Just back from the Go Outdoors trade show where we found a good
few interesting bits of kit for next year, which we'll be telling you
about over the next couple of days. One neat idea which is out now
though, is a new electrically-heated winter mitt from Berghaus.
Regular OMers might remember this year's heated Heatcell
Gilet, which was fantastic for watching telly on cold days and
made a nice party trick, but was really too expensive and inefficient
for most practical outdoors use. The mitts use the same technology,
but in an application where it might be really effective.
The Heatcell Mitt, which should be appearing in the shops
about now, combines PrimaLoft insulation for warmth even in damp
conditions, with a Gore-Tex liner and, here's the really clever bit,
an electrically-powered heating system.
Apparently a conductive yarn is knitted into the actual fabric of
the mitt for allround insulation front and back and the whole
caboodle is powered by a compact battery, one per mitt. Battery life
is a reasonable three hours with a recharge time of just
two-and-a-half hours.
Heating someone's trunk is quite difficult and uses a lot of
power, but hands, which lose heat rapidly for several reasons, look
like a much better candidate for electrical heating, particularly if
you run on the cold side. In practice, the heating element should
warm the air trapped in the mitt's Primaloft insulation layer to
create a sort of super insulator. As your hands are no longer losing
heat to warm the insulation, they should stay warmer and feel more
comfortable.
If your hands warm up naturally, you can just switch the battery
off until things cool down again. We've groped the glove and it feels
like, well, a mitt really. The spec is top-notch with Pittards
leather and Schoeller Stretch Cordura used alongside the Primaloft
and Gore-Tex technologies.
Our only slight concern would be over the battery which looks to
be housed in the cuff and could be intrusive if you prefer to wear
your jacket cuffs over your mitts. And then there's the price, a not
inconsiderable £100. Then again, how much would you be willing
to pay for warm hands in the middle of a Scottish houlie?
More details from www.berghaus.com
