 Poster: A snowHead
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I’m in the market for a new pair of ski gloves/mittens and I see these getting a lot of love on here. I’ll be going to Trysil, Norway in January where the average maximum daily temperature will be around -6C so I need them to be warm. I’d definitely prefer to get gloves for better dexterity and the fact that they look better (in my opinion) but warmth is the most important factor. Also I do most of my skiing in the Alps where temperatures are a bit higher so I don’t really want to buy mittens for Norway only for them to be too warm in the Alps.
What I’m really interested in knowing is, for those who own either of these, how low does the temperature have to reach before you start feeling the cold? If I bought the gloves is there space for an extra liner in them for that little bit of extra warmth in Norway?
If anyone has any other recommendations please let me know!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Mittens are warmer - Maybe the compromise of the "Lobster Claw" might work. Get big enough to allow for a good Liner underneath.
I use Gloves and my Daughter uses the Mitts. I have no problem with normal alpine temperatures - but if heading north of - 8 or -10, I have various weights of Glove Liners.
My Daughter has Reynauds - and wears heated Glove Liners pretty much all the time.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@snowfeet, I got my first pair (gloves) for a heli trip in Canada where the temps were about -15 although obvs super cosy in the machine.
I carry silk liner just in case.
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I have the Heli gloves, and they're good down to about -10 for me, and then I use silk liners in extreme conditions which for me is -15 to -20 on Alpine glaciers or in freakishly cold weather. Buy them with the liners in mind, so go up a size if they are snug to start with. Also, the liners make a huge difference if they get damp - while the gloves are pretty waterproof, having snow get inside them and then melt into the fingertips makes for a very uncomfortable experience so any time you get anything inside them you really must sort it out at the time.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| ousekjarr wrote: |
| Also, the liners make a huge difference if they get damp.... |
Just to highlight to the OP the importance of regularly treating them with Leather Balm.
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I've got skinny hands, so I have the super warm mitts for mid winter and the claw finger for the rest of the season, the latter has removable linings. Mountain lore has it that the claw is for your trigger finger!
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I'm not a Hestra fan. They seem to work and are often sold at ... heli companies. As stated, you need to put gunk on them even in cold dry conditions.
Other brands are available (RAB, North Face, Mountain Equipment) which are as good or better, have less bling, and maybe less leather.
Mitts are cheaper for the same warmth than gloves.
Minus 6 is pretty toasty, but I suppose it depends on the individual. Some people are always messing with glove warmers, some aren't.
Standard Hestra mitts will do down into squeaky snow temperatures, where cold toes are more likely to be of concern to most.
If you're a "tea bag" heater person, then mitts will serve you better.
I like mitts with removable liners. Ride them without the liners in May, or with them in January.
Mitts are quicker on/off for photography (leashes help with that too), and you can wear an extra
silk type liner to avoid bare skin exposure if it's cold. Even with that, cold temperatures promote an efficient style.
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Hestra Mitts all the way for me. Hot hands who cares. Cold hands ouch…
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I've been very disappointed by my Hestra Army gloves. I find Black Diamond Guide are much better.
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| noggy wrote: |
| I've been very disappointed by my Hestra Army gloves. I find Black Diamond Guide are much better. |
I was very disappointed in the Black Diamond Guide gloves I bought based on rave internet reviews. Totally different shape to my hands (and no, I don't have six fingers  ). Hestra Army Patrol, fit like a glove and are lasting really well. I do have a pair of mitts (not Hestra, by chance not choice) for really cold weather, which for me is -10 and below.
I think the answer is that the right pair is the pair that fits, and then it's personal preference on glove vs lobster claw vs mitt.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I just found a pair of Hestra Mitts this morning that I'd put away in a safe place a few years ago and forgot where that safe place was.
They are in an even safer place now.
I offered to sell them to someone on here a couple of years ago but could not find them at the time.
I've had a few pairs of Hestra gloves over the years, and I think they are as @philwig says a bit of a Bling item.
My first pair were very "Bling" in bright yellow, I think I liked them too much and wore them out on the rope tow of the dry slope I used to frequent.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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I can only say that Mrs U (who is particularly demanding on gloves, what with the dreaded Raynaud's) replaced her Hestra mitts after 9 seasons, of around 60 days per season.
So they didn't owe her anything.
Mine lasted a season more, but I have spring gloves as well ... so ...
Worth noting that I previously maybe got 120-150 days out of gloves as I have sweaty hands and they just got too stinky. Washable liners are a god send.
Also that while other brands may work better for you, Mrs U needs wider cuffs to fit over batteries....
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@snowfeet, switched from gloves to mittens (norrona from a few years back) and never looked back. For colder days carry icebreaker wool thin liners - love the combo!
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You know it makes sense.
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I treated myself to a very nice pair of black leather gloves from Decathalon I like them a lot and they are great for European skiing, but in Canada at -30 at times, I'm going to need some liners and something roomier enough to pack the "T-Bags".
Plus a pair in my boots as well.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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I wear mittens (not Hestra) and much prefer them to gloves. The dexterity thing isn't really an issue - ski gloves are pretty bulky so there's not much you can do with them on anyway, and you can whip mittens off and then on again much more quickly than gloves. Whether you are opening a pack to get something out, having a drink or snack or using your phone, you'll need to take them off no matter what they are.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Thanks for all the replies! I initially posted the same question on Reddit and only got one very uninformative response so I’m really grateful for all the advice on here. It seems it’s really down to personal preference based on the various responses I’ve got here.
