Black Diamond Mercury Mitts Cold Weather Mittens

Original REVIEW 2021/12/22BLACK DIAMOND MITTEN REVIEW, ONE STAR FOR TWO REASONS:1. TOO SMALL FOR XL: fit uncomfortably snug.2. LINER NOT A MITTEN: Defeats the whole idea of mitten design; liner has separated index finger which is very uncomfortable causing a sore spot to form between fingers; there was no indication of this inferior design tradeoff in the images of the product description (NOT LIKE THE PICTURE!); I suspect that the manufacturer did this to be cheap and only need to inventory one liner for two shell designs.Come to think of it all of the above is simply the manufacture being ‘CHEAP’. Likely I will never buy their products again. I think I’ll order from Hestra per one of the reviewers suggestions I read.UPDATE 2021/01/06I'm signed up to ski Taos with a season pass this winter and I need a warm backup to keep in my pack and on very cold days. Therefore, after sitting on the fence and reviewing all the other options I've decided to keep these. After toying with these I found one can fit all four fingers in the space below the index finger quite easily. Also, I have read some more reviews and have found that these likely are the warmest options currently available. I'll give them a try and am heading up as soon a the next storm blows through for a couple weeks. Hopefully Kachina will be opened more often than every other day.UPDATE 2021/02/01 UPGRADED TO 4 STARSSkied in weather between -8F to 20F for a few days. These were quite adequate. The review about their warmth is indeed quite correct. Also, it is possible to fit all four fingers in the lower part if the index gets cold while handling logistics. However, still only 4 out of 5 stars because I think these at this price point should have a safety strap like the Hestra gloves so as to not inadvertently drop from the lift.UPDATE 2021/0515 (upgrade to 5 stars)Put another week on them. They are WARM. Perhaps too warm at temps above 25F. But for most very cold days they are have been simply wonderful.

I bought these for an upcoming ski trip to Colorado in February, so I can't revue the effectiveness of the insulation. My fingers do get numb, even at 40 degrees, so I hope they work! But I can say that my hand measurement was at the top end of small and the bottom end of medium, so I ordered the medium and they are exactly right. So if unsure, order the larger size (I guess the Chinese have smaller hands?). They appear to be very well made. It is very hard to pull the draw cord to tighten the gauntlet; I'm afraid I'll break it by forcing the adjustment. Maybe this will get better with use.Update: I wore these on a ski trip to Vail and Breckenridge, Colorado in February, when the temperature hovered around 15 degrees on the slopes. I was pleased to find they kept my hands very comfortable, except for once when my hands were cold before putting them in the mitt. Then I had to make a fist inside the mitt to get them warm, something you can't do with a glove. Lack of dexterity was no problem, since all I had to handle was the ski poles. The draw cord still doesn't help, but it was not needed. Overall, very satisfied with these mitts.

I was surprised to learn that my fingers were just as cold wearing gloves.

I have poor circulation in my hands, and they're often cold to the touch indoors.When I shovel snow during the Ann Arbor winter, temps drop below zero every year -- and I can't feel my hands for half an hour or longer.I've tried cheap gloves, even $50 "waterproof" ones that seemed well-reviewed.But nothing was quite warm enough. Every time, my fingertips would freeze, and eventually, the rest of my hand would follow.After a bunch of research, including studying all the reviews at OutdoorGearLab, I decided on mittens. And these were among the best-rated everywhere (higher-rated models cost ~$80-200 more -- overkill for my use).These have a greater range of motion than you'd expect... but of course, they're worthless for detail work or manipulating small objects.More importantly, I've worn them in a -10F windchill snowstorm, and my fingers were TOASTY! There's a ton of Primaloft insulation in each mitten, and it makes all the difference.Yes, these gloves cost more than average ones.But they're incredible because they keep even MY hands and fingers warm.They're rugged.And -- although I've only used them this winter -- it's clear they're built to last.Which means they're an investment that'll pay off for years and years.

I used these BD Mercury mittens while downhill skiing in 10 degree weather. Just the mittens over bare hands was enough! I usually have those disposable hand warmers in my old mittens on a 10 degree day. I felt absolutely no wind against my hands even while skiing. This is a first for me as all the other "windproof" gloves/mittens I've had always fell short. I don't understand the ad copy "the most popular choice for year-round use." Year-round? Maybe they'd be good for swimming? Or golf? I wouldn't want to have these on in temps over 30, let alone the Summer. Comedy aside, these are the best hand apparel I have yet to use. I have a pair of all leather ski racing gloves that the Mercury's will replace on days under 32 degrees. The only con for me is there is no wrist leash; of which I find invaluable while working on the slopes when I need bare hands.