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FlyLow Oven Mitt Review

A tough, trendy, and affordable choice for resort or backcountry skiing.
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Price:  $50 List | $25.18 at Amazon
Compare prices at 3 resellers
Pros:  Tough, waterproof, warm, dexterous for a mitt
Cons:  Sweats out easily, must apply Sno-Seal often to avoid soaking up water
Manufacturer:   Flylow
By Travis Poulin ⋅ Review Editor  ⋅  Jan 17, 2020
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51
OVERALL
SCORE

RANKED
#17 of 19
  • Warmth - 25% 7
  • Dexterity - 25% 4
  • Water Resistance - 25% 4
  • Durability - 15% 7
  • Features - 10% 3

Our Verdict

The FlyLow Oven Mitts are not only trendy but handy. For a mitten, they surprisingly exceeded in several dexterity tests including knot tieing. They are also very warm and do well in windy conditions. They do come coated in Sno-Seal but persistent reapplication is necessary as the leather drys out. These are not great for warm days as they sweat out easily but for those with cold hands, they are a great pricepoint option. For their price, the Oven Mittens are well-rounded. They work best in the backcountry if you carry a liner glove because once your hands warm up in these there is no cooling back down without removing the mittens. The name "oven" is in the name for a reason but they find their place in cold temperatures.


Compare to Similar Products

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This Product
FlyLow Oven Mitt
Awards  Editors' Choice Award Top Pick Award Top Pick Award  
Price $25.18 at Amazon
Compare at 3 sellers		$199.00 at REI
Compare at 3 sellers		$424.95 at Backcountry
Compare at 2 sellers		$169.95 at REI
Compare at 3 sellers		$189.95 at Backcountry
Compare at 2 sellers
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Pros Tough, waterproof, warm, dexterous for a mittVersatility, durable palm, lightweight and packable, dexterous, ergonomic shape, freedom of movementGreat fit and dexterity, weather resistant, electrical heat works, great glove even when turned offSuper warm, extremely tough, great weather resistance, removable liners help them dry quicker, our go-to expedition gloveDexterous for its warmth, inside feels soft and cozy, durable, above average weather resistance
Cons Sweats out easily, must apply Sno-Seal often to avoid soaking up waterLong gauntlet tricky to get under jacket, gauntlet can slowly open, expensiveDoesn't get as warm as other heated gloves, expensiveNot very dexterous, take time to break in, if in between sizes you should consider sizing upExpensive, leather needs to be retreated slightly more than other models
Bottom Line Functional for in the backcountry or at the resort, but have a relatively small temperature range.Top-tier performance, coupled with exceptional versatility across a wide range of conditions. Best in Class.Well-built ski gloves that perform even when the heat is turned off.If rugged capabilities and warmth top your list of importance, think about investing in the Guide.Expensive but durable, this leather all-arounder is cozy and provides sound weather resistance.
Rating Categories FlyLow Oven Mitt Arc'teryx Fission SV Hestra Power Heater Glove Black Diamond Guide Hestra Army Leather Gore-Tex
Warmth (25%)
10
0
7
10
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6
10
0
8
10
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8
10
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6
Dexterity (25%)
10
0
4
10
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9
10
0
8
10
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4
10
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6
Water Resistance (25%)
10
0
4
10
0
9
10
0
8
10
0
9
10
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9
Durability (15%)
10
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7
10
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9
10
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10
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9
10
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9
Features (10%)
10
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3
10
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7
10
0
6
10
0
9
10
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8
Specs FlyLow Oven Mitt Arc'teryx Fission SV Hestra Power... Black Diamond Guide Hestra Army...
Double or Single Glove Single Single Single Double Single
Gaunlet or Cuff? Cuff Gauntlet Hybrid Gauntlet Gauntlet
Palm Material Pigskin leather Leather Goat leather Goat leather Army Leather (goat leather)
Waterproof Material SnoSeal beeswax Gore-Tex CZone Gore-Tex insert HESTRA Triton three-layer polyamide fabric, leather
Insulation Type Spaceloft Micropuff 133g Primaloft Gold Eco and 200g Primaloft Silver Eco Fiberfill polyester 170g PrimaLoft Gold and 100g boiled wool fleece lining Fiberfill polyester
Nose Wipe? No Yes No Yes No

Our Analysis and Test Results

The Oven Mitts are one of the more simple product designs we tested, but they hold up well for their price. The Primaloft insulation works well in cold weather but sometimes too well in warmer conditions.

Performance Comparison


Gear reviewer Travis Poulin field testing in North Routt County Colorado.
Gear reviewer Travis Poulin field testing in North Routt County, Colorado.

Warmth


The Oven Mitts were first tested in warm, early season conditions where they did not seem to be a good fit due to the inability to breathe well. These mittens sweat out easily when touring or resort skiing on days above 30F and take a while to dry. That being said, in colder conditions the Primaloft insulation performed great. These mittens are ideal for temperatures between 0F-20F.

The Oven Mitts trap heat well despite having relatively little insulation. They are not the warmest mitts but they are still warm.
The Oven Mitts trap heat well despite having relatively little insulation. They are not the warmest mitts, but they are still warm.

Water Resistance


The Oven Mitts wetted out fairly quickly in the ice bath/ submersion test, which was expected given their construction. However, they held up well in the ice portion of the test and kept our hands warm longer than some of their pricier counterparts, even when saturated.

The mittens were quick to let water in during our submersion test
The mittens were quick to let water in during our submersion test

Dexterity


As far as mittens go, the Oven Mitts were plenty dexterous. Gripping ski poles is where they stood out most due to the grippy pigskin leather and thin construction. Zipper adjustments were significantly easier with these than some competitors and getting them back under your jacket sleeve was as easy as it should be.

Durability


The pigskin leather is what gains the Oven Mittens all the durability points. A long-trusted material, the leather holds up extremely well against weather, ice, wind and sharp edges. Before one of our testers converted from the dark side (snowboarding) many years ago, these were the only gloves that did not rip from carrying a snowboard. Stitching is where the Oven Mittens begin to lose points as it seems to be a cheap, imported stitching job with the intention of moving product.

A tough mitt that wets-out easily.
A tough mitt that wets-out easily.

Features


There isn't much to be said about the Oven Mitts' features because of their simplicity. The elastic cuff fits great on the wrist but the hands can feel a bit loose inside the mittens. This is because of a lack of insulation filling up space, which also contributes to its above-average dexterity.

Value


The Oven Mittens do their job well for their price and are a great option to have in the quiver if you switch out gloves often. They are carried in most ski shops so they also make for a great impulsive buy if you realize you forgot your gloves and don't want cold hands from a cheap alternative.

Conclusion


The Oven Mittens are no award winners but they are a great product that can be trusted for backcountry, sidecountry, and cold-weather resort skiing.


— Travis Poulin