I go through a lot of gloves and mitts. Usually, the fingertips wear through. Another problem is "waterproof-breathable" handwear keeps water out, but it also keeps sweat in - so my hands get cold. My solution is to wear a liner glove or mitt inside a lightweight waterproof-breathable shell. When the liner gets damp, exchange it for a dry one. If it is a cold day, use a warm liner. If it is a cool/dry day, wear only the liner. If it is raining or snowing, wear the shell with or without a liner, depending on the temperature.
Weighing just 3.9 ounces per pair (size large), the Outdoor Research Endeavor is a durable lightweight waterproof-breathable shell mitt. My emphasis is on durable because there are lighter shell mitts to be found, such as the Mountain Laurel Designs eVENT Rain Mitt, and the Etowah/ULA Frogtog Over Mittens. Although Outdoor Research markets the Endeavor Mitt for "wet moderate conditions," I found it performs quite well for snow sports or any situation where a more durable shell mitt is needed. Note: the OR Latitude Mitt is the Endeavor Mitt combined with a removable softshell and fleece liner glove and costs $20 USD more.
The Endeavor Mitt runs true to size, and the OR website shows how to measure your hand to ensure you order the correct size. If you are going to use them in cold weather, it is a good idea to oversize a shell mitt so there is plenty of room inside for insulated gloves or mitts.
The OR Endeavor Mitt and several liners were part of my gear kit for an eleven day winter camping trip in Yellowstone National Park, plus many backcountry ski and snowshoe trips near home. With a warm liner inside, the mitts are perfect for building igloos, snowshoeing, and ski touring. For snow sports, overmitts are a very important outer layer because they keep snow from sticking to insulating gloves or mitts. Fleece is very light and warm, but snow sticks to it, and it gets wet easily in the winter. Wearing the Endeavor Mitt over fleece is a perfect combination for cold days. On really cold mornings (down to -16 Fahrenheit) while winter camping and cold days (0 to 10 Fahrenheit) while backcountry skiing, the Endeavor shell added a lot of warmth when worn over an insulated glove.
After three months of hard use, the Endeavor Mitt shows little evidence of wear, as can be seen in the two top photos. It also has been consistently waterproof, with no detectable leakage through the mitts, even in situations where there is a lot of contact with wet snow or water. Overall, the OR Endeavor Mitt is an excellent choice for a lightweight shell mitt for situations where more durability is needed, such as snow sports and winter camping.
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Outdoor Research Endeavor Mitt SPOTLITE REVIEW
Do you think the mitt would stay dry after six-eight hours in the rain? I hike in the Oregon Cascades and have hiked for four days in almost constant rain. My gloves all seem to eventually wet through. I use poles, so my hands are exposed to the rain all the time.
Hi Jean. I can't say for sure, but I would speculate that they would stay dry in extended rain. On four occasions this past winter, I wore the Endeavor Mitt for packing snow to build igloos, and it took 6 hours to build an igloo, so that's a lot of direct contact with snow. Best, Will.
Will,
What was the temperature range for the Endeavor mitts in conjunction with the OR PL400 mitts?
I'm looking at this setup for winter and will add another liner in the PL400 mitt when called for.
Thanks
Pat
I’m looking to put together a good winter + 3 season wet conditions mitt/glove system for my wife and me and found this very helpful article. Up to now in winter we’ve gotten by with 2 pairs each – one mid- and one heavy-weight pair of cross country skiing glove, and rotated them, placing the wet pair inside our Patagonia DAS Parkas and sleeping bags to dry. We also rotate a lightweight Ibex merino liner glove and lightweight powerstretch liner of the same weight.
Because I want something more durable and waterproof than lighter offerings, the Endeavor/Latitude looks just right. After reading the BPL overview on glove/mitt systems and a few reviews of the Endeavor and Latitude, had a few questions I’d appreciate your feedback on:
-Down to what temperature F can you comfortably use the shell with the PL-400 glove while still or moving?
