The Heli-Mitt by Hestra is complete with a goatskin palm, three-layer polyamide shell, and a removable liner. In addition to exceptional warmth and comfort, this glove is incredibly versatile and a perfect option for the resort skier or backcountry explorer.
Performance Comparison
This mitt is warmth, versatile, and soft to the touch. It has a long legacy of excellent durability and craftsmanship, with a lifetime warranty to back it up.
Warmth & Breathability
We assumed going into our tests that mittens would score higher in warmth than most gloves, but this contender really surpassed our expectations. The Fiberfill insulation feels really nice on your fingers and does an amazing job with thermoregulation. The one-pull tightening and release system at the hem of the mitten retains warmth when it gets really cold outside (like -40F cold).
The removable liners of the Hestra Heli Mitt are soft and warm. Our tester has notoriously cold hands, and this is one of the only mittens able to keep her hands cozy and warm all day long while skiing multiple laps at the resort.
Furthermore, the cinch strap around the wrist provides another point to regulate heat again. When performing tests where we had to put our frozen hands into a glove or mitt to see which one warmed up the quickest, the Hestras came out on top. If you find the liners aren't enough for you, add another thin-wicking liner, or switch it out for a different liner that keeps your hands nice and warm. One of the best upsides of this glove!
On this warm day we took off the shells to increase breathability and wore just the liner. This is a huge plus with this glove. Alternatively, if its a little wet outside, you can simply take the liners out from the shells, and just wear the shells.
If you don't want a mitten as warm as the Hestra Heli Mitt, but want something with similar performance, check out the Hestra Heli Three-Finger Glove.
Water Resistance
Make sure to treat Hestra products with a leather treatment to retain water resistance. Hestra makes it easy as they send a small sample to you with any purchase.
If you're living in a dry climate, the Heli Mitt is a must-have piece of gear. Featuring Hestra's Triton 3-layer polyamide fabric, we experienced little to no water permeation while skiing in the mountains. It comes with reinforced soft cowhide leather palm, which doesn't allow water to pass through the material, nor does it get "swampy" after continual use. Even after multiple exposures to water, the leather has not cracked or sliced away (with proper treatment). In addition, the polyester liner wicks away moisture well. If you accidentally get your hands wet and need to slide your hand back inside, it does not stick to the liner but easily goes back in.
The fabric provides decent water resistance, but during our dunk tests we learned that this mitten does leak at the seams.
Even though this glove is great for dry climates, we wouldn't recommend it for places that are wet all the time. During our dunk tests, we were a little surprised to learn that after just 15 squeezes underwater, this mitt began to leak at the seams by the tips of the fingers. By the one-hundredth squeeze, the mitts were completely soaked inside and took a while to dry out. In addition, on wet days in the mountains, we noticed the mitts becoming a little bit saturated, but not so bad that we lost warmth. On dry days, it was just fine. We had the exact same results for the Hestra Heli Three-Finger gloves.
The mitt on the right was worn throughout the day while the mitt on the left was not. It absorbed a little water, but we never felt anything get down to the liner over a seven-hour ski session. What does this mean? Waterproof!
Dexterity
During our testing, we found that when a glove excels in one area, it tends to lack in another. For the Heli Mitt, dexterity is not its strong suit. As with all mittens, when the liner and shell are together, you don't have any individual digits available to zip zippers or tie shoes.
When removing the liners from the shell, we were able to grab the skins and pull them off without a problem. No liners = more dexterity = more versatility. Win!
In comparison to other mittens, we really like how the thinner leather provided better dexterity than mittens that are thicker. When we took out the liner and used just the shell of this mitt, we found that it performed well. We were able to zip up our jacket, pull off climbing skin, and even tie a shoelace. However, if you're looking for a glove that performs just as highly as the Heli Mitt does, but has better dexterity (when fully intact), the Hestra Three-Finger is the way to go. Its liner allows the use of individual digits, while the shell keeps fingers warmer than most gloves. We used it while skiing laps on the resort and while exploring the backcountry, and it did just fine.
Hestra has an outstanding fit system that utilizes a different sizing technique than other companies. Simply measure your hand and get the size that fits you perfectly. Leave behind the process of wondering if you are a small or medium or large.
Features
This product has the features that you really need, whether you're sitting on lift chairs, battling deep powder, or heading out on a long adventure tour. The long cuff design features a one pull hem cinch and release which keeps snow out on deep, deep powder days.
The Hestras come with features like a one-pull tightening system, removable wrist straps, and wrist adjustment. Not only that, but is has a long gauntlet that fits over your jacket comfortably to keep snow out.
The removable wrist straps are helpful for those worried about losing gloves on the chairlift.
Here the Hestra Heli Mitt is pictured with a detached leash.
One of our very favorite features of the Heli Mitt — and something that only the Hestra Three Finger offers as well — the versatility of the liners. Add them in, switch them out, or take them out completely. The mitt allows enough room for you to choose a warmer or cooler liner, giving you autonomy in how you regulate your own body heat on the slopes. If you're looking to hike uphill, take out the inserts, and just wear the shell. If you want a liner that allows you to stay warmer, switch it out altogether. You can even wear a thin glove liner underneath both the mitten liner and shell to accommodate a more dexterous experience in the hills.
One of the standout features of the Heli Mitts is that you can take out its liner, add your own, just use it as a shell, or just use the liner independently. Being able to manually regulate your body temperature makes this perfect for backcountry skiing and resort riding.
Durability and Construction
Like any product made with leather, the Hestra model definitely needs special treatment to maintain its waterproofing. The author is a long-time Hestra owner and knows that these mittens and gloves need to be sealed one to two times a season to maintain top performance. Since she first purchased a pair of Hestra mitts five years ago, she has noticed only simple abrasion, but no cracking of the leather, or unraveling of the seams. What's super surprising is the liner is still warm and hasn't packed out, even with regular washing.
This is the way the Hestras looked after intensive use. There is no sign of wear and tear and the liner looks like new! The goatskin leather is highly durable and will last for years with proper treatment.
During our two-month testing period for this review, we did not notice any wear and tear - even after exposing these mitts to the elements The stitching is bomber, the materials are high quality, and you can expect to use them for many, many years. The same is true for the Hestra Heli Three-Finger glove.
Best Applications
The Heli Mitt has many applications, including just about anything that involves cold, dry weather. Whether you're jumping out the helicopter to get your next freshie or shoveling snow when it's - 20F outside, they will keep you warm. The only places we would avoid using them is while ski mountaineering, as they don't provide great dexterity. Other than that, this is still our favorite mitt for riding the lifts at the resort and getting out into the backcountry.
Amber, the author, shredding it down Sheep Chute while testing the Heli Mitt. This mitt is incredibly versatile, allowing great warmth, thermoregulation, and protection to keep you playing all day.
Value
At a price of $145, this highly durable and warm mitten is more than worth it! If you get cold hands in the winter and want something warm, stylish, and durable, the Heli Mitt is one of your best options. Overall, the Outdoor Research Alti Mitt is better, but it also costs significantly more.
Conclusion
This dreamy and adorable mitten is one of our favorite mitts. It features a wonderful balance of warmth, thermoregulation, versatility, and quality. The price is just right, and we know it will be accompanying us on many snowy adventures to come. It's just not our favorite for wet winter recreating.
Amber rides the ski lifts in Telluride, testing the warmth and breathability of the Hestra Heli Mitt.
