Snowmobile Gauntlets Under Review:


Snow sports are among the most exciting activities we can do. Some people would choose winter holidays over summer ones anytime. However, one of the challenges when playing in the snow is the difficulty of retaining your body warmth in the harsh, cold weather.

We all know too well that it’s usually our extremities that suffer the most. This calls for external aid to help warm up these parts.

Having cold hands can have a negative effect on the ease of handling and dexterity of fingers, which can cause issues in performance or even cause accidents in certain situations.

Travelling at speed increases the wind chill factor and without protection, your hands would literally freeze to the handlebars. For this reason, various snow gear brands have developed ranges and styles of gauntlets and mitts as a solution.

In this article, we’re going to take a deeper look at what’s available and hopefully assist you in making an informed buying decision.

Review

Kolpin Geartector Mitts

Starting off our list with one of the best handlebar mitts on the market. Kolpin Geartector’s mitts offer some unrivaled features that are hard to find in one place.

Kolpin Geartector’s mitts offer a spacious interior that allows for full access to the handlebar’s clutch, throttle, and buttons.

They’re lined on the inside with a plush velvet and fleece coating to keep your hands comfortable, warm and dry.

They’re also equipped with a rigid cuff to keep the mitts open on their own. This allows the hands to go in and out with ease.

Additionally, they’re fortified with a rhino plate shielding on the front panel. This panel provides solid protection against the environment and small debris.

Kolpin Geartector’s handlebar gauntlets are also water-resistant.

They have large and strong zippers that allow the gauntlets to be slipped over any kind of handlebar or ride controls. Once you slide it on the ends of the handlebars, just pull the drawstring cords to secure the snug fit and you’re good to go!

Despite all the great things about these mitts, they don’t feature a see-through window. Consequently, you need to be highly accustomed to your snowmobile’s controls to be able to freely use them.

Things we like:

  • Easily installed and removed
  • Features an extra protective rhino plate
  • Provides a great level of warmth

Things we don’t:

  • No visibility window


Read Buyer Feedback >>


Kimpex Snowmobile Muffs

Kimpex handlebar muffs are universally fitting mitts. This means that you can easily install them on any motorbike, ATV or Skidoo.

They’re made of 600 Denier polyester and nylon to provide excellent protection against wind and rain. However, in the condition of extreme rain, it’s recommended to spray the outside with a waterproof spray for extra protection.

If you don’t have a waterproof spray, you’re going to potentially need a thumb warmer or heated grips to overcome the rain saturation.

The great thing about these muffs is their plastic window that allows for visibility of your snowmobile controls.

If you’re into precision riding and using your snowmobile without gloves or with extra thin gloves, then you’re going to enjoy Kimpex’s handlebar muffs.

Additionally, there is a reflecting stripe on the front for extra safety and enhanced nighttime visibility.

Things we like:

  • Excellent warming quality
  • Water-resistant
  • Features a see-through window for easy control

Things we don’t:

  • A little on the bulky side


Read Buyer Feedback >>


PowerMadd 34258 Handguard Gauntlet

PowerMadd is known to produce great accessory products for motorcycles, ATV, and snowmobiles lovers, and PowerMadd’s 34258’s handguard gauntlet lives up to the name of the brand.

The handlebar handguard gauntlet offers a novelty design that allows it to stay open all the time. This makes control the handlebar with ease and comfort while being able to see the controls.

This makes PowerMadd 34258 gauntlet a perfect choice for beginner snowmobile riders who don’t have a good grasp on the controls yet.

They’re multi-purpose gauntlets, which means that you can use then on your ATV, motorbike, in addition to your snowmobile.

If you own Star series or Trail Star Series handguards from PowerMadd, then you’ll be also pleased to know that these handlebar gauntlets are perfectly compatible with them.

Things we like:

  • Can be installed and removed easily
  • Little pockets for hand warmers

Things we don’t:

  • Lack designated holes for mirrors
  • They don’t hold their shape too well


Read Buyer Feedback >>


Bar Mitts Snowmobile Mitts

The all-purpose handlebar mitt by Bar Mitts is a top choice despite its higher price.

The mitts are made of neoprene and nylon to offer wind and water resistance to allow for maximum warmth and dryness.

The gauntlet is supplied with an interior snap to securely attach the mitts on the handlebars with ease.

The mitts come with a 4-inch reflecting strip for added security

Things we like:

  • Aesthetically pleasing design with leather
  • Well made

Things we don’t:

  • A little more expensive than some


Read Buyer Feedback >>


Katahdin Gear KG01134 Snowmobile Gauntlets

Katahdin Gear KG01134 gauntlet has a fully waterproof external shell. This allows for the maximum protection against rain without worrying about the gauntlets getting overly saturated with water.

This ditches the need for extra thumb warmers or warmed grips with Katahdin Gear’s KG01134 gauntlets.

One of the safety features in Katahdin Gear’s mitts is the piping strips that offer headlight reflection, making you visible to other vehicles at night.

The inner lining on the gauntlet is made of fleece to provide warmth and dryness to your hands on the harshest winter conditions.

The easily installed handlebar gauntlet can be mounted by slipping it over the handlebar and tightening the strap with a velcro patch.

Katahdin Gear handlebar gauntlet has a memory retaining frame wire to provide a perfectly snug fit on your handlebar controls while allowing for a quick in and out access.

