What are the warmest mittens? (home, to buy, military)

[ProdigalLobster]

A month ago I was diagnosed with Raynaud's, a condition that affects the circulation... for the most part not really dangerous, just a nuisance of varying degree. My hands get cold *very* easily (& hurt when they do, like an ice cream headache in the fingers, LOL).

I have some pretty decent gloves, but already I can tell they will not be enough for Maine wintertime. Would love some recommendations on extra-toasty mittens, especially with good insulation in the thumb area, since that's the digit that seems to be affected the worst.

I was eyeing the mittens Sarah Palin wore when she was walking around a few weeks ago with Greta Van Susteren... I don't know what they were exactly, but they were huge, Eskimo-looking things (leather?). They looked warm & sorta Northern Exposure-chic.

Oh, & wool doesn't seem to agree with me, unfortunately. Don't know if I'm really 'allergic' to it, but I get very red & itchy, even with really expensive merino stuff. But for some reason, I have a couple pairs of SmartWool socks that are just fine... apparently they do something magical to de-itch the wool. LOL

Suggestions welcome, please! Thanks!

[CoastalMaine]

Well, I was going to tell you the double thickness wool mittens I get from Bean's are the warmest I've ever had. I don't like wool sweaters for just the very reason you said.... too itchy! But their wool mittens don't bother my hands at all. They're wonderful for a cold steering wheel, shoveling, etc.

I saw the mittens Sarah was wearing and said, 'Oh boy!, she's probably just started a mitten trend throughout New England wearing those on tv!!!'

I don't have Raynaud's, but I have no thyroid, so my hands and feet get wicked cold too. But the worst is my left hand, middle and ring fingers. I almost chainsawed them both off a few years ago and even though there's barely any feeling left in them, when I go out into the cold, they feel like they've been in a meat cooler almost instantly. Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!! Ache isn't the right description. Yours was much better!

Good luck!

[Maineah]

There are loads of good mittens out there. I used to buy the LL Bean Rag mittens with the exterior leather outer mitten. Those were pretty good. The best I have found are snowmobiling mittens. They have a thick insulation, long cuff and a waterproof outside covering. When I have my entire snowmobiling outfit on including bib overalls, jacket liner, outer jacket, snowmobile boots and mittens. I can(and have) sit directly in a snowbank at 15 below zero for over an hour and a half without feeling the least bit cold.

[Elcarim]

Maineah, where do you buy your snowmobiling mittens? What brand?

[Bydand]

My DW has Raynaud's also and is one of the reasons we left Aroostook County. It was getting worse as the years of cold went by and her hands were bluish from Oct until May most years and hurt all the time. As a RN she couldn't have that. She found the best thing was a pair of light jersey gloves, then a set of the ragwool mittens from LLBean or Cabelas over them, or a set of their top of the line regular mittens if it was windy. The cotton jersey made it so the Wool wouldn't bother her hands (Also like you the wool bothered her in direct contact.) On very cold days she would also use a pair of my Military Surplus USAF extreme cold weather mitts over the ragwool mittens.
http://store.colemans.com/cart/bmz_cache/c/c6d37c2cbbd178c6247f5d3ab63ad108.image.206x180.gif (broken link) (USAF Flyers )

With that combination she was able to do quite well, but her hands just kept getting colder every year. Another thing that helped warm them up, was a hand spa thing I found that you put on protective liners over your hands like gloves and immerse them in a low temp melt wax substance. The heat was about 120F and would warm her hands up after her drive home in the evenings after work. She would do that just before going out when it was bitter cold (-25F and below) then quick put on her mittens and that way she had a head start on heat loss. Worked wonders for short trips to town so her hands wouldn't be blue and stone cold when she got to work.

Good Luck!

[BacktoNE]

ANother vote for a thin cotton glove and then the double thick wool mittens from Beans. Love them! They are the only thing that keeps my hands warm enough to tolerate a WI winter.

[CoastalMaine]

Prod, if Bean's doesn't have the ragwool mittens we're talking about in their catalog or online, just call them up and ask because they always have them available in the store.

[Elcarim]

I don't know if the 80s there was the same as the 80s here, though I seriously doubt it but does anyone remember the mittens and matching leg warmers? Does anyone wear leg warmers there, other than the silk lj kind?

.....not that my mittens and leg warmers HAVE to be coordinated.....

[RANGER.101ST]

we had a cat named mittens.

[Cornerguy1]

Not in Maine, but it does get chilly here upon occasion......here's another vote for layering with a thing glove and a well insulated mitt.