Originally Posted: January 2022
Updated: March 2024
Black Diamond Mercury Mitts
Outdoor Research Mount Baker Modular Mitts
Zippo HeatBank 9s Handwarmer
Hydro Flask Coffee Vacuum Bottle
Therm-a-Rest Lite Seat Sitting Pad
General Comments
One of my great pleasures in the course of a backcountry ski or snowshoe trip is having a social lunch break—whether at a frozen lake, in a snowy basin, or on a scenic summit. For these occasions, having a few comfort accessories can really make the difference between an enjoyable experience versus an unpleasant experience. This review covers a few such items that accompany me on every winter outing.
…
Affiliate Disclosure: My gear reviews may contain affiliate links, which means that if you purchase something that I’ve linked to, I might get a small commission at no additional cost to you. Be assured, though, that my reviews are unbiased and involve only gear that I (or a mountain partner) have used extensively. For all items, I discuss the cons as well as the pros.
<<< ————– >>>
Gear Review Summaries
Black Diamond Mercury Mitts Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Curved leather palms provide very good grip on ski poles or ice axe.
- Thick inner mitt provides excellent insulation and can be removed for faster drying.
- Taslan nylon outer fabric with leather palm and thumb provides high durability.
- Double pulls on gauntlet cinch allow for one-handed tightening and loosening.
- Well-suited for use with chemical handwarmers.
- Carabiner loop on back of fingers allows mitten to be hung upside-down.
Cons:
- Mittens inherently lack dexterity compared to gloves.
- Numerous seams and lack of seam-sealing greatly reduces waterproofness.
Bottom Line: A high-quality mitten that provides excellent warmth, very good dexterity (for a mitten), and good durability, making it suitable for a wide variety of activities in cold temperatures during dry or damp conditions.
Product Link: Black Diamond Mercury Mitts
Similar Products & Links:
REI Switchback GTX Mittens (an economical mitten with a vinyl palm, Gore-Tex insert, and sewn-in insulated liner; not as warm as Mercury mittens but suitable for general cold-weather use)
…
Outdoor Research Mt. Baker Mitts Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Taslan nylon outer fabric with AlpenGrip palm provides high durability.
- Gore-Tex laminate shell provides top-notch weather protection.
- Thick inner mitt (older version only) provides good insulation and can be removed for faster drying.
- Double pulls on gauntlet cinch allow for one-handed tightening and loosening.
- Curved palms are helpful for grasping ski poles or ice axe.
- Well-suited for use with chemical handwarmers.
- Carabiner loop and wrist leash give two good hanging options.
Cons:
- Mittens inherently lack dexterity compared to gloves.
- Laminated shell fabric is somewhat stiff, which further hinders dexterity.
- Current version has liner gloves rather than liner mittens, therefore sacrificing critical warmth.
Bottom Line: A high-quality Gore-Tex shell mitten that provides unsurpassed wet-weather protection and can be combined with the included liner glove for moderate warmth or with a separate liner mitten for maximum warmth.
Product Link: Outdoor Research Mt. Baker Modular Mitts
Similar Products & Links:
Black Diamond Mercury Mitts (a high-quality mitten consisting of a non-seam-sealed nylon shell with leather palm and removable liner, so provides better dexterity but is not as effectively waterproof as a Mt. Baker mitt).
…
Zippo HeatBank 9s Handwarmer Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Single secure button toggles between three different heat settings.
- Heats up much faster and gets much hotter than chemical handwarmers.
- Ergonomic shape gives good palm coverage.
- Doubles as battery recharger for mobile phones and other USB devices.
Cons:
- Much heavier and bulkier than chemical handwarmers.
- Not suitable for use inside mittens or gloves.
Bottom Line: A great dual-purpose wintertime tool for people who suffer from cold hands.
Product Link: Zippo HeatBank 9s handwarmer
Similar Products & Links:
Zippo HeatBank 9s Plus handwarmer (same as HeatBank 9s but includes two USB ports and an LED flashlight).
…
Hydro Flask Coffee Bottle Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Twist lid seals securely and is well-shaped for drinking.
