Ski-worthy mitts?

I have a pair of the Outdoor Research Endeavor Mitts and really like them – Seem very durable but lightweight. I'm not a skier so I read this review as well for some more insight:

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/or_endeavor_mitt_spotlite_review.html

Eric, I use a three layer system (same technique as clothing) for my hands while hiking/snowshoeing or snowboarding.

Base: Black Diamond Power Stretch Gloves(1.75 oz/pair)
Insulation: MEC Double Fleece Mitts (3.2 oz/pair)
Overmitt: Street Vendor Nepali Overmitts (2.9 oz/pair)

This system is super versatile and keeps my hands warm in the coldest temperatures I encounter. It's really nice to have a base layer glove so you can take your mitt of for precise tasks and not freeze.
HTH

After having one too many "waterproof" ski gloves get completely soaked in rainy/slushy snow, I decided to go with a true waterproof shell last winter, which I also used for winter camping.

My system is similar to Steve's:
– thin fleece liners (BD powerstretch)
– thicker fleece gloves (OR PL400)
– thicker fleece mitts (REI something)
– goretex paclite shell (OR endeavor)

I brought either the liners or the gloves depending on the expected temperature and how much I expected to be working in the snow. Note that the "insulation" layers don't include windstopper fleece, which (I think) keeps things more breathable.

Wearing three layers was quite warm, and you can take the shell mitts off for extra dexterity without losing too much warmth. For spring skiing, I even wore the shells alone.

Overall this system worked well for my climate, the sierras, which rarely gets below 15F. If you're going to be somewhere significantly colder, you might want to look into puffy synthetic insulation instead of fleece.

Mini-reviews:

BD powerstretch liners: The wrists are a little tight, hard to get on and off.

PL400: Unlike most fleece gloves, these have a smooth surface on the outside, so snow doesn't tend to stick to them as much. They also have grippy stuff on the palm that doesn't rub off easily. If I was getting a new system, I might go for the PL400 mitts.

REI mitts: No major complaints, but the thread holding the two layers together at the fingertips broke pretty easily.

OR endeavor: I liked these very much. They blocked wind completely, adding a lot of warmth, and kept my hands fairly dry. You do have to be careful to brush snow off your gloves before sticking them in the mitts, though. A little wetness inside will dry eventually, as long as you're keeping warm.

My only complaint would be durability: toward the end of the season the two layers of the shell were separating at the fingertip area. I suspect this is mostly due to extra friction from when I was gripping ski poles while wearing just the shells with no glove underneath. So if you get these, they'll probably last longer if you always wear at least thin liners.

Random notes: Make sure the gloves/mitts have a large gauntlet with a one-handed tightening/loosening system. If you're just getting one piece instead of a layering system, look at Black Diamond's line. They're expensive but they're very well constructed. Marmot also has good quality gloves.

Good thread.

I did two weeks of skiing last year in March. I was carrying two pairs of wool gloves and a pair of leather gloves. All three of them would be soaked at the end of the day. :)

I like thinking about gear conceptually and have learned a lot since then. A very versatile option would be neoprene fingerless gloves. They would give you all the dexterity you need while providing comfort for wide range of conditions. You can afford them to be heavier with features like durable textured palms as they will not count as pack weight.

When it gets cold, all you would need to do is add *seam sealed* WP synthetic mitts. You dont need them to be breathable (VB inner and outer shell) so such gloves will be warmer, lighter and cheaper for comparable weight.

wishful thinking.. anyone knows of such products?

I have been very intrigued by the Endeavor after reading the review of them online. My only hesitation is about dropping $70 for an overmitt whose durability I have seen questioned. Like you said though Jeff, perhaps always wearing a thin layer underneath will help this. I should also say that I may be pushing temps down around 0 deg in Crested Butte, CO if it's another cold winter…

My main question is: did you have to get the mitts one full size larger than the size recommended to you via manufacturer when you measure your hand size? This would obviously be to accommodate thick gloves or multiple layers underneath. When doing this though, I wonder how comfortable and usable the mitts can be when not much is worn under them.

I got the medium, which is my usual glove size.

As you say, there's no size that will fit equally well with either zero, one, or two layers underneath. Mine are sized so that one layer under is best, two is slightly bulky but usable, and zero is a little awkward. That's probably the best way to size it, since one layer is the typical situation for skiing in moderate weather. The harder problem, I think, is finding two fleece layers that work well together.

On durability, even though the layers are separating slightly at the fingertips, they still work fine. I suppose that patch might not be breathing properly anymore, but there's still plenty of surface area. If the inner layer rips, I'll probably just patch it with duct tape and keep using them.