For those recommending the Hestra mittens, do you find that they get too warm during the spring? I’m only going to shell out on one pair and like I say most of the skiing I do will be in the 0-10C range so I’m leaning towards the gloves so long as my fingers aren’t going to freeze in Norway. It seems like the gloves + silk liner would suffice? Having said that, I’d probably go for the mittens if my hands weren’t going to be too hot during the warmer months. As others have said though, I’d rather have warm hands than hands that are too cold.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@snowfeet, at 10C you'll probably want just a pair of silk liners, or an entirely different pair of disposable cheap and thin gloves. There isn't a glove or mitten on the market which will cover from -20 to +10, with or without removable liners.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I use the mitts all season including Spring and just take them off when hiking or touring when it gets too hot. On my second pair which must have done 200 days and still going strong. Have tried different liners (mainly for when taking the right glove off to take photos) but prefer without. In a mitten it’s the fingers close to each other that retains the heat. Anything separating the fingers is a barrier to that. As above just get a cheap thin pair for warm conditions.
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I've got Hestra gloves and, if its very cold, despite the rave reviews, they don't keep my hands warm enough. I wear them when the temperatures are above freezing, otherwise I use Mitts with chemical hand warmers inside. Toastie  IMO silk liners are a waste of time too.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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My Hestra Helis don't have gold chains or medallions, so I guess leashes are considered bling by some. While not necessary, leashes came in handier than I expected when I started having to mess with putting my mask on entering the maze many times a day. But the question is warmth, and in this area I'm not particularly impressed. The insulation piece seems ordinary, while the large gauntlet does do a great job of keeping things where they belong. Mine are goatskin and haven't needed the treatment in 3 years. And Hestra has more sizes than just SMLXL, so they fit like a....
If we're talking about keeping our hands warm when it is cold by skiing standards, we should not be talking about taking gloves or mitts on and off! Leave 'em on, or take your photos right before heading in for some warmth. As most of us know, it can take an hour to get your hands back no matter gloves you're wearing.
In severe cold I've found the chemical hand warmers are difference-makers, and here's a tip: over here at least Costco sells a box of way too many of them for next to nothing, which would last me for years except they lose effectiveness after a season. So buy the box and give 3/4 of them to your buds so they all get used.
Yes the Helis are too warm (and bulky) for spring. I've found XC gloves are perfect for spring skiing.
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I have a pair of both the gloves and the mitts, so I guess I’m in a good position to compare. I can’t say I have felt a great difference between the warmth of either. On a really cold day I do get cold fingers in both. I have a thin pair of liners that fit in the gloves but I’d imagine that you could use much thicker liners in the mitts if you wanted to.
Edit: The supplied liners in both are quite thick and it’s useful to be able to take them out to dry them separately.
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I swear by my thin forested paclite over mitts (“bags”)- very light easy to pack in pocket and pull out put over gloves - so easy to put on even while moving it means I am more likely to use them before hands get cold ( eg b4 a long schuss)
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Have been using the Hestra's Heli glove for close to 10 years now - have to say they are warm - survived Japan at double negative digits in the wind on the pizza box.
Drawbacks:
I do find that the leather even though I treat it often gets wet on the finger tips and along the thumb/index finger even on dry cold days - its the contact points - chairlift bar, grabbing skis, ski boot buckles etc - which disappoints me - I apply the cream every few days.
I have on occasion gotten the tips more wet than I like, and then cold hands - especially when climbing for off-piste / digging in the snow with them.
I have learnt some important lessons along the years as I get cold hands:
1. Always keep gloves zipped in jacket to retain warmth when outside and not on hands (unless drying) ie in the car/ bus to the lifts in the morning or when in shops etc.
2. Minimise taking them on/off - keep the heat in
3. Use the drawstrings at the top off the cuff to prevent snow entering the glove (super important on the offpiste) and more times than not I find snow gets in accidently if I havent pulled the drawstrings
4. Have liners handy for when needed (i.e. Japan at -10)
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| geepee wrote: |
| I have a pair of both the gloves and the mitts, so I guess I’m in a good position to compare. I can’t say I have felt a great difference between the warmth of either. |
That's my experience as well. I've got a pair of the gloves and the lobster claw mittens and not really noticed a difference between the two. On properly cold days, below -15 or so, I'll add a pair of heated glove liners, which keep my hands comfortable all day, especially if I have to remove a glove from time to time to use a camera.
I prefer a closer fit glove than the Heli models, so my go to glove for most temperatures is the Hestra Vertical Cut. Allows me to be a bit more dextrous (I can use my point and shoot camera without removing the gloves, for example), and is a bit more streamlined than a gauntlet type glove as the close fitting cuff goes underneath my jacket sleeve. If it's very cold I'll opt for the Heli glove or mitten with heated glove liners, and for late spring days in the sunshine a pair of x-country ski gloves does the trick, like @Scooter in Seattle uses.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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I suffer from cold fingers and i was loaned a pair of Hestra by my partner who swears by them ..they really didnt do much for me ..I am with Rob@rar in that the best thing I have bought are my heated liners
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Tiso.co.uk or .com have Hestra stuff at 50% off. I have mitts but bought a pair of gloves.
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You know it makes sense.
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| Daishan wrote: |
| On anything but the hottest days I'll have the lobster claw gloves in my pack in case it turns cold or I get my other gloves damp, having completely dry gloves to switch to if you've spent the morning rolling around off piste is amazing, plus I always have a spare pair of liners in my pockets. |
Sage advice. I will never venture on an off-piste day without a spare pair of gloves in the backpack. Learnt that lesson a long time ago! Thank goodness the instructor carried a spare pair or I would have been in dire straits that day!
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FAQ