- Wide mouth makes for easy filling and cleaning.
- Thermal efficiency is adequate for short day trips.
- Available in 12-, 16-, and 20-ounce sizes and numerous fun colors.
Cons:
- Not as thermally efficient as a conventional vacuum bottle, so requires special preparation and handling.
- Four-piece lid design makes cleaning and reassembly a bit tedious.
Bottom Line: A beautifully constructed vacuum bottle that keeps hot drinks adequately hot for winter day trips if pre-heated, filled with boiling water, and kept insulated from cold air.
Product Link: Hydro Flask Coffee bottle with Flex Sip Lid
Similar Products & Links:
Hydro Flask Food Jar (a shorter and wider vacuum container for hot soup)
Klean Kanteen TKWide bottle with Cafe Cap (a quality vacuum bottle with a different sipping lid design that is perhaps slightly more thermally efficient than Hydro Flask but provides essentially same function)
…
Therm-a-Rest Lite Seat Sitting Pad Pros & Cons
Pros:
- 1.5-inch thickness provides high degree of insulation (R=3.2) compared to many other sitting pads.
- Easy to roll around thermal bottles and other objects.
- Bungee cord can be used to secure a roll or attach to an anchor.
Cons:
- Inflatable pads are inherently more delicate than non-inflatable pads.
- Requires a few seconds to inflate and deflate before using or packing.
Bottom Line: Excellent sitting pad for wintertime use on snow but not well-suited for use on bare ground.
Product Link: Therm-a-Rest Lite Seat sitting pad
Similar Products & Links:
REI Co-op Sit Pad (a 1.5-inch-thick inflatable pad that is very similar to Lite Seat)
Therm-a-Rest Z Seat sitting pad (a non-inflatable folding pad that is less insulative than Lite Seat but is more durable and requires less fussing)
…
<<< ————– >>>
…
<<< ————– >>>
Full Gear Reviews
Black Diamond Mercury Mitts Review
I suffer from really cold hands, so a good pair of winter mittens is critical equipment for me. Gloves are fine in milder winter temperatures or when my blood gets flowing during heavy exertion, but gloves don’t cut it when starting out on a frigid morning or departing from a frosty lunch spot. The thermal benefits of a mitten versus a glove are obvious and indisputable: (1) fingers make skin-to-skin contact, thereby sharing heat, and (2) a chemical handwarmer can be placed in the fingertip area, where heat is needed most. This season, I’ve been using Black Diamond Mercury Mitts for most of my ski tours and snowshoe treks, and I can report that they are the warmest handwear I’ve ever worn.
Mercury Mitts consist of a gauntlet-style outer shell and an inner liner that attaches around the cuff with velcro. This allows the liner to be removed for faster drying, which is especially important on multi-day trips. The removable liner utilizes two types of insulation: an outer layer of puffy Primaloft and an inner layer of thick, high-pile fleece. Together, these insulating materials provide a very high level of thermal performance that is probably exceeded only by a true “expedition mitt.” I would classify Mercury Mitts as a super-warm “all-purpose mitt.”
The mitten shell utilizes two different types of nylon fabric for the back and gauntlet, while laminated leather is used for the palm and thumb. These materials are sewn together in a piecemeal fashion with lots of ergonomic curves to enhance dexterity, and the leather provides a very good grip on ski poles and ice axes. Considering how thick and warm these mittens are, I’ve been pleasantly surprised at their dexterity and grip. Unfortunately, the piecemeal construction results in lots of seams, none of which are taped, and this in turn results in a fairly moderate level of water-resistance. I conducted a simple “watertightness test” of both a Mercury Mitt and a Mt. Baker Mitt (reviewed below) by filling each shell with water. The Mercury Mitt leaked water through every seam, whereas the Mt. Baker Mitt leaked not at all.
