Mittens for Skiing Kids: Review of Snowstoppers and Mittenhugs

Snowstoppers Mittens and Gloves for Babies Up to Teens

BEST FOR: The littlest snow bunnies. Although these inexpensive gloves and mittens come in bigger sizes, Snowstoppers could corner the market for babies and toddlers who aren’t spending all day out in the snow.

WHAT THEY ARE: Snowstoppers are nylon mittens and gloves with extra long cuffs to keep snow out. They come in many colors with sizing up to about age 12. There are baby mittens with no thumbs, toddler mittens with a Velcro wrist strap to keep them on and, in bigger sizes, regular gloves, and a mitten/glove fliptop combo (a zipper around the top of the mitten lets the fingers out).

FEATURES I LOVE: For babies and toddlers, who aren’t going out on all day expeditions in very cold weather, I think these are a good product.

I gave a baby pair and a toddler pair to a mom for testing. Here’s what she said:

I really like these mittens. They are soft, colorful and seem warm. The first time my son used these he came in from playing in the snow after 20 minutes and said unprompted ‘My toes are frozen but my fingers are nice and warm!’

I think the extra long cuff is a great idea to keep snow off the arms,” she added. “They were easy to put on, although my son couldn’t fasten the Velcro strap himself. Still, my son was definitely comfortable in them and didn’t think were itchy at all and our baby’s fingers stayed warm, too.

A BIT MORE INFO: One of my sons tried a pair of extra-large gloves. His first impression was “This is a great idea.” But, after he got them on, he found the wrists of his coat were too tight going over the long cuff.

My testers found that the mittens kept their hands dry, although after a very cold, two-hour ski lesson, one boy’s fingers were cold.

Finally, I tried running water on the gloves to see how well the fabric repelled moisture. Less water beaded up and more water absorbed than I expected, which meant the gloves took a while to dry. And if the cuff gets wet, watch out!

THE UPSHOT: I think Snowstoppers are a great idea for playing in the snow, short outings on skis, going to school and a couple of hours of sledding. For all-day skiing, especially in adverse weather, parents might want something more waterproof and heavy-duty. Snowstoppers are a good option for Spring skiing. And, for babies and little ones, they’re an excellent choice for casual use.

HOW TO GET THEM: Visit snowstoppers.com or call 978-945-0323. Snowstoppers often offers discount codes, so ask or visit their Facebook page to follow the latest sales.

Other online retailers also carry Snowstoppers. Prices range from about $12 to $30, depending upon the model. 

Introducing Mittenhugs! (Giveaway, too)

BEST FOR: Remember the “three little kittens who lost their mittens?” They needed Mittenhugs. So do babies and toddlers whose mittens fall off unexpectedly.

WHAT THEY ARE: Mittenhugs are a cross between a hair scrunchy and a leash. Made of colorful fabric, elastic and velcro, you place the scrunchy part around the child’s palm and then “leash” the strap to the child’s wrist using a velcro strip. The elastic holds the Mittenhug on the hand, while the velcro strip ensures it won’t be lost itself.

FEATURES I LOVE: Mittenhugs are simple, well-designed and cute. Designed by a mom who tired of her child losing mittens as they strolled through the streets of New York City, they are a nifty solution. They come in solids and prints, appropriate for boys and girls and are easily washable.

A BIT MORE INFO: I just received some Mittenhugs, and haven’t yet had them field-tested, so I don’t have any first-hand feedback. However, I tried them on and they make sense to me. As for skiing, I would only use these with children who do NOT use poles yet. Having something around the hand, especially a strap, just might make the pole straps on and off a bit more confusing.

That said, I’m giving away a pair of Mittenhugs and if you do use them skiing with your child, let me know what you think!

HOW TO GET THEM: Visit the Mittenhugs website. Mittenhugs are $14.99 a pair. While you’re there, you can also check out Handyhugs and Bottlehugs (Which pretty much look like Mittenhugs, to me. Maybe these are alternative uses!).

GIVEAWAY: I am giving away one pair of Mittenhugs in a cute blue and white design! While I’ve tried them on and photographed them, they haven’t been used and come in the original packaging.

To enter, please leave a comment below AND follow Brave Ski Mom on Facebook, Google+, Pinterest or Twitter. Please let me know which one you choose (or choose ’em all!). One winner will be selected randomly on Friday, March 1. Open to U.S. residents only.

Good luck!

To facilitate this post, I received two pair of mittens and one pair of gloves from Snowstoppers. I also received one set of Mittenhugs. As always, all opinions are my own and are exactly what I would tell my family and friends. 

Related Posts: 

• How to Keep Your Kid’s Hands Warm This Winter, October 10, 2011.
• Warm Kids are Happy Kids (Especially When Skiing), November 28, 2012.
• Mittens for Skiing Kids: Reviews and Recommendations (Today, Hestra), February 18, 2013.
• Mittens for Skiing Kids: Swany Jetter, X-Change and Epic Junior, February 19, 2013.
• Mittens for Skiing Kids: Review of Molo Mittens, February 20, 2013.

This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to Jennifer, winner of the Mittenhugs!

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