Outdoor Research Alti Mitt - Men's - 2005

I am the most picky of all of the gear reviewers that you will probably read. If you spend a lot of time in areas of the earth where it is too cold to snow, or any lengthy period of time in places where you dont have rapid access to something to warm yourself, this is absolutely the best set of gloves I have ever worn, in or out of the Army. Whether you spend weeks in the field at Fort Drum (basically Canada) or at altitude in Afghanistan, this is the best you can get. The glove is insulated to the point that it feels instantly warm inside, even after you leave them inside a cold car overnight. the liner is also insulated. The quality of these mitts is superior to that of the alti-glove, as I bought both to compare- see that review seperately. the glove, while reasonably warm, uses gore vs. ventia as the waterproof material, which means the glove cover is nylon, and has a gore membrane underneath that makes wierd noise. beyond that, palm is nylon, not leather- grip is remarkably good in these mitts. I recommend sizing down with these mitts. my hands measure circumference of a large, and the large was too big. I filled a sink with water and put the mitts in, making fists to attempt to get water into the seams- no fabric failures at all- most pleased with these.

My hands tend to get cold, especially when sitting around. I keep these in my pack for those down times and when above treeline in the White Mountains of NH on cold and windy traverses. They are as warm as you would expect for a high altitde mitten. I wear them with a liner, and they are easy to get on/off without pulling the liner out too. Don't expect to do much with your hands while wearing these, other than holding a rope. Even a bit hard to hold ski poles. My hand measurements were right on the edge between large and extra large. Seems a bit big and I wonder if the large would have seemed a bit small. Wish they had one more cinch strap over the top of the hand, but that's just nit picking, because these are warm and well made mittens.

I brought these gloves on an Alaskan Mountain Guides training course in Haines AK. These things were burly for being made of a lightweight shell material and kept my hands toasty in some of the nastiest conditions that I've ever faced. I would recommend integrating a powerstretch glove liner because you are going to have to take these puppies off to do anything requiring dexterity.

Dangerously warm when I try them on in summer heat. Can't wait to use them this winter. I think they're going to be bomb proof.

Exactly what I was looking for - a sleeping bag for the hand. Excellent fit, quality and warmth. Warmest mittens I have owned and very easy on/off. Enjoy the mitten liner also.

If you're going to a big peak, near the poles, or other very cold place, these babies will keep you warm. True to size with a great fit and coverage they keep ther wind and water out as well. The only down side is you do lack some feel, so using an ice ax is a bit tougher, but you can't have everything. If you don't need the absolute ultimate, the Alti Gloves are very warm and will do fine for all but the very worst conditions.