I am puzzled by the fact that Black Diamond advertises Mercury Mitts as having a proprietary BD-dry waterproof/breathable insert. When I turned the shell inside-out, it immediately became obvious that there is no insert at all. Hmmm. Is the insert actually associated with the liner instead? If so, it means that water would be able to readily seep into the space between the shell and liner. In these situations, I’ve consistently found that the water gets pumped through the insert due to the natural opening and closing of a hand. For me, this condition renders Mercury Mitts poorly suited for full-on wet weather.
Mercury Mitts include several useful details. These include a simple elastic wristband; a carabiner loop that allows the mitts to hang wrist-down so that they don’t fill with rain or snow; a handy pull-to-close and pull-to-open drawstring at the cuff; and a patch of soft fabric over the thumb to serve as a nose wipe. In regards to this last detail, I would say that although I appreciate the effort, the patch is too small to be of great use. However, I have come up with a simple improvement here: How to make an easy nose wipe for gloves and mittens
After a full season of use, Mercury Mitts have become my preferred handwear for cold weather skiing and snowshoeing in dry conditions or marginally wet conditions. Their combination of warmth, dexterity, grip, and durability is excellent. If it’s cold and truly wet, however, I will instead choose a pair of Outdoor Research Mt. Baker Mitts (reviewed below).
.
…
Outdoor Research Mt. Baker Mitts Review
Wet snow, rain/snow mixtures, and even freezing rain are all-too-common winter conditions in the Pacific Northwest mountains, and such harsh weather really taxes the performance of wintertime handwear. Over the past ten years, I have relied on Outdoor Research Mt. Baker Modular Mitts to keep my hands both warm and dry, and they have never let me down. These are called modular mitts because the liner mitten can be easily removed from the outer shell mitten. Being able to remove the liners allows faster drying if they get wet, which is especially important on multi-day trips. The shells can be used alone in mild wet winter weather or can be slipped over a pair of gloves. In addition, the liners can be used alone, although I’ve never had a need to do so.
The outer shell is a gauntlet-style mitten constructed of three-layer Gore-Tex laminated fabric with sealed seams. In my experience, this is the only truly effective way to construct a “waterproof/breathable” mitten or glove, but it is more costly to make and, therefore, not commonly done. Most so-called “waterproof/breathable” mittens and gloves are constructed using a less-expensive membrane insert that “floats” between the shell and liner. I have consistently found this assembly to do a poor job in rainy weather because water readily works through the outer fabric, gets trapped between the outer fabric and insert, then gets pumped through the insert due to the natural opening and closing of a hand. I conducted a simple “watertightness test” of both a Mt. Baker Mitt and a Black Diamond Mercury Mitt (reviewed above) by filling each shell with water. The Mercury Mitt leaked water through every seam, whereas the Mt. Baker Mitt leaked not at all.
In a Mt. Baker Mitt, the Gore-Tex membrane is laminated to tightly woven Taslan nylon, a very durable fabric that resists abrasions and tears. The only downside to this laminated fabric is its stiffness; mittens inherently lack dexterity, and the stiff fabric takes away even a bit more dexterity. To help counteract this stiffness, the shell is boxed and pre-curved. A non-woven textile called AlpenGrip covers the palm to provide extra durability against sharp rocks, ice axe teeth, and other unfriendly objects. All in all, though, Mt. Baker Mitts get a low score for dexterity and grip.
Mt. Baker Mitts include several useful details. These include a cinch strap on the wrist; a carabiner loop that allows the mitts to hang wrist-down so that they don’t fill with rain or snow; a handy pull-to-close and pull-to-open drawstring at the cuff; and a wrist leash for use in a strong wind or on a chair lift. One detail not included is a patch of soft fabric over the thumb to serve as a nose wipe; perhaps because these mittens are strictly business, such a detail would be viewed as…well…frivolous. Nonetheless, the Taslan shell fabric is not very nose-friendly, so I have come up with a reasonable solution here: How to make an easy nose wipe for gloves and mittens
My older-model (2018-ish) Mt. Baker Mitts came with a well-insulated liner mitten that utilizes a combination of fleece and synthetic fill. As I previously mentioned, the thermal benefits of a mitten versus a glove are obvious and indisputable: (1) fingers make skin-to-skin contact, thereby sharing heat, and (2) a chemical handwarmer can be placed in the fingertip area, where heat is needed most. Sadly—and inexplicably—current versions of the Mt. Baker mitts come with glove liners rather than mitten liners. This gives users the worst of both worlds: you get the poor dexterity of a mitten and the poor thermal efficiency of a glove. Go figure.
