New Mitts needed

[mummummum]

On top of the many other ways my body has chosen to fall apart I have developed Raynauds (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raynaud's_phenomenon).

In practical terms, this means that I am hyper-sensitive to cold ~ when the rest of the world is debating whether or not to wear gloves at all, I get frostbite. As such, I need mitts that are very warm, very waterproof but not so thick and unwieldly that I can't get my hands through the leash loop.

I don't mind spending money (well, that's not quite true but you know what I mean) if the product is well-made. It would also be nice to have something that can go through a washer/ dryer and last more than one season. I often go to MEC or Outward Bound for gear but their on-line product reviews are seldom consistent.

I'm hoping to hit some end of season sales this year. Any suggestions?

[Frenchy]

I have the same condition and it's no fun.

2 years ago I bought myself Auclair ski gloves , very good brand , I paid $45.00 thinking these must be soooo hot but ... nope. I exchanged them for another model , same price , same brand. Still , my fingers turn white after 5 minutes outside , and it gets very painful.

[mummummum]

Yeah tried Au Clairs as well. Used them as an over mitt (wore a second pair inside). Last year I picked up a pair of Drop (me thinks that's what whey are) for about that price cuz they were on sale. But since I've washed them, they're useless.

Pain in the caboose isn't it? Do you get it in your toes as well? I do but nearly as quickly as I do with my fingers.

Oops, forgot to note in my first post that I have tried the battery-operated gloves but they are too heavy for walking with the dawgs.

[Frenchy]

No , only my hands ... and it gets worse in worse every year !

even at -5*C , I'll get out of the car , cross the street to my mail box ... by the time I get to the front door , get keys out and get inside , my fingers are starting to get white .... I let the dogs outside and I have to wait inside until my hands go back to normal so I can go back outside and play with them

[ownedbycats]

Slightly cheaper option: Buy a pair of thin, skintight gloves, then buy a pair of WOOL glove/mittens (don't know the proper name) to wear over them. these are mittens, but the top folds back to turn it into a glove with the fingers cut off.
Combining the skin tight gloves with the mitten/gloves keeps your fingers much warmer than either alone. You have to make sure you get the good wool outside, fleece inside mitten/gloves. The all fleece ones aren't nearly as warm. As a bonus, the palm is lined with leather/leather substitute.

[aslan]

MMM, you can buy gloves now that are like scuba material they're made for skiing, and omg they keep your hands warm, or you could get those little packet things that you shake and heat up,,then put them in your mitts.

[bendyfoot]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

Slightly cheaper option: Buy a pair of thin, skintight gloves, then buy a pair of WOOL glove/mittens (don't know the proper name) to wear over them. these are mittens, but the top folds back to turn it into a glove with the fingers cut off.
Combining the skin tight gloves with the mitten/gloves keeps your fingers much warmer than either alone. You have to make sure you get the good wool outside, fleece inside mitten/gloves. The all fleece ones aren't nearly as warm. As a bonus, the palm is lined with leather/leather substitute.

I do agree with the wool/fleece combo being very warm; I've got a pair like that that I love...but they're not very windproof and on very cold days that makes a big difference...

Oh, MMM, what about looking at a running store, like RunningRoom? I haven't tried them myself, but they have TONS of really lightweight and warm/dry materials for gloves/mitts...I've seen gloves that would probably be a fantastic "under" layer nestled in a pair of windproof/fleece-lined mitts...and it wouldn't add much bulk or weight...

[dustybird]

Has anyone tried down mitts/gloves. I have a 650 arctic goose down coat and it's amazingly warm, even when it's -34 and windy I am toasty warm, got it for under $200.00.

Now I know were talking hands, just mention it because it's sooo warm and the mitts and gloves are filled with the same thing.

Some links: They are pricy though.

http://www.weaverdevore.ca/product_i...products_id/76

http://www.allthingsarctic.com/cgi/d...item_num=5150M

My mother has problems with her hands to but has yet to bite the bullet and spend this much money. I am sure there must be others out there that are a little cheaper.

[Melinda]

so do I have this condition, I find the best mitts are the thin cotton ones and then I wear mitts on top of them (thin ones also) and that way my fingers still fit into the handle of the extenda leash, and I always have in my purse and pocket a "hothands-2" hand warmers for emergencies, I pick mine up at canadian tire (they will heat for 10 hours) or you can get the cheaper ones at the dollar store, but the heat only last roughly about 30 minutes

[Chris21711]

My Daughter's b/f suffers badly with Raynaud's...he gets it in his hands, feet and knees, he has had two operations to stop the pain in his hands, they literally turn blue. He hasn't had great success in finding gloves/mittens to stop the hands from getting cold enough to bother him, so he now buys the "hotpads" or something along those lines from Mark's...they are less than $2 for a pack of ten, the heat lasts a few hours. You can't re-use them, but they are cheap enough to throw away after one wear.

[Macomom]

Hey, my feet freeze in no time at all. I get black spots on them after very very painful tingling and itching.
The blackspots are like deep deep blood blisters. It takes like 2 months for them to grow out, though they are not painful after a couple of weeks.
The Brits call them chillbains. Think I have this syndrome too?

[Melinda]

my fingertips and 3 toes on each foot turn almost an ivory white macomom...pretty well without warning, it also happens in the summer, fall and spring at random times

[mummummum]

And here I thought I was unique

Gloves aren't even on the menu. I wish ~ then I could pick up the u-no-what without taking everything off. I've tried every possible combo of "over-the-counter" gloves and mitts. I wear leather gloves inside my mitts now. But thanks for the suggestion!

Aslan, I think you are talking about neoprene. My only concern about that ~ I have a neoprene face mask ~ is that it's not breathable so if you are exerting yourself/ sweating (exhaling in the case of the mask) in any way, the moisture just collects.

The links look good ~ thanks.

And to all of you listing symptoms ~ sounds like Raynauds.

[Longblades]

I don't have it but I do have skinny, bony hands that get cold easily. I guess none of you knit? Remember when you were little and Mummy knit your mittens and how much warmer they got after you'd made a snowman and they got all wet and shrank and matted up? They won't be waterproof but wool is one of the few fibres that will keep you warm when it is wet. And the matted up stuff is pretty windproof. And wool breathes and wicks.

Failing knitting, what about sewing? Any crafty folks amongst you? Buy pure wool sweaters at your local thrift store, shrink the living daylights out of them with a hot wash, cold rinse, hot dryer and lots of agitation to mat them up. Then cut out the mittens pattern at the link below and make your own. The matting means they won't fray when you cut them and they'll be very warm and they won't shrink much more but will a bit with each wash. If you find some lambswool lightweight sweaters they make excellent liners under the heavier ones. I became completely obsessed with this a few years ago. I intend to make a cover for my wool mittens out of lightweight, waterproof, breathable nylon, like windpant material, using the same pattern.

http://www.earthheartdesigns.com/Pag...wn_mittens.htm
Sewn Mittens:
Cut and Sewn from Shrunken Sweaters free pattern by Rita O'Connell
Earth Heart Designs, http://www.EarthHeartDesigns.com
1990, Revised November 2001
Sewn Mittens © Rita O'Connell 2001

One caution: The lint from the wool is not all that great for your sewing machine, you'll have to clean it out more often. Might not be great for your washing machine hoses either. That's if you get obsessed with it like I did. A few won't hurt.

ETA: I started this when I could not find mitts that matched my new winter coat. I found a lovely sweater vest that did but made the mistake of wearing the resulting mitts to walk the dog. The leash did abrade my nice matching mittens but they were not of particularly good wool. My soon to be finished nylon liners will fix that, I hope.