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Hestra mitten differences?

Slim

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I am trying to figure out the difference between the various similar Hestra mittens. If anyone knows of the difference between 2 models, please add your info, and hopefully this will grow and be useful to future potential buyers.

Please limit this to mittens, and only the models with a removable liner and gauntlet (over the sleeve) cuff, because that is confusing enough!
  1. Army Leather Heli Mitt
  2. Army Leather Patrol Gauntlet Mitt
  3. Army Leather Extreme Mitt
  4. Army Leather Expedition Mitt
  5. Army Leather Altitude Mitt
  6. Sirius Polar Mitt
  7. Highland Mitt
  8. Abisko Ecocuir Mitt
  9. Narvik Ecocuir Mitt
As far as I can tell:

all models use leather palms, except for the Ecocuir models, they use cow.
All use synthetic fabirc in the back, except for 6-9, that use waxed poly-cotton.
Models 1-4 all use the G-loft (white) Heli liner in a mitten style.
Model 4, the Expedtion, then has a Primaloft trigger finger mitt inside that.
 

ARL67

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I bought #3 above, but was disappointed in its warmth.

I've kept the outer shell for a 3 layer setup for my coldest days:
- Smartwool 260 liner
- Norrona Lofoten Dri1 Primaloft Gold 400 Short Mittens ( no longer made AFAIK )
- Hestra shell from the Army Leather Extreme Mitt

FYI: the Norrona mitts are below, very warm and not too bulky at all. I also have the glove version as well, but it has less insulation, but still great with a Smartwool 260 liner.

 

MissySki

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I have the Extremes and find them the warmest mitten I’ve ever owned.
 
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Slim

Slim

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@MissySki and @ARL67 , what is the shell of the Extremes like? insulated or not?
If it’s not insulated , I don’t understand how it differs from the Heli and Patrol.
(which is what brought this question on, their website is horrible)
 
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ARL67

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I bought mine because they were the most expensive mitt that they made, and I wasn't going to pay a huge additional premium for Gore-Tex.

The liner does have a thin layer of some sort of insulation. Here are mine inside out :
 

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bitflogger

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Mine are gloves but I'll point out a few models do not have their warmest liners but they can accommodate extra liners if you size them right. To me that is ideal to cover not sweating too much on some days and getting warmer on others.

From having the stuff already, I also use the fluffy liners from my ancient Patagonia Gauntlet model (best ever gloves IMO) as well as non-Hestra thin liners that all work fine even if velcro doesn't match perfectly. OR's liners that are common are thin and the velcro tabs actually help them inside the Hestra liners.

You do need to use the oil/treatment on the Hestra goat leather vs what seems to be pre-treated leather on some competing models.

Hestra's own web site has links to all the optional liners and items for each model. They generally have a GoreTex competitor liner too to make them more like some other gloves.
 

Paul Lutes

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Not sure exactly which Hestra mitten I have without too much work, but I would never use a mitten without a fingered thin liner ( turns out, Hestra makes a great one) because you will invariably have to pull the mitten to do some critical digit driven maneuver.
 

Dwight

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I changed to Free The Powder, warmer and nicer. The Free The Powder liners even work inside Hestras if needed.
 

James

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FTP has gone downhill imo. I got a pair of gloves last year, already holes. I still have my originals, very beaten up, but they’ve earned it.
 

Dwight

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FTP has gone downhill imo. I got a pair of gloves last year, already holes. I still have my originals, very beaten up, but they’ve earned it.
It has been a while since I purchased new. Not good to hear.

Kinco or Kinco like are my main gloves/mittens.
 

Crank

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I looked at my Hestras and couldn't find a name on them.

They are Primaloft inner mittens with Goretex shell outer mitts.

They work pretty well and if they are too warm I can just use my glove liners inside the shell mitts.
 

Crank

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It has been a while since I purchased new. Not good to hear.

Kinco or Kinco like are my main gloves/mittens.

I have 3 different pairs of Kincos. They are incredible rugged and I still use them though I have passet the mittens n to my son. I needed something warmer for really cold days and for me really cold days seem to come at warmer temps than they used to.
 
