I have always used gloves. Why? Because they feel functional. 🙂 However, they are not as warm as mittens. 🙁 A tip that I learned from Joe Brortz during his Ice Fishing seminar at the Plum Island Surfcasters is that an ice fishing angler should carry gloves and mittens. Each have their purpose.
There are a variety high-tech mittens on the market. I purchased a pair of The Northface Montana Mitts from Eastern Mountain Sports (EMS).
The mittens are waterproof and breathable. They different amounts of insulation on the palms and on the back-of-hand areas.I have field tested these mittens under a variety of conditions. They were surprisingly functional and they kept my hands warm! I give them two thumbs up! I am now convinced that real ice anglers wear mittens. 😉
