Absolute warmest kid's mittens?

[Pumpkin_Pie]

I am desperate to keep DS's hands warm this winter. It seems that no matter what I put on his hands, he always says they are cold and hurt, and he ends up coming inside in tears, even though he wants to play more. He is 3.5 and quite thin.

Any ideas?

[ollyoxenfree]

I like these mittens from Land's End. The long cuff is nice. They aren't great if he's trying to use his hands for playing, but for warmth, they are pretty good.

[lucyem]

I am sorry I do not have links for you but recently I saw mittens where you can put in the hand warmers in a pocket on the back of them. By warming the blood flowing into the hand they keep your hands warmer. I saw kids sizes. This would be my first choice for your situation.

Another thought is like ollyoxenfree said. Something with a longer wrist area. My youngest had a pair that went up to his elbow. I bought them at a local kids store years ago but have seen them in kids catalogs. They looked like the lands end ones but the wrist just extended up.

My last and probably most expensive thought would be skiing mittens. My oldest took skiing in 1st grade and my husband went out and bought him a very good and warm pair of mittens. They keep his hands warm. We used to keep them only for skiing and he was always bummed he could not wear them out to play. He said they were the warmest he had ever had.

[FillingMyQuiver]

Have you tried making mittens out of felted wool sweaters?

Last winter I sent my kids out in the snow in their knitted wool mittens and no one came in w/ cold wet hands. I was pleasantly surprised b/c though I *know* the properties of wool and have used it as diaper covers for YEAR, I just didn't think it would hold up to wet snow. Well, it did, and I'm sold.

If you knit, you could knit some mittens a few sizes bigger than needed and felt them down to be more water tight/ warm, and also knit a really long cuff on them to keep the arm warm.

Oooo... I just thought of what would really be warm, thrummed mittens (if you knit, which for some reason, I seem to remember that you do, but I'm sorry if I'm mistaken)

[texmati]

I was about to suggest thrummed mittens! waaay to warm for where I live, but might be just right for your DS. I think you could try the wham well if you don't knit yourself.

[ecoteat]

We really like these: http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/66363?from=SR&feat=sr
They are easy to put on and warm and dry. The ones they are selling are a little different than the old style, but they still look good.

[cyncyn]

DD and I both have mittens made from felted recycled sweaters, lined in microfleece. They are super warm, nearly too warm most days around here. I bought them on etsy.

[Pumpkin_Pie]

I like the idea of the thrummed mittens. I actually have quite a bit of wool and some unspun fleece, so I wouldn't have to buy anything. I wonder if I could find a pattern online?

Also, does anyone know if you can use lanolin on mittens to help keep them from getting too wet in the snow? If I send them to school with him and they go out in the morning and get a little damp, they won't put them back on him in the afternoon if they go out again. Maybe I could send two pairs, but I would have to be crazy vigilant about keeping track of them.

[honeybunmom]

Originally Posted by Pumpkin_Pie

I like the idea of the thrummed mittens. I actually have quite a bit of wool and some unspun fleece, so I wouldn't have to buy anything. I wonder if I could find a pattern online?

Also, does anyone know if you can use lanolin on mittens to help keep them from getting too wet in the snow? If I send them to school with him and they go out in the morning and get a little damp, they won't put them back on him in the afternoon if they go out again. Maybe I could send two pairs, but I would have to be crazy vigilant about keeping track of them.

Are you on ravelry? I'd check there for a thrummed mitted pattern. Yes, you can lanolize mittens. I made some felted mittens for my daughter. Someone else on ravelry made the same pair and said she was going to lanolize them. I don't know why I never thought of that! The snow sticks to these mittens like crazy! Hoping the lanolizing will help.

ETA: Here's a free children's pattern.

[Hopefulmama]

No advice on mittens, but could he have Reynaud's syndrome? I had it as a child and still contend with it every winter. It may be worth looking into.

[mommy2maya]

We do plain handknit wool mittens and they are awesome for the snow. It takes a long time of play for them to get wet

[Pumpkin_Pie]

Originally Posted by Hopefulmama

No advice on mittens, but could he have Reynaud's syndrome? I had it as a child and still contend with it every winter. It may be worth looking into.

That is an interesting idea. I am not sure if he has it or not. I have it and have had it since I was a child, and never thought about him possibly having it. I just Googled it and it says that there is a distinct three phase color change for kids who have it. I am definitely going to keep track of the coloring of his fingers on the cold days. Thanks for mentioning this.

[gypsycanuck]

Just happened across this thread, I had the same problem - our little guy is very thin and he skis, skates and snowmobiles happily now that we've bought him these mitts

http://store.ski-doo.com/product/382504/446212/_/X-Team_Mitts

They're pricey but they've lasted him 2+ years now; we live in north central Canada and it's flipping cold here!!