Climbing Magazine Review of Altitude Vapor Mitts

Are you the type whose fingers turn white whenever temps dip into the low 40s? Or perhaps your upcoming Denali trip is causing you to rethink your handwear? Either way, salvation is here with RBH Designs Altitude Vapor Mitts ($155) - perhaps the warmest mitts made. I recently kept my hands warm at -37 F in northern Alaska and while spending a night on the summit of California's Mount Whitney in 0-degree temperatures. A co-tester took the same pair of mitts to Denali, where he encountered -32 F temperatures. He returned smiling and said it was the only time his hands stayed warm at altitude in sub-zero cold without using a chemical heat pack. The key to the mittens' warmth is the generous Polarguard 3D insulation in the liner mitt and a vapor-barrier lining against the skin. The vapor barrier reduces evaporative heat loss and, along with the waterproof nylon outer shell, helps keep the insulation dry both inside and out. The mitts' seams are not sealed, though, so the mittens can absorb water in wet conditions. Leather palms provide a good grip on ice axes and keep the mittens pliable in even the most bitter cold. But don't expect great dexterity - as with other ultra-warm designs, the RBH mitts have just enough feel for holding an ice axe in the walking and self-arrest positions, but little more. However, if Alaska or the Himalayas are in your future, the RBH mitts are a good insurance policy for your hands.