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FlyLow Oven Mitt Review

A tough, trendy, and affordable choice for resort or backcountry skiing
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FlyLow Oven Mitt Review
Credit: Backcountry
Price:  $55 List
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Manufacturer:   Flylow
By Travis Poulin ⋅ Review Editor  ⋅  Dec 1, 2022
41
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#22 of 22
  • Warmth - 25% 4.0
  • Dexterity - 25% 3.0
  • Water Resistance - 25% 4.0
  • Durability - 15% 7.0
  • Features - 10% 3.0

Our Verdict

The FlyLow Oven Mitts are not only trendy but handy. For a mitten, they surprisingly exceeded in several dexterity tests including knot tieing. They are also relatively warm and do well in windy conditions. They do come coated in Sno-Seal, but persistent reapplication is necessary as the leather dries out. These are not great for warm days as they sweat out easily, but for those with cold hands, they are a great price point option. For the price, the Oven Mittens are well-rounded. They work best in the backcountry if you carry a liner glove because once your hands warm up in these there is no cooling back down without removing the mittens. The name “oven” is in the name for a reason but they find their place in cold temperatures.
REASONS TO BUY
Tough
Waterproof
Warm
Dexterous for a mitt
REASONS TO AVOID
Sweats out easily
Must apply Sno-Seal often to avoid soaking up water
Editor's note: We updated this review with new comparisons and recommendations to aid in purchase decisions on December 1, 2022.

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Overall Score Sort Icon
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45
Star Rating
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Bottom Line Functional for in the backcountry or at the resort, but have a relatively small temperature rangeThis excellent ski glove provides warmth and weather resistance at a budget-acknowledging priceA warm and comfortable mitten at an excellent valueAverage warmth, weather resistance, and durability, for an attainable priceMissing key aspects that make a good ski glove, their durability makes them capable winter work gloves
Rating Categories FlyLow Oven Mitt Gordini GTX Storm T... The North Face Mont... Gordini AquaBloc Do... Flylow Ridge Glove
Warmth (25%)
4.0
7.0
8.0
6.0
2.0
Dexterity (25%)
3.0
4.0
2.0
5.0
7.0
Water Resistance (25%)
4.0
8.0
7.0
6.0
4.0
Durability (15%)
7.0
8.0
7.0
5.0
6.0
Features (10%)
3.0
9.0
8.0
6.0
3.0
Specs FlyLow Oven Mitt Gordini GTX Storm T... The North Face Mont... Gordini AquaBloc Do... Flylow Ridge Glove
Double or Single Glove Single Single Single Single Single
Gaunlet or Cuff? Cuff Gauntlet Gauntlet Gauntlet Cuff
Palm Material Pigskin leather Polyurethane Synthetic leather Rugged ripstop softshell, bluesign® approved Cowhide leather
Waterproof Material SnoSeal beeswax Gore-Tex DryVent AquaBloc® insert SnoSeal beeswax
Insulation Type Spaceloft Micropuff Megaloft Back of hand: 250g Heatseeker Eco
Palm: 160g Heatseeker Eco
Back of hand: 600-fill GooseDown, Palm: Megaloft® synthetic insulation Spaceloft Micropuff
Nose Wipe? No Yes Yes Yes No

Our Analysis and Test Results

The Oven Mitts are one of the more simple product designs we tested, but they hold up well for their price. The Primaloft insulation works well in cold weather but sometimes too well in warmer conditions.

Performance Comparison


flylow oven mitt - field testing ski gloves in colorado.
Field testing ski gloves in Colorado.
Credit: Laraine Martin

Warmth


The Oven Mitts were first tested in warm, early-season conditions where they did not seem to be a good fit due to the inability to breathe well. These mittens sweat out easily when touring or resort skiing on days above 30F and take a while to dry. That said, in colder conditions, the Primaloft insulation performed great. These mittens are ideal for temperatures between 0F-20F.

flylow oven mitt - the oven mitts trap heat well despite having relatively little...
The Oven Mitts trap heat well despite having relatively little insulation. They are not the warmest mitts, but they are still warm.
Credit: Travis Poulin

Water Resistance


The Oven Mitts wetted out fairly quickly in the ice bath/submersion test, which was expected given their simple construction and lack of a waterproof membrane. However, they held up well in the ice portion of the test and kept our hands warm longer than some of their pricier counterparts, even when saturated.

flylow oven mitt - the mittens were quick to let water in during our submersion test
The mittens were quick to let water in during our submersion test
Credit: Rachel Croft

Dexterity


As far as mittens go, the Oven Mitts were plenty dexterous. Gripping ski poles is where they stood out most due to the grippy pigskin leather and thin construction. Zipper adjustments were significantly easier with these than with some competitors and getting them back under your jacket sleeve was as easy as it should be.

Durability


The pigskin leather is what gains the Oven Mittens all the durability points. A long-trusted material, the leather holds up extremely well against weather, ice, wind, and sharp edges. Before one of our testers converted from the dark side (snowboarding) many years ago, these were the only mittens that did not wear out prematurely from carrying a snowboard. Stitching is where the Oven Mitts begin to lose points. It does not appear to be up to the higher standard of more expensive options.

flylow oven mitt - a tough mitt that wets-out easily.
A tough mitt that wets-out easily.
Credit: Rachel Croft

Features


There isn't much to be said about the Oven Mitts' features because of their simplicity. They are simple leather mittens, after all. The elastic cuff fits great on the wrist but the hands can feel a bit loose inside the mittens. This is because of a lack of insulation filling up space, which also contributes to its above-average dexterity.

Should You Buy the Flylow Oven Mitt?


The Oven Mitts don't stand out in any of our performance metrics. Overall, they are very simple and basic, but they are also affordable. If you're going for the mitten look and want a decent level of dexterity at a reasonable price, these may be a good fit.

What Other Ski Gloves Should You Consider?


If you are a dedicated mitten-wearer, you can get the much better The North Face Montana Ski Mitt for just a little more money. If you want the warmest mittens that money can buy, the Black Diamond Mercury Mitt is super warm, waterproof, and durable.

Travis Poulin