Marmot 8000 Meter Mitts

Dexterity “The level of control was amazing for a mitt,” our Everest tester reports. “I was able to use an ascender, grip an ice axe, and even use a pen to write in my journal.” That level of grippiness comes thanks to a silicone treatment on the premium Pittards waterproof leather palms. When he did need to pull the mitts off—to deal with oxygen bottles, ropes, or anchors, for example—he “appreciated having several loops I could use to clip the mitts to my harness.”

Warmth Even in temps down to -20°F, the removable, down-and-PrimaLoft liners kept our climber’s fingers warm enough for fixing lines and taking photos. “I wore the inner liners separately when sitting in the tent,” he says.

Waterproofness “While filling buckets of water to carry to our zone at Everest basecamp, I immersed the mitts for a total of at least 15 minutes,” he reports. “Thanks to the Gore-Tex membrane, my hands stayed dry.” Wish list: a soft spot for wiping noses.
$275; 13 oz.; marmot.com