REI Co-op Guide Insulated Mittens Review

Our favorite aspect of the REI Guide is that it comes in well below many of its competitors price-wise. This mitten is a step above the basic work gloves many of us continue to use for day-to-day heavy use, and the increase in warmth is worth the small increase in price.

Performance Comparison

A utilitarian and basic mitten, just a step above a basic work glove.

Credit: Jeff Dobronyi

Warmth

While this mitten does not feature very heavy insulation, a large degree of warmth comes from the fact that is a mitten. The REI Guide does a good job of circulating existing heat from hands inside the mitten. We did like the pile lining on the inside of this mitt. We found that the pile helped to wick moisture away from hands and keep them both dry and warm. On very cold days, however, we did still find ourselves balling our hands into fists inside these mittens to warm up fingers on the chairlift.

Soft pile insulation helps to warm up cold hands and the air around them.

Credit: Jeff Dobronyi

Water Resistance

The overall water resistance of the REI Guide Mitten comes from an included water-resistant treatment that must be applied to the leather. Without this treatment, we found that water seeps into the seems of this mitten. This also begins to happen as the treatment wears off and is due to be reapplied. This mitten requires more maintenance than most other mittens we have tested.

Leather's water resistance is best right after a conditioning treatment.

Credit: Jackie Kearney

Dexterity

We found that we had a fairly good ability to adjust gear, zip zippers, and handle ropes with the Guide Mitten compared to other mittens. The nature of having four fingers in one pocket still hinders dexterity compared to gloves, of course. The lack of heavy insulation, however, allows for some individual motion and use of fingers.

The thin insulation of these mittens makes them surprisingly dexterous for a full mitt design.

Credit: Jeff Dobronyi

Durability

We believe the durability of the Guide Mitten is just so-so, and largely dependent on the maintenance of the leather. The fabric construction of the mitten in the woven cuff and wrist backer is susceptible to tearing and catching.

The double-stitched goat leather construction of the main body of the mitten appears solid. The supple nature of the goat leather leads us to believe that it may begin to wear thin in the highest use areas. This being said, a major factor in the health of the leather is protecting it from moisture, and diligent water-resistance treatment will significantly improve the durability of this product.

Double stitched pads in high use areas increase durability, but we have concerns about the soft leather wearing through at the edges over time.

Credit: Jeff Dobronyi

Features

The work-style Guide Mitten is relatively sparse on features. It does feature a suede textured nose wipe, which should not be underrated. This being said, we do wish these mitts had at least a leash, as we do find ourselves taking mittens off more often than gloves due to decreased dexterity.

These mittens have minimal features, sparsely utilitarian in style.

Credit: Jeff Dobronyi

Value

These mittens are a great consideration for the wallet-savvy skier. Spending just a little more than you would on a hardware store pair of gloves will get you significantly warmer and hardier mittens. Moreover, if you want a pair of general use winter mittens that might occasionally see some ski use, these mittens are ideal and well-priced for that functionality.

Conclusion

The REI Co-op Guide Mitten is a bare-bones option for the mitten minimalist and bargain shopper alike. If you are someone who ruins gloves or mittens quickly and regularly and doesn't want to spend a lot on a sturdy option, this is a great option that is not precious.

The REI Guide Mitten is a utilitarian mitt for those who don't want to break the bank on this piece of gear.

Credit: Jeff Dobronyi