Mittens vs. Gloves—Which is Warmer?

There's a heated debate among those who spend time outdoors about which is better at keeping them warm—mittens or gloves. We're not going to settle the debate today, but we want to share with you the findings from our casual research.

A quick poll of the Internet finds MITTENS warmer than gloves. Why? It's simple science.

Mittens keep your hands warmer because they allow your fingers to huddle together inside the protective layers of fiber—wool and fleece, in our case. This togetherness produces greater heat than each digit can produce on its own.

While it would seem that fingers would stay warmer when each digit is encased in protective fiber, the opposite is actually true. The trapped heat generated by the fingers inside a mitten serves to keep the entire hand warmer.

Hands lose heat through convection, which simply means the movement of air over them. (Circulating warm air has just the opposite effect in your convection oven.) When you place mittens over them, the air has to pass through the barrier created by it in order to get to the fingers. Wool is known to be an excellent insulator, which also helps keep the warmth your fingers are generating trapped, where it can help you most.

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Obviously we're big advocates of wool MITTENS*, and we happen to have a fantastic selection for you to choose from!! Don't wait . . . your fingers will thank you.

*As you shop, remember that we are the only artisan mitten business that offers mitts in three sizes. You can find a sizing chart HERE.