Is it silly to wear a pair of gloves under mittens? I have a pair of Ecowool possum/merino gloves and want some extra warmth. Still not sure if I want to use a fleece mitten over these or down. But I am wondering if wearing the gloves under the mittens defeats the advantage of a mitten.... which is to have the fingers together for added warmth, right??

Nothing is wrong with a waterproof, breathable, wind blocking mitten over some soft gloves.

In cold weather one glove system I use is wool defeet duragloves under OR PL400 mits, with wp/b mits overtop of all that to block wind and moisture.

I like this combo because it gives me dexterity when I need it, added warmth when I don't, and relatively thin layers that are easy to dry in my sleeping bag if they get damp.

-David

Actually Mittens over gloves makes a lot of sense. Generally you want to pull off the mittens when you need to do something with your hands that requires more dexterity without completely exposing your hands to the elements. So having glove liners to go under you mittens is ideal. Just make sure your gloves block wind.

Edited by randalmartin on 10/17/2012 14:14:14 MDT.

It's a good idea, a mitt system will give you more versatility. For most 3 season use I can get away with possumdown gloves and MLD rain mitts. For winter use i'll throw on a pair or Warmlite VB gloves, BRG down mitts and the MLD rain mitts over it all. Depending on temperature and weather you can interchange different layers to meet your needs.

Edited by jacoblevinsky on 10/17/2012 14:32:27 MDT.

It's not silly at all, it's ideal. A system of light liner gloves, warm mittens, and mitten shells will handle a wide range of conditions, and as others have mentioned, if you have to wear it all and need to perform a task that requires dexterity, you can take off the outer layers and still have some protection on your hands. And if you don't need the full capability of all three, the liner gloves and shell are a good combo. Even an uninsulated mitten shell adds quite a bit of warmth, especially in the wind, not to mention the rain/snow shedding.

No different than layering any other clothing. Like using a windshirt with a fleece, you can use the layers separately or together, especially if you already own both :)

I haven't used them for backpacking, but I have a pair of fingerless gloves with a mitten cover that folds back. They worked great for photographing Yosemite Valley a few years back on Thanksgiving weekend. I'm going with a slightly lighter system, but same idea, for this winter.

I love glomitts. I have nice gloves and very nice mittens, but I almost always grab my glomitts first.

> Nothing is wrong with a waterproof, breathable, wind blocking mitten over some soft gloves.
+1

Cheers

I use glove liners under mitts in winter. Smartwool glove liners plus velcro=(UNPRINTABLE)!! Has anybody solved this? that is, the slow tearing away of merino liners by velcro straps. I guess I'm really asking, what to buy once my merino liners become frayed beyond use. Otherwise, I like merino liners!

Wool liners and a light shell mitt is my GO TO configuration for all seasons. (In winter, I have a thick wool mitt packed JIC, but rarely need it).

Find it works quite well for the versatility, warmth and weather proofness.

I use smartwool glove liners with large OR gortex shells, but I don't carry an extra mid layer. Can anyone recommend good ultralight midlayers to check out?

Many people are a fan of the OR PL400 fleece mitts:

http://www.outdoorresearch.com/en/or-gear/gloves/womens-pl-400-mitts.html

A women's M is under 3 oz.

Not bad.

^ that's my combo when the thermometer really drops

the Endeavor mitts may be discontinued, but am sure they replaced it w/ something else- very sturdy shell under 4 oz

got a Highly Recommended seal here

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

the PL400 mitts in Men's size large are only 2.8 oz

I usually also have a 1 oz glove liner for anything that requires a lot of dexterity