Snow Skills

Old wives’ tales insist that mittens are warmer, but experience has shown otherwise. The rationale that having all four fingers next to eachother generates more heat for all discounts the advantage of having insulation directly surrounding your skin. The further advantage of greater dexterity pretty much ends the debate in my opinion. If you have to frequently take mittens off in cold weather to adjust your snowboard bindings, it’s just practical that gloves are warmer since you don’t have to expose your skin to make those same efforts. For skiing, the form-fitting feature of glove design represents a lower profile of material between your hand and the pole grip than mittens would allow. A firm grip yields a firm pole swing which brings firm turn commitment that will improve your skiing. Whether riding or skiing, gloves are the best way to keep warm and provide dexterity.

Glove design today includes materials that are durable enough to stand up to extended use without failing. Glove design typically includes features such as extended cuffs and barrel locked drawstrings which allow a good seal at the wrist area. Another common feature of glove design includes reinforcement (including kevlar material) at the palm and joint areas to help stand up to daily wear and tear. The outer shell of a glove for skiing and riding in cold temperatures is surely wind-proof and water resistant at the least. Inside the outer shell, most gloves rely on a lightweight fleece layer provides warmth without bulking. A soft material on the thumb or forefinger for wiping your face and nose is also a handy feature. Mountain Hardware makes an excellent glove that can be used for skiing or riding with equal success.