About this Review: This review is my honest opinion of the mittens which I purchased with my own money in January of 2020.

My take

The Kinco Lined Heavy Duty Mitten is a great option for skiers or snowboarders looking for a warm and waterproof mitten that withstands seasons of abuse and is easily re-treated with waterproofing.

About this gear

• Model: Kinco Lined Heavy Duty Mittens
• Size: Large

About me

• Height: 6’0”
• Weight: 200 lbs
• Experience: 25+ of skiing

Test conditions

• When I bought them: January 2020
• Days used: 50+ days
• Weather conditions used in: Powder days, sub zero days, rainy wet days, sunny days, and spring skiing in a t-shirt
• Where I’ve used them: Throughout the West
• Terrain: In-bounds, sidecountry, backcountry, slackcountry

How they perform

What I was looking for

I was looking for a pair of mittens that wouldn’t be disposable. I wanted something that could last me season after season of abuse.

Why I chose this gear

I chose to buy the Kinco Mittens because I know of Kinco’s reputation with work gloves among ski patrol and in non-snow related industries. I wanted something that I could re-coat with waterproofing and that wouldn’t lose its ability to keep my hands dry.

I considered the Flylow Oven Mitts, because Flylow does the SnoSeal and baking for you, but they do not have individual finger slots for your fingers inside the mittens. They are a bit thinner and I wanted an extra warm mitten, so I chose the Kinco lined heavy duty mittens.

What I love about them

• Fit: I love the fit of the Kinco Mitten. There are individual finger slots inside the mitten, so they fit like a glove.
• Comfort: The mittens are very comfortable and they provide a snug and warm feeling no matter the weather.
• Warmth: They are very warm. The leather does a great job protecting me from the elements and the Heatkeep Insulation liner holds in heat very well.
• Waterproofing: The pigskin leather by itself is fairly waterproof but with a layer or two of Sno-Seal and some baking, I can really enhance the qualities of the leather.
• Conditions: These mittens do incredibly well for me on sub zero days, as well as on wet pow days. I am constantly impressed by their ability to perform in the harshest conditions. But they also are incredibly well-performing on average days.
• Touchscreen Compatibility: The mitten does not work with Smartphones. I have to remove them to use my touchscreen.
• Features: The elastic cuff helps create a barrier from wind and cold on my skin if I don’t secure my jacket over the mittens well. This doesn’t exist on the Axeman version.
• Quality: For the price, these are an incredibly high-quality product. I wore my first pair of Kinco Mittens for 4 seasons and the only issue I had was that some of the stitching on the thumb reinforcement started to fall out. I still use them as a secondary pair
• Durability: These are a product that you buy once and they can last many seasons, especially if re-treated with Sno-Seal.

Issues I’ve encountered

• Ease of movement: The pigskin leather can get a little tough after a lot of use and repeated coatings of Sno-Seal. Applying the Sno-Seal in lighter layers can help with this, but I think this is just a quality of the pigskin leather over time.
• Breathability: The leather is fairly breathable, but I do encounter some moisture inside the mittens on warmer days. Warmer spring days would probably be better suited for gloves anyway, but I don’t find the lack of breathability to be much of an issue. Just something worth noting.
• Weight: Because these are full leather, they are a little heavier than synthetic options, but I never notice the weight.

Favorite moment with this gear

I had a reverse pow day in these gloves that was very memorable. It was snowing hard and 32 degrees, and the wet quality of the snow soaked through most people’s layers and sent them home early. As the day progressed, the air got colder and drier. Not only did the snow that was falling lighten, but the moisture in the snow that was already on the ground evaporated. We spent the second half of the day skiing deep dry pow without too much competition. These mittens kept me warm and dry the whole time.

Value for the money vs. other options

This is one of the few products that I can buy that packs way more value than their cost. These are incredibly cheap for the sheer number of days they will last.

Final verdict

The Kinco Lined Heavy Duty Mitten is a great option for skiers or snowboarders looking for durability and quality in a warm and waterproof mitten.