Although Black Diamond Mercury Mitts (reviewed above) have become my preferred handwear for cold weather skiing and snowshoeing in dry conditions or marginally wet conditions, I will always choose my well-used Mt. Baker Mitts when the weather is cold and really wet. They offer a combination of versatility, durability, warmth, and wet-weather protection that I have not found in any other mitten. The newer models still have an excellent waterproof/breathable shell mitten, even if the glove-style liner defeats the purpose of a mitten. What to do? If I were in need of new mittens right now, I would buy the Mt. Baker Mitts, discard the liner gloves, and then buy a separate pair of liner mittens.
.
…
Zippo HeatBank 9s Handwarmer Review
When my hands get really cold, I have a difficult time re-warming them. Mittens alone don’t do the job, and even chemical handwarmers aren’t adequate because they don’t heat up very quickly and don’t get very hot. For these situations, the Zippo HeatBank 9s electric handwarmer has been a blessing. In fact, I own two of them—one for each hand.
The HeatBank 9s runs on a 5200-mAh USB-rechargeable lithium-ion battery. It heats up within seconds and offers three different temperature settings. I find that the highest setting, which is rated at 120 degrees F, is very warm—almost hot—and can re-warm my frigid hands in short order. The curved shape is very ergonomic, such that I can hold it in my fist and get lots of skin contact. Because the units are most effective when insulated from outside air, I keep one in each pocket of my mountain coat.
The HeatBank 9s turns on and off by holding down a small, recessed button for about 3 seconds. This control system makes it nearly impossible to turn on accidentally in, say, a backpack. Repeatedly pushing the button toggles the unit through three different one-side and two-side heat settings, and a trio of lights indicates the remaining battery charge. Zippo claims a 9-hour battery life at the lowest heat setting. Although I haven’t verified this, I have found that a full charge will easily last me through several day trips when using it on the highest setting during long lunch breaks.
A valuable feature of the HeatBank 9s is that it has a USB output port, which means the unit can be used to recharge cell phones, headlamps, avalanche beacons, and any other device with a rechargeable battery. The 5200-mAh output will completely recharge my cell phone with power to spare. In my mind, this feature justifies the weight (5.5 ounces) and size (4.9 inches x 2.4 inches) of the unit because it eliminates the need to carry a separate battery charger on most of my trips.
Another nice feature is the lanyard hole, which allows you to carry the unit over your neck and use it as a torso warmer. The unit even comes with a small black lanyard, but I prefer to make my own using a longer orange cord. This orange lanyard functions the same way but is more visible when the unit is buried in a backpack or, more importantly, if dropped in powder snow.
Zippo also makes an upgraded version called the HeatBank 9s Plus. It has the same dimensions and the same 5200-mAh lithium-ion battery and other features of the HeatBank 9s but includes two USB output ports and a small LED flashlight.
…
Hydro Flask Coffee Bottle Review
Having a hot drink of coffee, cocoa, or tea for lunch is very uplifting on a cold winter day, so I nearly always carry a vacuum-type thermal bottle on my backcountry skiing and snowshoeing trips. For the past five years, I have been using a Hydro Flask “Coffee” bottle. Hydro Flask makes this Coffee bottle in three different sizes (12, 16, and 20 ounces) and a handful of fun colors, all with a pleasingly textured exterior. I was drawn to a 20-ounce bottle in a cheery orange color.
At first glance, I could see that the Coffee bottle is a high-quality item. It has a nice shape and feel, and the wide mouth makes the bottle easy to fill and easy to clean. In the course of wintertime use, however, I was disappointed with the thermal performance. Hydro Flask claims that it keeps hot drinks piping hot for up to 12 hours, but I consistently found that my hot drink was barely more than lukewarm by lunchtime—even though the bottle had been buried in my backpack the whole time. More on this topic later.