The glove body in the gauntlet is made from a stretchy 2-way durable spandex with rubber fingertips to allow for a decent command over the control panel. However, this gauntlet can’t be coupled with a snowmobile handguard.

Things we like:

  • Completely waterproof
  • Snug fit gauntlets with retaining wire
  • Reflective strips for added safety

Things we don’t:

Has no plates to protect against debris


Read Buyer Feedback >>


How to Choose The Right Snowmobile Gauntlets

Things to consider:

Construction

One of the most crucial aspects regarding your snowmobile mitts is the materials used in their construction. These materials play a huge role in many aspects, such as their durability, flexibility, and longevity.

In the majority of cases, you’re going to find that most mitts are made out of nylon, rubber, fleece, and neoprene.

While all these materials are synthetic polymers, they have different characteristics in terms of heat conductivity, flexibility, and wind insulation.

It’s generally preferable to go with nylon, as it’s known to be an extremely lightweight material. However, it does tend to provide a stronger grip than other materials, giving you the best control.

They’re also known to be generally more durable than other materials, making them more resistant to wear and tear.

Rubber is known to be heavier than other materials, providing a relatively lower grip than others, however, it has an unrivaled wind and water protection.

Neoprene is known to be affordable and less hyper-allergic compared to regular rubber. Neoprene is used mainly in the manufacturing of scuba diving suits.

Fleece is an insulating soft napped fabric made out of polyester. It comes at a cheaper price compared to other materials. However, they’re less durable than nylon.

If you’re going for a fleece handlebar mitt, make sure that you’re getting a high-grade polyester mitt, such as 600 Denier polyester.

Density

Another thing to consider is their thickness and density.

Any excessive thickness can make it harder for riders to reach the controls.

On the other hand, dense mitts don’t necessarily have to be bulky. Generally, the denser the gauntlet material, the more weather insulation they’ll provide.

For that reason, it’s better to opt for a higher density but less bulky material such as nylon or neoprene if you’re looking for maximum airtight protection against the weather.

Another option that some gauntlets and mitts offer is to provide designated pockets for heat packs.

This is done as compensation for extra thickness in which the heat packs become the main supplier of warmth instead of thicker material.

Water Resistance

As snow is merely frozen water, a good level of water resistance to your gauntlets will serve you well.

In addition to wind resistance, you should always check for water-repelling qualities for optimum performance in cold weather.

Extra Sleeve Coverage

Some handlebar mitts and gauntlets have a removable attachment to increase the coverage of the mitts up to their sleeves.

This can provide a significant enhancement in the protection levels, especially in strong wind and more extreme weather.

You should bear in mind that having the mitts or gauntlets further up your arms can hinder maneuverability while on the snowmobile. Therefore you should ensure that they can be easily and quickly removed when not required.

Ease of Installation and Removal

Although the main purpose of snowmobile gauntlets and mitts is to keep your hands warm and dry while riding, you may sometimes be riding through fine weather with warmer temperatures.

In such a case, you’ll want to remove them for maximum handling and pleasure while riding.

Unlike handguards, most handlebar gauntlets and mitts require no mounts to be installed. In fact, this is one of the most significant advantages that they have over handguards.

Most handlebar muffs and gauntlets are mounted on the handlebar directly through a hook and loop fastener, which is similar to velcro in mechanism but has a stronger hold.

Firm Attachment to the Handlebar

If gauntlets and mitts aren’t firmly attached to the handlebar, they’re going to be erratic with every steer and corner you take.

It’s highly recommended to go for a gauntlet that provides a secure attachment to the handlebar. The most common methods of attachment you’re going to find are straps and buckles.

Straps are usually wrapped around the handlebar and secured through a velcro strip, they provide a more durable attachment but they take longer to be tightened.

Access to the Controls

Some mitts and gauntlets feature a plastic see-through window to provide a clear view of the handlebar throttle and buttons.

While this can be a huge advantage for one gauntlet over the other, it’s important to make sure that the plastic window does not negatively impact the insulation qualities.

FAQs

What is the difference between a snowmobile gauntlet and a handguard?

Gauntlets and mitts are items of fabric similar to oven mittens. Their main purpose is to keep your hands warm in dry in extremely cold or windy weather. Handguards concentrate on protection and offer little in the way of insulation.

Do ATVs and dirt bike handlebar gauntlets work on snowmobiles?

Most handlebar gauntlets and mitts are universal fit, which means they can be installed on any straight bar handlebar.

This means that while they can work on ATVs, bikes, Skidoos, and snowmobiles, they don’t work on drop-bar handlebars, such as racing bicycles.

What kind of throttles can handlebar gauntlets and mitts be installed on?

All snowmobile handlebar gauntlets, muffs, and mitts should only be used on standard roller throttle handlebars.

It’s recommended to avoid using them on finger throttle level handlebars because they don’t provide a snug. Throttle levers can get stuck inside the handlebar muffs, which can affect the snowmobile’s handling and causes accidents.

Wrap Up

An ideal snowmobile handlebar gauntlet needs to be durable, easily mounted and removed, water and wind-resistant, and fitting snugly.

While many products can fulfill these criteria, I can’t help but pick Kolpin Geartector Mitt as a winner for its budget-friendly price and deep warmth and dryness it provides.

However, if you’re a beginner who looks for the best without considering a budget, Kimpex Snowmobile Muffs can be a premium pick with its user-friendly see-through plastic windows.

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