REASONS TO BUY
Tough
Waterproof
Warm
Dexterous for a mitt
REASONS TO AVOID
Sweats out easily
Must apply Sno-Seal often to avoid soaking up water
FlyLow Oven Mitt Review
A tough, trendy, and affordable choice for resort or backcountry skiing
Credit: Backcountry
RELATED: Best Ski Gloves of 2023
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 relatively warm and do well in windy conditions. They do come coated in Sno-Seal, but persistent reapplication is necessary as the leather dries out. These are not great for warm days as they sweat out easily, but for those with cold hands, they are a great price point option. For the 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.
Editor's note: We updated this review with new comparisons and recommendations to aid in purchase decisions on December 1, 2022.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
FlyLow Oven Mitt | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  | | |||
| Price | $49.95 at Backcountry Compare at 3 sellers | $70 List Check Price at Amazon | $65 List $64.95 at Amazon | $50 List $49.95 at REI | Check Price at Backcountry Compare at 3 sellers |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Pros | Tough, waterproof, warm, dexterous for a mitt | Warm enough, weatherproof, reasonable price | Warm, great features, comfortable, inexpensive | Very dexterous, breathable, great fit, fair price | Tough, windproof, durable |
| Cons | Sweats out easily, must apply Sno-Seal often to avoid soaking up water | Poor dexterity, slightly tight fit around the knuckles | Not dexterous, bulky and cumbersome | No wrist leash, soft-shell construction can wear out quickly, overall durability | Bulky stitching, not very warm, not waterproof |
| Bottom Line | A tough, trendy, and affordable choice for resort or backcountry skiing | A warm and fully featured ski glove for a great price | A quality mitten that is super warm, comfortable, and relatively inexpensive | A more dexterous but less durable deviation from hardware store leather gloves, this model is an OK choice for resort, side-country and short backcountry missions | Trendy and stylish, but lacking in key aspects of versatility for skiing, these gloves are solid winter work gloves, so don't hesitate if you're looking for that utility |
| Rating Categories | FlyLow Oven Mitt | Gordini GTX Storm T... | The North Face Mont... | REI Co-op Guide Ins... | Flylow Ridge Glove |
| Warmth (25%) | |||||
| Dexterity (25%) | |||||
| Water Resistance (25%) | |||||
| Durability (15%) | |||||
| Features (10%) | |||||
| Specs | FlyLow Oven Mitt | Gordini GTX Storm T... | The North Face Mont... | REI Co-op Guide Ins... | Flylow Ridge Glove |
| Double or Single Glove | Single | Single | Single | Single | Single |
| Gaunlet or Cuff? | Cuff | Gauntlet | Gauntlet | Cuff | Cuff |
| Palm Material | Pigskin leather | Polyurethane | Synthetic leather | Leather | Cowhide leather |
| Waterproof Material | SnoSeal beeswax | Gore-Tex | DryVent | None | SnoSeal beeswax |
| Insulation Type | Spaceloft Micropuff | Megaloft | Back of hand: 250g Heatseeker Eco Palm: 160g Heatseeker Eco |
Polyester fibers | Spaceloft Micropuff |
| Nose Wipe? | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Show full specification detailsHide full specification details
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
Field testing ski gloves in Colorado.
Credit: Laraine Martin
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 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.
Credit: Travis Poulin
Water Resistance
The Oven Mitts wetted out fairly quickly in the ice bath/submersion test, which was expected given their simple construction and lack of a waterproof membrane. 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
Credit: Rachel Croft
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 with 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 mittens that did not wear out prematurely from carrying a snowboard. Stitching is where the Oven Mitts begin to lose points. It does not appear to be up to the higher standard of more expensive options.
A tough mitt that wets-out easily.
Credit: Rachel Croft
Features
There isn't much to be said about the Oven Mitts' features because of their simplicity. They are simple leather mittens, after all. 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.
Should You Buy the Flylow Oven Mitt?
The Oven Mitts don't stand out in any of our performance metrics. Overall, they are very simple and basic, but they are also affordable. If you're going for the mitten look and want a decent level of dexterity at a reasonable price, these may be a good fit.
What Other Ski Gloves Should You Consider?
If you are a dedicated mitten-wearer, you can get the much better The North Face Montana Ski Mitt for just a little more money. If you want the warmest mittens that money can buy, the Black Diamond Mercury Mitt is super warm, waterproof, and durable. If you aren't committed to mittens, we like The North Face IL Solo Pro for a lightweight pair of ski gloves that excels in a variety of conditions and is great for the backcountry.
—
Travis Poulin
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