Integral Designs Down Mitts, Field Report

PERSONAL INFORMATION

Name:   Carol Crooker

Age:  44

Gender:  Female

Height:  5 ft 10 in  (178 cm)

Weight:  160 lbs (73 kg)

Hand circumference:  7.75” (19.7 cm)

Hand length:  8” (20.3 cm)

Glove size:  Although my hand measurements indicate I’m between small and medium gloves/mittens, most of my gloves and mittens are large, with a few medium.

Integral Designs Down Mitts size:  large

Email:  cmcrooker at att dot net

City, State:  Phoenix, Arizona

Date:  February 3, 2004

Backpacking background:  For the past 7 years, I've backpacked about 30 days each year.  Most of my trips were three to six days long, and were in Arizona, the High Sierras, Idaho, Oregon, Utah, Pennsylvania and New York.  My three-season base pack weight varies from 12 lbs (5 kg) to 8 lbs (4 kg).  I use a tarp for shelter in all four seasons.

PRODUCT SYNOPSIS

The Integral Designs Down Mitts are simply constructed insulated mittens.  The palms are insulated with Primaloft Sport, the rest of the Down Mitt with down.  The shell is Pertex Endurance which is described on the Pertex hangtag as windproof, extremely water repellent, and very breathable.  There is a bungee with toggle to cinch the wrist opening.  The wrist opening extends along the arm so that it can be cinched over jacket sleeves.  For a more complete description, see my Initial Report.

Manufacturer:  Integral Designs

URL:  www.integraldesigns.com

Year of manufacture:  2003

MSRP:  $50 USD

Listed weight:  3.5 oz (100 g) for size large

Weight as delivered:  4.1 oz (116 g) for size large 

Listed packed size:  3” x 5” (8 cm x 13 cm)

Packed size as delivered:  3.5” x 7” (9 cm x 18 cm)

Weight of stuff sack:  0.4 oz (11 g)

OBSERVATIONS

The Down Mitts are, “Designed to keep your hands warm while standing still in camp…” in accordance with the Integral Designs website.  They did an admirable job of keeping my hands warm.  That could be my only observation from these field tests, but I wanted to see how much else the Down Mitts could do, and my observations follow.

Northern Arizona

The weather was warmer than I expected on my first backpacking trip with the Integral Designs Down Mitts; lows barely got below freezing.  (See the Field Information section below for more information on this trip.)  I was still able to do some testing of the Down Mitts.

They fit nicely over my Windstopper gloves and over the sleeves of my thin down jacket.  The Down Mitts were warm! 

It was fairly easy to get a Down Mitt onto one hand and cinch down the wrist snugger cord.  It was more difficult to get the second Down Mitt on and snug it down.  I could easily grab the end of the snugger cord with my teeth, but I had trouble holding onto the toggle and squeezing it with the Down Mitt on. 

Once I had the Down Mitts on, I lost most of my dexterity.  They are so big and puffy, it was impossible for me to do any tasks requiring fine motor skills.  I was using the Six Moon Designs Moonlite pack with vest harness, which has three smaller torso straps in place of a larger waist belt.  I could put the pack on and clip the buckles, but could not grab the strap ends to pull the straps tight when I was wearing the Down Mitts. 

My hiking poles have a long, simple strap.  I was able to get my Down Mitted hands through the pole straps without much trouble.  I hiked for a short time and, besides being too warm, the Down Mitts felt good while using the poles.

I noticed that the Down Mitts are just the right size to serve as a pot cozy for my Snowpeak 600 titanium pot/cup. 

Northern Arizona, Winter

The weather was much cooler during my second, three-day trip with the Down Mitts.  Evening temperatures were 10 to 20 F (-12 to -7 C), mostly in the lower half of that range.  After I got my tarp set up, I climbed into the sleeping bag to cook dinner.  Once the stove was fired up and the water on to boil, I pulled on the Down Mitts and my cold fingers quickly warmed up. 

I wore wool liner gloves on both hands and usually a mitten on the left hand as I performed camp chores.  I’d stick my right hand into a mitten to warm up in between chores.  The Integral Designs Down Mitt kept slipping off my left hand.  I may not have had it cinched tightly enough.  I had preset the cinch cord and didn’t tighten it during the trip. 

I noticed I spent far more time wearing Windstopper mittens I had along, rather than the Integral Designs Down Mitts.  I could “do” more with them on and they stayed on my hands.  I sacrificed warmth for dexterity in choosing the Windstopper over Integral Designs mittens.  Of course, at the temperatures I was experiencing, I had that choice. 

I believe the next smaller size of Down Mitts would be a better fit for me.  I requested size large and felt they were a perfect fit as I indicated in my Initial Report.  My bare fingertips barely brush the Down Mitts when my fingers are out straight.  With liner gloves on the extra material at my thumb, index finger web moves my gloved fingertips away from the ends of the Down Mitts.  The normal position of my hands when backpacking and in camp is slightly curled, which moves my fingertips further from the ends of the Down Mitts.  My dexterity decreases the further from the ends of the Down Mitts my fingertips are.  I ordered size large Down Mitts to ensure I had room for thick liner gloves even though my hand length indicates a small to medium mitten.  The Integral Designs sizing is such that I didn’t need to “size up” for the Down Mitts to accommodate thick liner gloves.     

What I like so far:

- Very warm!

- Lightweight.

What I don’t like so far:

- It’s difficult to cinch down the wrist opening, particularly when one hand is already mitted.

- The Down Mitts did not stay put on my hands, but slipped down.  This may be partially due to the Down Mitts being a size too large for me.

- Although the Down Mitts are not intended for camp chores; ideally, they would be just as warm as they are now and allow more dexterity.

FIELD INFORMATION

Since my Initial Report, I’ve gone on two backpacking trips with the Down Mitts along.  See below for more detail on those trips.

Northern Arizona

Four-day backpack trip in early December in the Sycamore Canyon Wilderness in northern Arizona.  Elevations from 6600’ (2000 m) to 4,600’ (1400 m).  Temperatures were unseasonably warm, with highs into the low 70’s F (low 20’s C) and lows to just below freezing.

Northern Arizona, Winter

Three-day snowshoe backpack trip in late January on San Francisco Mountain in the Kachina Peaks Wilderness near Flagstaff.  Starting elevation was 8000’ (2400 m) and turn around point elevation at Doyle Saddle was 10,800’ (3300 m).  The terrain was snow covered with day time temperatures up to the 60’s F (16 C) and night time temperatures down to near 0 F (-16 C).

TEST PLAN

I plan another snow camping trip in Arizona in February or March, most likely in the Blue Range Primitive Area in eastern Arizona.  I’ll be going on a four-day snowshoe backpack trip in Montana in late March.  I’ll take the Down Mitts along on these trips.  In particular, I will be noting durability and resistance to moisture and I’ll work more with getting the Down Mitts to stay on my hands better.