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Slim

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Back to the specs of Hestra gloves.
I agree, which glove to use when is a good question, but to do that, we need to first be clear on what each glove is, so that’s what this thread is for:
“specs of Hestra mittens with removable liners and no Goretex”


I just got an email from Hestra customer service. The say that Heli (1) and Patrol Gauntlet (2) only differ in looks, but are functionally the same.

I also ordered most of them, will let you know in a while when I have them in hand.

Hopefully this will be of use to someone else trying to figure out what mittesn they want.
 
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Slim

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  1. Army Leather Heli Mitt: White jersey GLoft Heli liner, uninsulated goat leather and coated fabric shell
  2. Army Leather Patrol Gauntlet Mitt: same, cosmetic difference in shell
  3. Army Leather Extreme Mitt: same liner, thin leec? insulation fixed to shell
  4. Army Leather Expedition Mitt: thin fleecy insulation fixed to shell on fabric parts, not palm, and not in the leather (2/3) of the thumb. Bigger box shell for the double liner: first Heli liner, then thin trigger mitt Primaloft liner. Very thick. Thicker than OR Altimitt II. Runs at least a size small.
  5. Army Leather Altitude Mitt?
  6. Sirius Polar Mitt: Full leather hand, very large
  7. Highland Mitt: Similar shell as Heli, but with mid thickness Gloft or primaloft liner fixed to entire mitten: palm and back, and thumb. This does reduce grip/dexterity a bit. Wool terry liner. For sure,this will be warmer if grabbing cold metal items. Other than that, not sure if it’s warmer or less warm than Heli.
  8. Abisko Ecocuir Mitt:Cow hide palm and Polycotton backhand, wool liner?
  9. Narvik Ecocuir Mitt: Cow hide palm and Polycotton backhand, wool terry liner
 

smctigue

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I‘ve had historically cold fingers, bought the Heli lobster claws. Wore them last weekend on a -9F degree morning, inexplicably warm.
 

TheArchitect

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I have both number 1 and 2 as well as the glove version of number 1, which I use in warmer weather. I've been very happy with them down to near zero degrees. I wear thin fingered liners as well for when the mitt needs to come off.
 

givethepigeye

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My Heli's feel like the wind is blowing right through them. Thought they would be my "cold day" gloves - but those seams, fabric and that fleecy liner seem to conspire to frostbite my fingers in a run or two. I bought the wool liner - made little difference. The only thing that made them bearable was wearing a thin Ibex merino liner in the liner.

My "cold day" glove is the same as a "regular day" glove - Hestra Vertical Cut CZone. Also have the Army Patrol 5-Finger - seem to breathe a bit better. Both of these styles are warmer for my hands they the Hestra Shell/Liner system. Have tossed around the idea of the Falt Guide, but have not pulled the trigger.
 

lisamamot

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I have both the Heli and the Extreme mitts. My daughter and I also have the Heli lobster claw and Heli gloves as well as Free the Powder mitts and Chaval heated. The Heli lobster and gloves we can only wear in the spring.

Extreme are warmer than the Heli and have
a nice long/wide gauntlet. I wear them when I will be skiing longer than the batteries will last on my heated mitts. I ski in England so still use hand warmers on most days, but so far they are the warmest I have owned.
 

Ken_R

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I am trying to figure out the difference between the various similar Hestra mittens. If anyone knows of the difference between 2 models, please add your info, and hopefully this will grow and be useful to future potential buyers.

Please limit this to mittens, and only the models with a removable liner and gauntlet (over the sleeve) cuff, because that is confusing enough!
  1. Army Leather Heli Mitt
  2. Army Leather Patrol Gauntlet Mitt
  3. Army Leather Extreme Mitt
  4. Army Leather Expedition Mitt
  5. Army Leather Altitude Mitt
  6. Sirius Polar Mitt
  7. Highland Mitt
  8. Abisko Ecocuir Mitt
  9. Narvik Ecocuir Mitt
As far as I can tell:

all models use leather palms, except for the Ecocuir models, they use cow.
All use synthetic fabirc in the back, except for 6-9, that use waxed poly-cotton.
Models 1-4 all use the G-loft (white) Heli liner in a mitten style.
Model 4, the Expedtion, then has a Primaloft trigger finger mitt inside that.

If you want warmth just get a pair of Black Diamond Mercury Mitts. Thank me later.

That said, wow, Hestra has 9 Mitten models. Great for choice but like you I was confused about liner differences if any.
 

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