Keeping your hands warm in the extreme cold

[Tiley]

I've been trying to find out what works best for keeping your hands warm in a Swedish/Norwegian/Finnish winter. Some folk swear by Lovikka mittens, which seems reasonable, but I am trying to find out what to use as outer mitts. Swedish army leather ones? Ventile? Synthetic?

They'll be used in a normal bush crafty situation (i.e. fires, woods, snow, etc.) but I would value any thoughts or opinions on this vitally important area. If you can let me know where to source any suggestions, that'd be even better.

Many thanks,
Richard

 

[Andy BB]

You might also want to give some thought to a "base layer" glove. Mittens are great at keeping your hands warm, but when they have to come off for some "delicate" work, you don't want bare hands!

 

[ex-member BareThrills]

these are what i use. liners are very warm and i can get my liner glove and mid glove inside the mitts

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/US-ARMY-G...Collectables_Militaria_LE&hash=item3cd94df713

 

[sandbender]

In an Arctic winter I have used a pair of Hestra gloves with a merino wool liner, I carry spare liners to swap out if they get wet, I keep the wet ones next to me so they dry out for when they are needed next. Additionally when I do not need the added dexterity that gloves offer I use a pair of Swedish army leather mittens which again come with a merino wool liner.

 

[John Fenna]

On top of the Cairngorm plateau I used to wear Dachstien shrunken wool mitts with (when needed) thin woollen liner gloves.
After losing a mitt on one climb I took to wearing the mitts on a long tape threaded through the sleeves of my jacket .. frost nip is not nice!

 

[Teepee]

Canadian N48 flying mitts. (very similar to BareThrills link). Brilliant bits of kit.

Full leather palm, sheepskin back, large nylon cinch gauntlet and felted wool removable liner. The leather palm needs treating with Nikwax and the nylon is better off with a coat of TX direct. Without the nikwax, they will slowly wet out.

I use a thin pair of polyester liner gloves inside from Sports Direct and rotate them as they become dirty.

I made a pair of 9mm felted wool liners for them but find the 3mm liners are plenty warm enough.

Add a disposable handwarmer into the liner every day and they don't need keeping warm, also drives out any moisture.

 

[Chris the Cat]

In an Arctic winter I have used a pair of Hestra gloves with a merino wool liner, I carry spare liners to swap out if they get wet, I keep the wet ones next to me so they dry out for when they are needed next. Additionally when I do not need the added dexterity that gloves offer I use a pair of Swedish army leather mittens which again come with a merino wool liner.

I have the same set up.
I do not find the Hestras warm enough if I am honest, but great mitt set up.
Taking the US Nb2 flying mitts this year.

Best.

C.

 

[sandbender]

"...I do not find the Hestras warm enough if I am honest..."

Eat more porridge!

There is an article over on Paul Kirtley's blog about gloves & mittens for use in the far north, worth a read I'd think.

 

[Dogoak]

If they are really going to get some hard use as you mentioned 'i.e. fires, woods, snow, etc.' I'd always go for something with a leather palm. I've worn synthetic palmed gloves in winter conditions and worn them out in a week!

 

[Uilleachan]

On top of the Cairngorm plateau I used to wear Dachstien shrunken wool mitts with (when needed) thin woollen liner gloves.
After losing a mitt on one climb I took to wearing the mitts on a long tape threaded through the sleeves of my jacket .. frost nip is not nice!

Me too John.

Adding wind/water proof over mitts atop dachstiens and one has a pretty bombproof combination, thin gloves next to the skin, silk synthetic or wool, if it's proper cold. I can't see past dachstien mitts myself.

 

[Jim_aramis]

I use Dachstein mitts in the winter with a pair of goretex overmitts if I'm using my hands a lot. I find snow sticks to the gloves like velcro but the insulation is good as I never feel any damp coming through.

 

[Chris the Cat]

Leather chopper mitts as over mitts every time for me.

 

[Tiley]

On top of the Cairngorm plateau I used to wear Dachstien shrunken wool mitts with (when needed) thin woollen liner gloves.
After losing a mitt on one climb I took to wearing the mitts on a long tape threaded through the sleeves of my jacket .. frost nip is not nice!

In my climbing days, I used to used Dachsteins a lot but found that they wore out in no time at all. There is also the small problem of the snow sticking to them in little icy clods - not a problem in itself but uncomfortable if you wipe your nose without thinking!

 

[Tiley]

In an Arctic winter I have used a pair of Hestra gloves with a merino wool liner, I carry spare liners to swap out if they get wet, I keep the wet ones next to me so they dry out for when they are needed next. Additionally when I do not need the added dexterity that gloves offer I use a pair of Swedish army leather mittens which again come with a merino wool liner.

The Hestras I already have and use a lot; where's the best place to source the Swedish leather mittens? They seem to be just the job and get Paul Kirtley's seal of approval too...

 

[sandbender]

The Hestras I already have and use a lot; where's the best place to source the Swedish leather mittens? They seem to be just the job and get Paul Kirtley's seal of approval too...

PM me, you can have mine for the cost of postage (size 9 I think)

 

[Chris the Cat]

Or Woodlore used to have them for about a tenner!

( nice offer there sb, good work fella! )

 

[ozzy1977]

What are the Swedish M90 mits like, I imagine that they are quite good

 

[ED-E]

,

Fleece liners with leather working gloves or fleece liners with Vaude/Ortovox wool mittens plus german Army (Bundeswehr) Gore-Tex Mittens with full leather palm if necessary.

 

[RonW]

The best thing? Use them! Move them. Keep the red stuff pumping around.
That and some (wool) mittens usually do the trick. I use Swiss woolmittens or occassionally the older German army mittens (the OG ones). I also use thin fingergloves in them, but that is more to avoid my fingers freezing to something, when I have to take off the mitts in order to do fidelly stuff. No liners or other stuff.
If you remain stationary or immoble, you'll be cold, no matter what you wear.

 

[vizsla]

Yep I'm similar to Ron the key is not letting yours hands get cold because on d they do it can take some warming again without a heat source around, I always wear possum fur fingerless gloves that way if I'm doing something fidly my hands are warm for a short period and over them linner gloves and leather mitts if really cold but usually iv just got some sheepskin gloves