In cold weather, our fingers get less warm blood because the body conserves it for vital organs. Our fingers don’t have much fat and have a high surface area, so are prone to heat loss. The combination of these factors mean our fingers get cold fast and are at risk of frostbite. Whether you are winter hiking, skiing or shoveling snow in very cold temps, you’ll need to wear an insulated shell mitten to keep your hands warm.
The following mittens all have an insulation layer and a waterproof shell layer. They also have features like split fingers for dexterity, hand warmer pockets and touchscreen compatible fingers.
Note: You need to wear a liner glove with insulated mitts. Just like a base layer, the liner glove wicks sweat away from your hands. Otherwise your insulation layer would get wet, leaving your hands cold! Read more about the 3-layer system.
Features
- Wear underneath your mitt to wick away sweat
- Touchscreen compatible thumb and index finger
- 48% Merino Wool
Best Insulated Shell Mittens
Best because: Dexterity, fold-back fingers and lightweight
Features:
- Waterproof shell
- Removable 300g fleece layer
- Fold-back finger flaps with magnet closure
- Hand-warmer pocket
- Cinch gauntlet closure
- 10.8oz per pair
- Men and women’s sizes
These lightweight mitts consist of two layers. The inner layer is 300g fleece and the outer layer is windproof and waterproof nylon. The fabrics fit well together and are flexible. You'll still have dexterity to do camp tasks. Plus, the inner layer has fold-back fingers. You can wear just these when you need access to your hands. There are also lots of other features to love from the magnet closures to hand-warmer popcket on these well-thought out mitts.
Best because: Very warm and waterproof
Features:
- Dryride 2-layer shell
- Thermacore insulation and Gore-tex membrane
- Removable liner with fingers
- Hand-warmer pocket
- Touchscreen compatible
- Wrist leash
Burton is known for making ski and snowboarding gear. Their gloves and mitts also work great for hiking, especially this one. It consists of two parts: an insulated shell and a liner glove.
The shell is made from Dryride with a Gore-Tex membrane. This makes it waterproof and windproof yet still breathable. The shell also has built-in insulation made from Thermcore. When the weather isn’t too cold, you can wear just the shell.
The removable liner is made from DRYRIDE Thermex, which is a very stretchy material. There is rubber-like texture on the fingers for improved grip. The shell is good for semi-cold weather hiking.
Best because: Cheap but warm and functional
Features:
- Non-removable insulation layer
- Waterproof shell with breathable membrane
- Synthetic leather palm
- Wrist leashes
- 5 sizes available
For how affordable these shell mitts are, they are surprisingly good quality. The shell is waterproof but is a multi-layer fabric with a SummitLoftTPU membrane for better breathability.
The insulation layer is not removable with these mitts, so they do take longer to dry. You also lack features like a handwarmer pocket. The dexterity could be better and the synthetic leather doesn't withstand heat well (don't dry them on a heater!). But, overall, they are great quality for the price.
Best because: Dexterity and warmth
Features:
- Removable insulation layer
- Split finger insulation layer and shell
- 3-layer breathable shell
- Leather palm
- Wrist leash and cinches
- Pre-curved fingers
These shell mitts are not cheap, but are very popular because of their professional design. They consist of a 3-finger insulated layer and a 3-finger waterproof shell. The fingers are precurved, so they are great for dexterity.
The shell fabric consists of three layers and is breathable. The shell has a leather palm and is very durable.
The wrist cuffs are a nice feature because you can let them shell mitts dangle when off without losing them. There are also cinches for keeping them in place and snow out.
Best because: More affordable professional split-finger mitt
Features:
- Waterproof Ventia shell with VerticalX insulation
- Removable 5-finger touchscreen compatible fleece liner
- Anti-slip palm on liner
- Removable leash, glove clips, pull-on loops
- Wrist and gauntlet cinches
- Pre-curved fingers
While these mittens by Outdoor Research are still pricy, they are more afforable than similar mitts of the same professional quality. There are tons of features which make them warm and practical to use.
Thefive-finger liners by themselves are great for hiking in cooler weather. They are touchscreen compatible and have an anti-slip palm which is great for gripping poles.
In colder weather, put the shell on top. It has split fingers and a curved design to allow for dexterity. There are cinches on the wrists and gaunlets to keep snow out and get a good fit. There is also a leash and clips so you don't lose the mitts.
