With the winter death grip firmly on for 2018, the issue of a hand dexterity comes into play when being outdoors. The showdown of gloves vs mittens comes to mind. We will explore this debate and the advantages of carrying both items.
When outside peak-bagging, ice-fishing, snowshoeing or struggling through the process of clearing the driveway, warm hands will keep the moment from becoming a nightmare.
The Glove
I must admit, most of the time I try to do as much of the dexterius type of hand movements without any gloves or mittens but when temperatures get low enough exposure may not be an option. In this case a good fitting warm waterproof glove will allow you to retain purchase when climbing or running the controls of snow removal equipment.
The Mitten
When hands are “offline” and just hanging around, this is where mitten’s will shine. There is no doubt when your hands are in a good set of insulated waterproof mittens, they will be much warmer because your digits are not isolated.
Why I Carry Both
Flexibility
Most of the time, as soon as I start to feel cold hands set in, I startup with gloves. If my hands get too cold or gloves are not warm enough I will switch up to mittens until my hands get warm. When hiking or snowshoeing your body will naturally start sending heat to your extremities (feet + hands). It is important to regulate your temperature as best as possible which may involve switching gear as you travel.
Backup “for my stupidity”
A set of gloves or mittens is much better than a set of none. While attempting to scramble up a set of rocks I had inadvertently set down my gloves, only to watch the 50 mph winds wish them away. In the presence of a rookie move, my mittens are available as a backup. (I did recover them latter).
