I am looking to buy mitten shells, similar to the old OR rain shells, for a couple of my friends. What is the best item out there that is comparable to that product?

Mountain Laural Designs has eVent rain mitts
http://tinyurl.com/2zxjrr

You could also look at the Ceder Tree silnylon rain mitts
http://www.thepacka.com/index_files/Page429.html

I was in MEC yesterday and came across these. Not sure what they weigh in at, but I can't imagine more then a couple of ounces. Material is pretty tough. They aren't seam sealed, but maybe if you did it yourself?


http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442619719&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302698935&bmUID=1199106426185

p.s. I don't know how to do the embedded link thingy. Copy and paste it.


Edit - just realized you wanted rain mitts. These would probably be better for winter conditions.

Edited by Steve_Evans on 12/31/2007 06:12:24 MST.

IMO, or at least for my use, there's a tough trade-off to make in terms of durability versus weight of a mitten shell.
I have an REI mitten shell of a type that provides a small amount of warmth (not just a slippery waterproof fabric against your skin and is pretty light and reasonably durable. Problem is that I haven't seen anything like it since; I'd be happy if I could just have a spare pair of these ...

I bought the ULA rain mittens; these are great apart from the durability issue. They're made of the same material as driducks rainsuits are; just not that durable if you're using your hands much.

On the other side, a place like REI or MEC or whereever typically only offers relatively beefy --- and heavy --- mittens or mitten shells. The MEC Cypress shells might be an exception, but tough to know without a weight specified.

I couldn't find a waterproof overmitt that I liked, so I made some from a Green Pepper overmitt pattern. They turned out surprisingly well.

I made the first pair exactly like the pattern called for with Ultrex (2 ply) from Seattle Fabrics, and then I made the second pair with what I considered improvements. I stitched elastic in the wrist instead of using the wriststrap on the outside, used Ultrex for the whole mitt and no gripping cordura fabric on the palms, because the cordura wasn't waterproof and didn't really add any gripping strength, and cut the hem of the gauntlet right at the edge and made a rolled hem rather than the deep hem called for. Then I seam-sealed them.

I wear them as overmitts with the possumdown gloves. They're easy to pull on and off for quick moments of needed dexterity. They have kept my hands dry in snow and rain, and seem to add a bit of warmth. When it gets colder than mid-twenties I switch to my primaloft mitts under the overmitts. The price was right - a yard of fabric is about $12 per yard and will make 3 pairs (Mr. B got a pair).

They are easy to sew and a DIY project that's worth the effort.

"The MEC Cypress shells might be an exception, but tough to know without a weight specified."

Just got back from MEC, the "cypress overmitts" linked above weigh 2.40 oz in size medium. I wouldn't know what type of material they are made from or the thickness, but they are seriously tough. If I didn't already have a DIY pair, I would pick these up.

Edited by Steve_Evans on 01/04/2008 17:35:39 MST.

I found some interesting and very light mitten shells at one of the local running stores. I have not seen them since. They are "Insport" brand, a WB fabric, and weigh about 1.1oz on my scale. Not exacly durable but great for cutting the wind and they do a reasonable job at shedding water considering the weight.

Best mitts will depend on your intended use IMHO.

For warmer wear I prefer the superior breathability of the eVent variety like Mountain Laural Designs sells.

If you are looking for great durability, I believe the outer shells of the REI Switchback Mittens are about as tough as I have seen. They are just a REI Elements WPB shell.

I found these over the weekend at Performance Bike on sale for $15. They are made of some kind of ripstop nylon and seem much more durable than my ULA mitts. Headsweats says that they are highly water resistant and breathable. They passed the shower test without any moisture getting inside. Weight is 1.4 oz. a pair on my scale.