-Do you find the Endeavor/Latitude breathable enough? A 2007 Backpackgeartest.org reviewer at
http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Clothing/Gloves/Outdoor%20Research%20Latitude%20Mitt/Test%20Report%20by%20Sheila%20Morrissey/ noted as a con that “The mitt shells are completely waterproof – awful for skiing as my hands were drenched in sweat!” Sweat rate differs from person to person, but just wondering how well the shell mitts breath when you are very active, such as digging a snow kitchen or building an igloo.
-Is the Latitude cut true to size like the Endeavor?
-If you size true to size, would there be enough room inside the PL-400 glove to fit a thin liner glove like the Ibex liner glove or our light powerstretch glove?
-If you oversize 1 size, do you lose a lot of dexterity with the larger shell mitt, especially when using a thin liner or no liner underneath in milder weather?
-If the Lattitude is true to size, and you size up for winter, won’t the included PL-400 gloves be too big for your hands and less dexterous?
-If we don’t already have a heavier warmer fleece glove like the PL-400, do you recommend it over similar ones? Is there a similar weight fleece/softshell glove that you like better?
-Do you find it necessary to renew the DWR on the surface of the mitt once/season with regular use? Which waterproofing spray would you use to keep them waterproof but breathable?
Hi EJ, I will try to answer you questions by pasting in your questions and responding to them individually.
Q-Down to what temperature F can you comfortably use the shell with the PL-400 glove while still or moving? A- While still maybe somewhere in the teens; they're warm but not that warm. While moving they would be warm maybe down to zero. It depends a lot on the person and how dry the liners are.
Q-Do you find the Endeavor/Latitude breathable enough? A 2007 Backpackgeartest.org reviewer at
http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Clothing/Gloves/Outdoor%20Research%20Latitude%20Mitt/Test%20Report%20by%20Sheila%20Morrissey/ noted as a con that “The mitt shells are completely waterproof – awful for skiing as my hands were drenched in sweat!” Sweat rate differs from person to person, but just wondering how well the shell mitts breath when you are very active, such as digging a snow kitchen or building an igloo. A- Like most GTX products, they are not very breathable,and moisture from sweat builds up in them. A very small amount of moisture will make your hands very cold. That's why I recommend taking several pairs of liners along so you can keep changing them.
Q-Is the Latitude cut true to size like the Endeavor? A- The Latitude is the same shell plus a liner, so they are cut the same.
Q-If you size true to size, would there be enough room inside the PL-400 glove to fit a thin liner glove like the Ibex liner glove or our light powerstretch glove? A- It depends on your actual hand size of course, but the PL-400 mitts I have are large enough to add a liner. I recommend the mitts instead of gloves because they are warmer. I prefer to wear a glove liner inside a mitt.
Q-If you oversize 1 size, do you lose a lot of dexterity with the larger shell mitt, especially when using a thin liner or no liner underneath in milder weather? A- Yes, with a shell mitt you do lose a lot of dexterity. Shell gloves have a little more dexterity but they are not as warm, and the seams in the fingers come apart. I prefer using a shell mitt and have a wide variety of liners to wear inside.
Q-If the Lattitude is true to size, and you size up for winter, won’t the included PL-400 gloves be too big for your hands and less dexterous? A- Again it depends on your actual hand size. I size up to XL and the mitt fits a little loose, which I like. Mitts don't have much dexterity no matter what size.
Q-If we don’t already have a heavier warmer fleece glove like the PL-400, do you recommend it over similar ones? Is there a similar weight fleece/softshell glove that you like better? A- My warmest fleece gloves are some no-name gloves I picket up at a sale somewhere. The PL-400 is warm, but not that warm. I would simple look around for really light, thick fleece gloves, like Turtle Fur. You pretty much have to look at them at a store to find what you want because a description online does not really tell you how thick or how warm they are. I have 2 bushel-size boxes full of shells and liners that I have accumulated over the years.
Q-Do you find it necessary to renew the DWR on the surface of the mitt once/season with regular use? Which waterproofing spray would you use to keep them waterproof but breathable? A- I have not done it yet with the Endeavor Mitt, but I would use Nikwax Tech Spray.
Hope this helps out-
Best, Will
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