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Field
Report
Product Name:
Integral Designs
Down Mitts
Personal Biographical
Information:
- Name:
John (Jack) Corrigan
-
Age: 40 years old
- Gender:
Male
- Height:
5 feet 10 inches (1.8 meters)
- Weight:
175 pounds (79 kilograms)
- Torso:
20 inches (51 centimeters)
- Shoe Size:
9.5 Mens
- Email:
jack@jackquest.com
- Region:
Fredericksburg, Virginia (Spotsylvania
County)
- Report
Date: 3FEB2004
-
Background:
- I have always
been one to do the outdoor thing as compared to the organized
sport thing. It started as a youngster in the Boy Scouts and
continues today as an adult. The majority of my experience has
been in Pennsylvania but I have hiked, camped or paddled in New
York, California and even Alaska. I am also currently a volunteer
search and rescue canine handler. Although search and rescue
doesn't always result in an overnight or multi-day trip, I am
required to be prepared, equipped and trained for it. Training a
search dog results in many hours of trekking through the
outdoors.
My
"style" is best described as recreational camping,
mid-weight backpacking (2-3 day treks), day hiking, flat water
paddling, hunting and canine search and rescue activities. My
last extended (more than 1 week) outing was the summer of 2001,
as a volunteer for the Armed Forces Eco-Challenge in interior
Alaska. I also include two of my four dogs in most of my outdoor
activities.
Product
Information:
- Manufactured
By: Integral Designs
- Manufactured
Date: 2003
- Manufacturer
URL: http://www.integraldesigns.com
- Listed
Weight:
Product Catalog- 3.2 ounces (90 grams)
Product Web Page- 3.2 ounces (90 grams)
- Delivered
Weight: 4 ounces (113
grams)
- Note: Weighed on a digital 0-25
pound postal scale.
Additional Product
Information:
- Color:
Red
- Size:
Medium
- Listed Packed
Size:
Product Catalog- 3 by 5 inch (no metric size listed)
Product Web Page- 3 by 5 inch (no metric size listed)
- Delivered Packed
Size: 3.5 by 6.5 inch (9 by 17
centimeter) Silcoat Stuff Sack
- MSRP:
$50.00 US Dollars
Field
Information:
-
Location:
-
Field testing
locations were in northern Virginia and northeastern
Pennsylvania.
- Description of
Location:
-
The terrain for
these field testing locations was lightly forested regions in
mountain "elevations" of 200 to 1500 feet (60 to 460
meters).
- Weather
Conditions:
-
This field test
period was conducted from approximately November through
January.
Conditions were
varied and included clear crisp evenings, rain and snow. The
"warmest" temperature was 35°F (2°C)
while the "coldest" was around 10°F
(-12°C).
- Product
Experience:
-
The
Integral Designs Down Mitts were used for "at rest" warming after various levels of activity. During the test period, I have not experienced any material failure and I have not had to wash the Down Mitts. These down mittens, even after being stored in their stuff sack for the entire test period (when not worn of course) still fluff right up.
It wasn't until this test that I really paid attention as to when my hands got cold and needed to be covered. It appears that as long as they were dry, temperatures had to approach the freezing mark before I felt the need to put the mittens on. Once on, it would only take a minute or two to bring back that warming feeling! That is when temperatures were above 25°F (-4°C). It took a several minutes longer in colder temperatures.
While wearing the Down Mitts, I found it difficult to operate/push buttons on a FRS radio or hand-held GPS receiver. Several times I would push the wrong button or try to push more than one at a time. I usually just ended up slipping the mitten off, did what I had to do, and put the mitten back on. Use has been limited to basic grasping tasks like holding a flashlight or map.
Even though these mittens do perform their main function of warming cold hands, I'm still undecided if they are a "need-to-have" or a "nice-to-have" item. The next to nothing weight and ease of stowage whether in the stuff sack, stuffed in a cargo pant or jacket pocket still makes the choice to carry them an easy one.
TEAM
JackQuest
http://www.jackquest.com
Read more reviews of Integral Designs gear
Read more gear reviews by John Corrigan
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