I picked up a pair of Outdoor Research Lucent Heated Mittens a month ago with really high hopes.
These gloves promise 8 hours of heat on low, 4 on medium and 2 on high, and with their price being so high I figured they would be a really nice solution to cold hands. And they sort of are. But only in the certain situations.
- While they are Gore-Tex they are not breathable at all. So if you sweat at all on the climb, be prepared for wet hands the rest of the day.
- Next the gauntlet is too small, so they will not go over a puffy coat. But lets be honest, if you are wearing heated mittens, you are probably wearing a big coat.
- The on/off button is on the cuff, which turns itself off all the time while in use each time you bend your wrist. If you don’t turn them off, then you are changing the heat level.
- There is no way to tell current battery level. You have to keep track of their usage.
- The charge is whacky. It blinks randomly while charging. The manual says it blinks if the two packs are at different charge levels. Which is really common when the heat levels change randomly while in use.
Bottom Line: Don’t buy these. Well, these are the 2017-18 model . Maybe if they improve them later it will be worth buying. But this one you should avoid this one.
OR Says: https://www.outdoorresearch.com/us/en/lucent-heated-mitts/p/2433720001006
If you’ve struggled to find gloves that keep your hands warm in bitter winter weather, turn to the Lucent Heated Gloves and Lucent Heated Mitts. Built with ALTIHeat™ — a rechargeable battery-powered heating system that provides staying power when you’re determined to be on the mountain from first chair to last call — the Lucent Heated Gloves and Lucent Heated Mitts provide staying power for the coldest cold smoke. GORE-TEX® inserts make them waterproof, and lightweight synthetic EnduraLoft™ insulation adds extra warmth and cold-weather protection. Other features include a fleece palm lining, molded EVA on the back of the hands and abrasion-resistant goat leather strips on the palms.