It’s a glove, it’s a mitten – no, it’s the Mountain Hardwear split mitt!

The Mountain Hardwear split mitt combines design features of gloves and mittens. Pam LeBlanc photo

And it’s the lobster claw gloves for the win – or, more specifically, the Mountain Hardwear split mitt.

I love to ski, but I hate getting cold. And until this season, I hadn’t found the right covering to keep my hands warm.

I tried ski gloves, but my fingers turned into popsicles. I’d pull my fingers out of their individual glove sockets on every lift ride up, then curl them into a ball to try to thaw out between runs. I liked having the use of my fingers, but my fingers got numb and I couldn’t use them anyway, so what’s the point?

The Mountain Hardwear split mitt has a separate pocket for the pointer finger. Pam LeBlanc photo

Then I got a pair of mittens, which made me feel like an oversized kid. I’d wear a pair of thin glove liners underneath and shoved a chemical hand warmer between the layers. That helped, but it felt awkward and bulky. I missed having the use of at least one finger, so I could clip my helmet on, adjust my boots, or pull out my camera.

Read more:  In Northern Idaho, don’t miss charming Lookout Pass ski area

This season, I tested a pair of Mountain Hardwear High Exposure GTX Split Mitts. They’re a cross between mittens and gloves. My thumb and pointer finger get their own cozy pockets; my last three fingers huddle together for warmth.

The gloves are made with Gore Tex and are wind and waterproof. Other things I like? They extend about 5 inches past my wrist and have a drawstring so no snow slips down my sleeve. They’re also equipped with a wrist leash, so I don’t lose them.

Most importantly, they’re toasty warm.