# Explain these Mittens! **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 23, 2020, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-these-mittens/926273 "2020-11-23T16:04:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2020, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-these-mittens/926273/1 "2020-11-23T16:04:32Z")
I have two pairs of mittens. They are different brands. They are a nice soft polar fleece on the outsideand the linings in both are some kind of soft material. Both pairs of mittens have “finger chambers”. It’s like a glove inside a mitten. These are not the type of mittens that you can fold the top back to expose your fingers in order to do something that requires your fingers. They’re just mittens. Why would there be finger chambers in mittens? The purpose of a mitten is to keep your fingers together and be warmer than a glove. These mittens keep my hands warm but I see no purpose for this design. Am I missing something? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2020, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-these-mittens/926273/2 "2020-11-23T16:23:05Z")
You’ve discovered the missing evolutionary link between mittens and gloves! ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2020, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-these-mittens/926273/3 "2020-11-23T16:30:27Z")
In my experience, mittens with individual pockets for fingers are warmer than those without. The difference between them and gloves is that no outside cold air gets between your fingers. My warmest mittens (which I use for skiing in single-digit temperatures and below), have an interior liner mitten with individual finger pockets and an outer heavy-duty mitten. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2020, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-these-mittens/926273/4 "2020-11-23T16:51:07Z")
I have a pair of mittens that go even further. Not only are there “finger chambers” for your fingers, but they came with an additional set of thin gloves for you to wear inside the mittens. So it’s like two pairs of gloves inside a mitten! ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2020, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-these-mittens/926273/5 "2020-11-23T17:00:21Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > So it’s like two pairs of gloves inside a mitten! This kind of retched excess used to only be available to royalty! When one wears Arctic mittens it is advisable to wear a thin silk glove inside. On the occasions you have to pull the mittens to grasp something the thin liner keeps your hands from freezing to whatever you grab. ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2020, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-these-mittens/926273/6 "2020-11-23T17:31:35Z")
> [@robby](#): > > In my experience, mittens with individual pockets for fingers are warmer than those without. > > The difference between them and gloves is that no outside cold air gets between your fingers. > > My warmest mittens (which I use for skiing in single-digit temperatures and below), have an interior liner mitten with individual finger pockets and an outer heavy-duty mitten. I don’t feel the difference in warmth between a regular mitten and the hybrid mitten with finger chambers. If it’s really cold I wear choppers - leather (deer hide) mitten with a removable pile lining.