Gloves and Mittens - Ice Raven - Sub Zero Adventure

Gloves and Mittens

Fingers, most of us have got them and they are rather useful so it’s a good idea not to leave any behind on an expedition. As an extremity of our circulatory system they are vulnerable to cold and as they are so useful they tend to be put into very exposed positions.

Gloves are good for keeping them warm, mittens are much better but reduce dexterity somewhat. The reality is that there will always be compromises that need to be made.

What follows here is not the only way to do things nor, I suspect, will everyone agree with all my choices, but these are a few of the solutions that I have found that work for me and depending on the trip, the anticipated conditions and importantly, what I intend to do on the trip, I will pack a combination of these solutions in my luggage and use as need arises.

Leather Gloves - Ice Raven - Sub Zero Adventure - Copyright Gary Waidson, All rights reserved.

For working around the camp on heavier jobs like collecting and processing firewood, a pair of leather gloves is useful. They do not need to be fancy, simple ones from a garden centre will do but they do need some kind of warm lining. These are made for the job and have removable wool liners and I carry spares so they can be exchanged if they get wet.

If you buy unlined gloves, try and get a size that will go over some thin wool or fleece gloves underneath.

Mitten Shells with liners - Ice Raven - Sub Zero Adventure - Copyright Gary Waidson, All rights reserved.

These Austrian Army mitten shells are waterproof and breathable to some extent and large enough to fit over various types of liners.

I have boiled, knitted wool, wool pile and some synthetic insulated ones for very cold conditions.

I consider these my “Mothership” mittens for times when I am not particularly active but just need to stay warm.

I have added a patch of shearling to the backs partly to increase the insulation in that area but mostly for wiping snow from goggles when needed.

As with much of my kit I decided to brighten them up with a bit of decoration too.

Another, very similar pair of military mittens, this time from Germany, has it’s own fibre pile insulation built in.

These are good, and slightly better for dexterity but have the disadvantage is that the lining cannot be removed for drying.

A good solution and somewhat easier to find on the market too.

If I just need a simple pair of mittens, these are great.

Typically, the British Army cold weather Mitten system used to be very poor, I believe this situation has improved since these were issued.

The old British Army Mittens - Ice Raven - Sub Zero Adventure - Copyright Gary Waidson, All rights reserved.

A thin Goretex shell over wool pile liners.

I am so glad I never had to rely on these in bad conditions.

Used together they are ruddy awful but individually the components have their uses.

The Wool pile liners are the same ones that I use in my Austrian mitten shells and also the waxed cotton shells you see below.

The Gortex shell is so loose it will fit over any of my other mittens as an extra weatherproof layer too.

A more “old school” solution is waxed cotton for the shells. Freshly waxed they are not very breathable but “worn in” and probably at the point most people would re-wax them, they are reasonably snow resistant and fairly breathable too. A comfortable solution.

By now you might have noticed that I do like old fashioned, back to basics equipment at times. I’m just that kind of guy. Wool, leather and canvas appeal to me far more than plastic and synthetic materials.

Poly Fleece Gloves and Wrist Warmers - Ice Raven - Sub Zero Adventure - Copyright Gary Waidson, All rights reserved.

One notable exception to that rule is these thin poly fleece gloves, I love them. They are light enough that I can handle my cameras with them on. They are so cheap I can carry a bag of them and swap them if they get wet. Remarkably, they still seem to stay reasonably warm even when they are wet and they fit inside all of my mittens.

I can take my mittens off for a fiddly job and still have these gloves on for protection.

Combined with a pair of wrist warmers like these Swedish Army ones that I have added leather binding to, they keep me comfortable over a wide range of temperatures.

Losing your gloves in a sub zero environment could be a very serious problem.

I nearly always carry spares but the best solution is not to lose them in the first place.

A lanyard attaching them to your wrist works but I find they get in the way flapping about there.

More of a problem is that it is far too easy for them to get filled with snow just waiting for your hand to be plunged into when you put them back on.

If you look at pictures of the old Arctic / Antarctic expeditions you will see many of the men wearing a mitten harness. Mine are based on those but with the addition of an elastic section which takes up the slack and helps stop the strap from getting tangled in things as you work.

They are made just long enough that when I take the gloves or mittens off, I can hook them over each other, behind my back, which keeps then out of the way while I’m working too.

The Ice Raven Project promotes sustainable and low impact bushcraft and wilderness skills in Arctic and winter conditions. This includes the use of tents, tarps and snow shelters where possible. Fires are only used where safe and where use and collection of firewood will not damage the natural environment. We often travel to locations by public transport and then use snowshoes, sleds, toboggans and pulks to transport our equipment into the wilderness.