Gordini Polar Mitt
Cozy warm interior... on still days. Roomy fit allows for bulky liners or chemical warmers. I'd rather have a cheap pair of Kincos than these...
Pros
- Soft and cozy interior
- Durable leather exterior
- "Waterproof" and "Windproof"
- Easy gauntlet cinch
- Wide enough for chemical warmers or bulky liners
Cons
- Finger tips get cold in high winds
- Not quite long enough (see above)
- Not very durable
Overall, this isn't a bad mitten. It's super cozy and soft feeling on bare skin and the gauntlet is easy to cinch down, even when wearing a mitten. I have very long fingers and sized my glove according to finger length, not palm width. The result was a mitten that has a lot of room around the palm; great for wearing bulky liners or popping in a chemical warmer on top of a thin liner. The leather palm and reinforced areas make the mitten appear pretty durable but I've only had it for a few weeks.
One thing I noticed is that my fingers extend pretty far into the mitten. While out strolling on a back country road when the temperature was -1°F but the sun was up, my hands actually started to perspire slightly. However, later that night when the temperature dropped lower and the winds picked up, my finger tips were getting painfully cold. The insulation does overlap well at the tips so, if you have long fingers, your finger tips may get *much* colder then the rest of the hand.
I was comparing these to the OR Alti Glove. The Alti glove was able to keep my entire hand and fingertips warm in the same conditions, while these mittens really only kept my hand warm, not my fingertips. Of course, I was able to get these for about half the price of the Alti gloves, so for they money they are still a good bet.
I have not yet tested them in really wet conditions. Based on my limited experience, I would suggest oiling the leather before taking them out. As supplied from the factory, the leather wicked up moisture much faster than I was expecting. The membrane did its job and kept any moisture from getting through to the insulation, but it made for a heavier mitten. A good waterproofing oil (I like Obenhauf's LP) should take care of it.
Quick sketch to illustrate what I mean regarding insulation...
Note on durability, 1/17/18: Well, I've taken these gloves on a couple of walks and ran my snow blower. I have not used them with trekking poles, ski poles, or any technical tools. I've not used them to balance myself or otherwise support myself on rock, ice, etc. They've had a very easy life so far and already the leather is showing signs of damage. It is very thin... I'm not impressed! Considering how expensive these are and how cold my finger tips get, I'd take a pair of cheap Kincos over these.
Source: bought it new
Price Paid: $59.99 (on sale and new-customer discount)
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Men's | |
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Price |
MSRP: $109.99 Historic Range: $38.99-$79.16 Reviewers Paid: $59.99 |
Women's | |
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Price |
Historic Range: $54.00-$99.95 |