of
mittens to increase warmth in my hands. I don't think I'll miss the
flexibility of gloves very much.

Probably not at all. You may miss the dexterity, however.

Anyway, I've been looking at mittens and wondering what level I should
be considering. My first searches suggest two brands that I wonder
about.

First there are Marmot Randonee mittens that run $100!!! Then there
are REI Vertigo mittens for $55. Not sure either of these are nothing
more than overpriced brand products.

I've found REI products to be worth the money. Marmot too, for that
matter. I ski with all leather gloves, but I've used a pair of $10
buckskin choppers before and my hands were toasty warm. I'd go with
what fits best.

I'm thinking I might like the insert concept as then it'd be easy to
take off the outer layer without having to fully expose your hand but
I have no experience there.

I generally take my gloves off all layers at a time.

Also, are the features of these gloves massive overkill? They mention
things I've never thought of. Nose wipers? Goggle wipers?

I've mastered the art of the farmers-blow so a nose wiper isn't
necessary. I'd recommend you do the same. It cuts down on the chafing
and redness of constantly wiping your nose, plus you look dorky and a
bit like a touron when you come into the lodge with your nose all red
around the edges. On powder days I carry an extra set of goggles for
faceplants and other goggle obscuring maneuvers. Since I wear leather
gloves I've got a giant chamois with which to clear the outside of the
lense. Never had a built-in goggle wiper so I can't comment.

What brands and prices should I be looking at (and websites if there's
a great discount location) for mittens that will absolutely keep my
hands warm in typical ski conditions? My gloves have been great but at
20 degrees I notice my fingers can get chilly and below that they get
cold after a bit.

Hmmmm....cold at 20 degrees? Sounds like a circulation issue. Keep
your Dakines and ski a little harder.

JP

Rich Heimlich wrote:
Anyway, I've been thinking of retiring my Dakine gloves for a pair of
mittens to increase warmth in my hands. I don't think I'll miss the
flexibility of gloves very much.

You won't. When it's cold, I grab my mittens and NEVER regret it. I teach,
and so need to get my hands out quite a bit, and the mittens are not a
problem.

First there are Marmot Randonee mittens that run $100!!! Then there
are REI Vertigo mittens for $55. Not sure either of these are nothing
more than overpriced brand products.

bloody hell.

I'm thinking I might like the insert concept as then it'd be easy to
take off the outer layer without having to fully expose your hand but
I have no experience there.

My mittens are full heavyweight goretex as they're made by an aussie
snowboard brand, with fleece velcro inserts of gloves. I must say, I never
take the inserts out. I treat them as an integral part of the mitten. When
it's cold enough to use mittens, you tend not to get fancy.

Also, are the features of these gloves massive overkill? They mention
things I've never thought of. Nose wipers? Goggle wipers?

Nose wipes are disgusting. But the goggle wipers are useful. I use Ocean and
Earth, and all their handwear have these little squidgees on the left index
finger. but I would not preference a glove/mitten becuase of this... your
glove or mitten is just as good as a wiper.

What brands and prices should I be looking at (and websites if there's
a great discount location) for mittens that will absolutely keep my
hands warm in typical ski conditions? My gloves have been great but at
20 degrees I notice my fingers can get chilly and below that they get
cold after a bit.

Sounds like you just need something adequate, not arctic. check Sierra
Tradign Post and Overstock.com for what they have. Gloves are cheapo on
those sites. Any mitten will be miles warmer than the average glove, and the
prices you quoted above are silly! For my mitts, I paid $40 at the factory
outlet, while I paid $15 for full spec goretex gloves (as they were XS and
luckily i have small hands). Thye are so waterproof, you could wash up in
them.

Don't go silly with big prices, if all you want is some extra warmth, any
decent mitts should do the job.

--
ant

"Rich Heimlich" wrote in message
...
Hello everyone. Hope you've all had a chance to get out there this
season. I just finally got out for my first set of runs this past
Thursday and had a great time.

Anyway, I've been thinking of retiring my Dakine gloves for a pair of
mittens to increase warmth in my hands. I don't think I'll miss the
flexibility of gloves very much.

Anyway, I've been looking at mittens and wondering what level I should
be considering. My first searches suggest two brands that I wonder
about.

First there are Marmot Randonee mittens that run $100!!! Then there
are REI Vertigo mittens for $55. Not sure either of these are nothing
more than overpriced brand products.

I'm thinking I might like the insert concept as then it'd be easy to
take off the outer layer without having to fully expose your hand but
I have no experience there.

Also, are the features of these gloves massive overkill? They mention
things I've never thought of. Nose wipers? Goggle wipers?

What brands and prices should I be looking at (and websites if there's
a great discount location) for mittens that will absolutely keep my
hands warm in typical ski conditions? My gloves have been great but at
20 degrees I notice my fingers can get chilly and below that they get
cold after a bit.

Glad to read you got out so early in the season and had a great time. Where
did you ski?
how was the snow? I just got back from my annual Big Mountain ski trip had
a great time.

First if your hands are getting cold at 20 degrees it is either the gloves
are poorly insulated and poorly wicks the sweat from the hands or your hands
sweat excessive. I would bet on the later as I have used Dakine gloves and
they did OK.
For you hands try spraying some antiperspirant or use talcum powder on them.
This will keep them from sweating and freezing up. The same for cold feet
and this will help from getting stinky boots too. When the temp. drops
below 10 degrees you will need a good liner to help keep the hands from
freezing. Most ski mittens that use liners have fingered glove liners so
your fingers are kept separated in the glove which defeats the idea of a
mitten. I have both gloves and mittens and primarily use my gloves. I only
used the mittens once just to try them out.

