I’m an avid skier. I ski 20 to 30 days a year (most are half days but I head up to the slopes regularly including many nights for night skiing when it can get wicked cold). The only problem I have when it comes to staying warm is keeping my hands warm.
I’ve bought a lot of different ski gloves and mitts over the years (always buying pretty high-end brands) but until I splurged on the Canada Goose Snow Mantra Mitts nothing kept my hands as warm as I’d like.
Ever since I got my first Canada Goose jacket a few years ago, I’ve been a Canada Goose convert. I’ve since bought a pile of outerwear from them including rain jacket, Brockton parka, hoodies, vest, gloves, beanie and sweater.
Overall, Canada Goose has proven to me that they are justified in charging the money they do charge. It’s not cheap; not even close. It’s ridiculously expensive but if you want the best of the best, CG delivers. That’s been my experience. While I’m sure their pricing does leverage the lauded brand name at this point, you still get superior quality apparel and gear.
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So, how do I like the Canada Goose Snow Mantra Mitts?
I love them… for the most part.
They’re amazing; the best mitts (or gloves) for skiing and cold weather I’ve ever owned but I have one complaint and that is they are not very dextrous. It’s hard to even clench my hands in them which is only an issue for gripping ski poles.
Before the bad, let me discuss the good.
They’re insanely warm
As soon as I opened the package when they arrived I knew these mitts were on another level compared to those I already owned. I knew they’d keep my hands warmer than other gloves. And for that reason alone, I’m thrilled with them.
These are two mitts in one. There’s an inner mitt that inserts into the shell. The inner mitt is soft and provides the warmth. The outer mitt is more of a shell designed to protect against the elements. If not terribly cold or your hands get too hot, you can use the outer mitt only. It has its own liner so that it’s designed to be a stand-alone mitten.
Able to remove the inner glove (have options)
As I mentioned, these mitts are really two pairs of mittens in one. The inner is a thick, soft mitt designed to keep your hands warm. The outer is more of a waterproof shell but has a liner so it can be worn on its own.
Waterproof
The shell portion of the glove is as waterproof as any mitt I’ve ever owned. Check it out:
Rugged
The shell portion is extremely rugged and durable. It’s leather and some form of textured synthetic material that makes for a tough set of layers. The back of the glove (top of the hand) is just waterproof fabric shell.
Very Soft and Comfortable
The inner mitt is like one big down sleeping bag snugly wrapped around your hands and fingers. It really is. It’s entirely designed to keep your hands warm which it does very well. It too could be used as a stand-alone mitt. It has gripping in the palm area but the exterior is not as protective against water as the main mitt exterior.
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I have two mild complaints:
These mitts are as close to perfect as I’ve ever worn or bought but I do have two complaints. Here they are.
1. Not dextrous
When wearing both the outer and inner mitt, I can barely clench my hand into a fist. I think as I work the glove in that it’ll soften up but for now it’s like a new baseball glove. I actually don’t mind because it has many layers and is rugged which are two things I wanted in a mitt. I can’t expect a pliable, thin mitt and stay warm in freezing weather. Something has to give. I merely mention this so if you order your own pair, you won’t be surprised.
2. A tad tight
I know it’s nuts to complain about fit because I could get a larger size but I think I have a legitimate beef and here it is. I buy size large for everything Canada Goose. Large is a perfect fit for every item I’ve bought except the mitts and a hoodie. If I went up a size, I suspect it would be too large. Moreover, I don’t have particularly big hands so I figured large would be a good fit. But the point remains and that is since large consistently was the right size for me, it was disappointing when these mitts felt a tad snug.
I should clarify that I bought pretty much everything online so I didn’t get a chance to try it on.
Are mittens better than gloves for skiing?
It’s a personal preference. I find mittens keep hands warmer so I prefer mittens. However, gloves provide a bit more dexterity so if you don’t suffer from cold hands, gloves are probably best. If my hands didn’t get cold, I’d wear gloves.
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