My bottle came with a flip-top coffee lid that was easy to use but not very secure; it accidentally popped open two or three times in my backpack. I also sensed that the lid was not very well insulated and might be part of the heat-loss problem. Perhaps in response to numerous complaints, Hydro Flask subsequently developed a Wide Mouth Flex Sip Lid as an accessory item for their Coffee bottle. I purchased this new lid two years ago and have been much happier with it. The Flex Sip Lid is now included with all Coffee bottles and has several advantages: it twists closed, twists open, seals securely, is better insulated, and is nicely shaped for drinking. The loop handle is also quite handy. The only downside is that the four-piece design makes lid cleaning and reassembly a bit tedious, but I accept this minor negative in exchange for all the positives.
Thermal bottles such as Hydro Flask can be used for either hot or cold liquids, so they are popular for both winter and summer use. However, the associated thermal demands for these two uses are very different; keeping a cold liquid cold is relatively easy, whereas keeping a hot liquid hot is relatively difficult. Why? It’s a simple matter of thermal gradients, or in other words, the temperature differential between the internal liquid and the ambient temperature. For illustration purposes, imagine a bottle of 32-degree ice-water sitting outside on a 90-degree summer day; the temperature differential is 58 degrees. In contrast, imagine a bottle of 200-degree just-boiled water sitting outside on a 20-degree winter day; the temperature differential is 180 degrees—three times greater than the summer situation. Obviously, the hot liquid will cool off much faster than the cold liquid will warm up.
In side-by-side comparisons, I consistently found that my Hydro Flask bottle was not as thermally efficient as a conventional vacuum bottle. Yet, my Hydro Flask possessed other benefits, such as a sipping lid; drinking out of my conventional bottle required me to pour the beverage into a separate cup. And there was that irresistible cheery orange color! So, the question then became, “Is it efficient enough?” The answer is “yes” as long as I strictly follow my hot-beverage protocol. How to improve the thermal efficiency of a vacuum-insulated beverage bottle
…
Therm-a-Rest Lite Seat Sitting Pad Review
During a long, social, wintertime lunch, nobody likes to sit directly on the snow. Many skiers and snowshoers will on their backpacks, but I prefer to use a dedicated sitting pad so that I have full access to my backpack. I’ve been using a Therm-a-Rest Lite Seat pad for the past ten years and wouldn’t leave home without it. The current model is pretty much identical my old model except for a built-in bungee cord that can be used to secure it in a roll or clip it to a backpack on a windy summit.
The Lite Seat is basically a small (13-inch x 16-inch) version of Therm-a-Rest’s venerable ProLite inflatable sleeping pad, which consists of 1.5-inch-thick open-cell foam sandwiched between two layers of nylon fabric. This construction provides a higher degree of insulation (R=3.2) than many other sitting pads, which means that I never feel any cold seep through during the course of a lunch. If I ever need to use it during an unplanned bivouac, I will really appreciate this insulative value!
Given the sitting pad’s small size, it self-inflates in less than 2 minutes, or it can be inflated in mere seconds with just a few puffs of breath. It also deflates almost instantly by rolling into a small cylinder. This might seem a bit fussy to some users, but the “hassle factor” is sufficiently low that I never hesitate to deploy it for a lunch break. A rolled up sitting pad also has other uses, such as wrapping around a vacuum bottle for extra insulation or around a broken arm for splinting duty.
If there is a true downside to the Lite Seat sitting pad, it is the inherently delicate nature of any inflatable pad. You do not want to use it on sharp rocks or near sharp sticks, lest you puncture the exterior fabric (fortunately, a field repair kit is included with every pad, so that you can patch a small hole). For this reason, I regard the Lite Seat as an excellent wintertime-only sitting pad; in the summertime, I always use a closed-cell foam pad that can handle more abuse.
…
<<< ————– >>>
Return to Gear Reviews homepage
Return to Gear Reviews, Packing Lists & Trailcat Tips homepage