The goggle wipes help keep you from scratching up the goggle lens a good
thing.

The price of $50 to $100 is good for the brands you mentioned.

See you out on the slopes

JQ
Dancing on the edge

Burton Oven Mitts. Three layers provided!

http://www.backcountry.com/store/BUR...en+ mitt+mens

On 23 Dec 2005 18:45:46 -0800, "Jay Pique"
wrote:

That's great. Did you have to put the move on anyone? (You must get
that all the time.)

Not sure what you mean.... Move???

grin

I've found REI products to be worth the money. Marmot too, for that
matter. I ski with all leather gloves, but I've used a pair of $10
buckskin choppers before and my hands were toasty warm. I'd go with
what fits best.

It just seems ridiculous to spend $100 on a pair of mittens. I had
been thinking I'd go "nuts" and spend $40 until I hit the links for
those.

necessary. I'd recommend you do the same. It cuts down on the chafing
and redness of constantly wiping your nose, plus you look dorky and a
bit like a touron when you come into the lodge with your nose all red

Could be messy given my mustache and beard.

Hmmmm....cold at 20 degrees? Sounds like a circulation issue. Keep
your Dakines and ski a little harder.

Hahaha. Trust me, I'm sweating. Just that the tips of the fingers are
surprisingly cold when no other part of me is cold with the exception
of minor exposed face skin.

On Sat, 24 Dec 2005 15:59:41 +1100, "ant"
wrote:

bloody hell.

That was my reaction precisely!

My mittens are full heavyweight goretex as they're made by an aussie
snowboard brand, with fleece velcro inserts of gloves. I must say, I never

They sound perfect.

Nose wipes are disgusting. But the goggle wipers are useful. I use Ocean and

I find with my Dakine's that when I wipe my goggles, the material just
tends to smear them terribly.

Sounds like you just need something adequate, not arctic. check Sierra
Tradign Post and Overstock.com for what they have. Gloves are cheapo on

Great lead, thanks.

On Sat, 24 Dec 2005 00:17:50 -0500, "JQ" wrote:

Glad to read you got out so early in the season and had a great time. Where
did you ski?

Was hoping you'd check in. Almost said "hi" in the last post. grin
Took my son up to Camelback given that it's close and on Thursday 95%
of it was open. There was more ice than I would have thought given
that it didn't get above 28 for the entire two weeks prior to our
arrival, but it was also nearly empty and good enough that we had a
great time.

First if your hands are getting cold at 20 degrees it is either the gloves
are poorly insulated and poorly wicks the sweat from the hands or your hands
sweat excessive. I would bet on the later as I have used Dakine gloves and
they did OK.

I've never had anyone complain that my handshake is sweaty but you
could be right. Compared to traditional gloves I've owned the Dakine's
are incredibly warm. I notice the fingers are cold on the lift. Once I
get going they're fine again.

For you hands try spraying some antiperspirant or use talcum powder on them.
This will keep them from sweating and freezing up. The same for cold feet

One thing I have yet to get with my boots is cold feet. They've been
so toasty that I'm shocked when others tell me their feet are cold.
I'm wearing the thin Thorlo socks but usually they are too.

your fingers are kept separated in the glove which defeats the idea of a
mitten. I have both gloves and mittens and primarily use my gloves. I only
used the mittens once just to try them out.

Hmm.... I would think that even with "gloves" inside the mittens,
they'd still keep the heat inside.

See you out on the slopes

One of this trips!

Rich Heimlich wrote:

On 23 Dec 2005 18:45:46 -0800, "Jay Pique"
wrote:

That's great. Did you have to put the move on anyone? (You must get
that all the time.)

Not sure what you mean.... Move???

grin

I've found REI products to be worth the money. Marmot too, for that
matter. I ski with all leather gloves, but I've used a pair of $10
buckskin choppers before and my hands were toasty warm. I'd go with
what fits best.

It just seems ridiculous to spend $100 on a pair of mittens. I had
been thinking I'd go "nuts" and spend $40 until I hit the links for
those.

Typical yard-sale price for nearly-unused name-brand Gore-tex/thinsulate
gloves is a buck or two. What that means to me is that people buy them at
list price, are disappointed, and toss them into the yard-sale box. I really
like the black ones with the day-glo green and pink accents, but the palms are
nearly worn out now...

necessary. I'd recommend you do the same. It cuts down on the chafing
and redness of constantly wiping your nose, plus you look dorky and a
bit like a touron when you come into the lodge with your nose all red

Could be messy given my mustache and beard.

Santa?

Hmmmm....cold at 20 degrees? Sounds like a circulation issue. Keep
your Dakines and ski a little harder.

Hahaha. Trust me, I'm sweating. Just that the tips of the fingers are
surprisingly cold when no other part of me is cold with the exception
of minor exposed face skin.

Look up Reynaud's. I had it for a while when I was smoking -- I had to avoid
touching frozen food for a while because my fingertips would suddenly turn
white and shriveled. Hasn't happened since I quit.

--
Cheers, Bev
================================================== ==================
Paranoid schizophrenics outnumber their enemies at least two to one.