Best because: Very warm
Features:
- Waterproof shell with 4-way stretch
- Leather palm
- Removable fleece liner with 340g PrimaLoft Gold insulation
- Warm down to -20F
These mitts by Black Diamond are some of the warmest you will find while still allowing dexterity. The inner layer is 340g fleece inner layer. The outer layer is a water-resistant shell with a waterpoof layer. It keeps you dry while allowing breathability.
There is a bit of spandex in the shell to allow for some more flexibility. You do get some nice extra features, but there aren't wrist straps - and I wouldn't want to lose mitts which are this expensive.
These updated REI Switchback GTX mittens are really popular because you can use the liner by itself or with the shell on top. The liners actually have five fingers, so aren't as warm as a mitten-type liner, but allow for more functionality.
There are some nice extra design features on the mitts, like the softer material on the thumb for wiping your nose. The mitts are sewn in way that the fingertip seams don't hit your poles and fit well, and the dexterity is good. These aren't the warmest mitts, but they will keep your fingers warm in temps down to around 0F.
Guide to Buying Cold-Weather Mittens
If you are confused about what type of mittens to get for cold winter weather, here’s a rundown of the types and features you want to look for.
Gloves versus Mittens
When it comes to warmth, mittens are superior to gloves. Because your hands are together and surrounded by the insulation, you lose much less heat than if you were wearing gloves.
Compared to mittens, gloves also cut off circulation. Take a look at your hand in natural position. Do you see any large gaps between your fingers for insulation? No! Insulated gloves will cause you to spread your fingers out unnaturally, potentially cutting off circulation. This will make your fingers cold. This is why mittens are so much better. However, the downside is that mittens lack dexterity.
Choose Mitts with Removable Insulation Layer
Better-quality shell mittens will have a removable liner. There are several benefits to this design which make it worth paying more for:
- Fast drying: Remove the liner to dry each faster
- Versatility: You can wear the liners by themselves or with the shell
- Backups: If the liner gets wet, you can remove it and put the shell over a backup insulation layer (such as a cheap pair of fleece gloves).
Finger or Mitten Liner?
When mittens have a removable liner, it will either have a five finger, split fingers or mitten design. In general, it’s better to get a mitten liner. This is because you will be able to wear a liner glove underneath the mitten layer. The liner glove serves as your base layer to wick away sweat. Otherwise your insulation layer can end up wet, which will make your hands get cold quickly.
You can still wear a liner glove under a 5-finger insulation liner, but it isn’t as comfortable. So choose a mitt which has fingered liners if the temperatures won’t be too cold, dexterity is important, or you really want to wear the liners by themselves.
Dexterity of Shell Gloves
Even though they are warmer than gloves, mittens don’t have as much dexterity. This can make it a challenge to do tasks like check your GPS, adjust boot straps or set up camp.
For good dexterity, look for mitts with these features:
- Split-finger (aka 3-finger) design
- Pre-curved fingers and palm
- Five-finger or split-finger removable liner
Warmth of the Shell Mitt
Some of the better brands of shell mittens list a temperature rating. However, most do not list this info, leaving you to guess how warm the mittens will be.
If you need really warm mittens (such as below 0F windchill temps), you should look for these features:
- Insulation type and amount listed
- Mitten-type liner (no fingers)
- Hand warmer pocket
- Gauntlet cinch to keep out snow
- Wrist cinch to trap warmth
Other Features
Here are some of the main features to look for when buying shell mitts.
- Wrist leash: This is a loop that goes around your wrist so you don’t lose the mitt when you remove it. You definitely want this feature with shell mittens.
- Reinforced palms: The palm gets a lot of use when hiking with poles (which you are probably doing in winter). Leather palms are the most durable but many synthetics are nearly as tough.
- Touchscreen compatible: If you use devices frequently while hiking, then you need this feature. It is usually the insulating layer that has touchscreen compatibility, so you’ll need to remove the overmitt to use devices.
Wrist straps are awesome for when you need to take your mitts off while hiking
Some resources for this article include:
https://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/archive/index.php/t-2379.html,
https://www.adkhighpeaks.com/forums/forum/hiking/general-hiking-information/24228-winter-hiking-glove-setup,
https://forum.quartertothree.com/t/recommendations-for-gloves-that-actually-will-keep-my-fingers-warm/77981/14,
https://sectionhiker.com/winter-hiking-and-mountaineering-glove-systems/,
https://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php/65048-Hiking-gloves
image credits:
“Grand Canyon – serious gear for serious” (CC BY-NC 2.0) by Al_HikesAZ
“Snowshoe” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Umnak
“Jeff – almost done” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by brewbooks
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