Circulation isn’t exactly my forte. Coming out of the water in just about any tri and you can be sure I’ll have numb toes. I’ve been in tears coming in from a winter run because the blood trying to get back into my fingertips is so painful. And I don’t think I can just blame living in Minnesota and our cold temperatures either, because it happens at -20° below windchill and it has happened at 10° above. Short run… long run… it doesn’t seem to discriminate. So is it me? Or is it my gear? A combination of the two?
ME: To be fair, I am a very temperature sensitive person. I either seem to be super hot when no one else is, or freezing and wrapped in a blanket when no one else is. Although when it comes to running in the winter, more often than not all my running buddies will be just fine and I’m borderline frostbite on the extremities.
GEAR: I don’t know what to tell you… I’ve tried everything! (Or so I thought.) Gloves. Mittens. Gloves with a wind-shell mitten on top. Ski mittens that make me look like I’m running with oven mitts. (Hey… I never tried oven mitts! Maybe I gave up too soon.)
One thing that does for sure work is the sweet little invention called “Lil Hotties” … elsewhere known as Hot Hands. They’re mostly used for ice fishing/hunting/etc., but stick a pair inside your mittens and without a doubt your fingers will be toasty. However, each pair is only usable once, meaning it’s not a very cost effective solution to buy a pair for every winter run. (Funny side note – when I was a kid I thought these were made from gun powder. Maybe because my grandpa used them hunting?
)
ENTER: Craft Active Mittens
If you’ve never heard an angel sing, put these on and go outside for a run when it’s below zero and the wind is making it feel like -25°. Return home (/to car) and whip off mitten to grab for key. Suddenly, thoughts will be zooming through your mind at a speed faster than you’ve ever run a mile, sounding something like:
Wait. My fingers are bending… [checking to make sure they’re not broken.] I can actually feel the key in my pocket. [Pinches arm to make sure not dreaming. Turns the key and goes inside.] WAIT. Where is the blood rush? And why are they pink!?! [Touches fingers to face to make sure this is not an illusion. No, they’re real. Runs to find wife/husband/children/dog and grabs one of them by the arm.] LOOK!! [Holding up mobile, fully innervated and functioning hands and fingers.] THEY WORK! [Met with stares of confusion. But by this point, you don’t care. You’re already pulling your mittens back on to go out for another mile.]
Or something very similar. I can’t even just chalk this review up to being dramatic – they honestly change my attitude when going out for a run. This has been a long and cold winter here in Minnesota, and truthfully I was becoming a bit of a fair weather runner. Not any more!! Craft’s motto is “Where Athlete Meets Atmosphere” and they definitely provide products that meet that expectation.
[Legal disclosure: Oh wait, I don’t need one. I bought these mittens with mi propio dinero and no one asked me to review them. What now FTC guidelines? 
]
I know many of you outside the state of MN are thinking, um, a little late for the warmest ever mitten review, dontcha think? (Only being that you are from outside MN, you might not have “dontcha.”) However, winter is far from over here in our little corner of the North, so I won’t be packing these away just yet. Also, the end of a season is a fantastic time to stock up on gear –winter apparel goes on sale so stores can get their spring lines out. And [unfortunately] it’s not like winter is going to go away for good, so by stocking up at the end of the season you save money AND you’re prepared for that early storm next year.
If you’re a Twin Cities local and are thinking where can I get a pair of those?! Or any other winter items you want to stock up on (Craft? Sugoi? Mizuno? Got it!!) shoot me a comment or an email and I’ll hook you up with a good deal. 
drtrirunner [at] gmail [dot] com
Reader Qs:
What do you use for mittens/gloves? (I know there are some of you in tropical conditions (read: 30° +) that have no use for such items. One word: jealousy.) Do you run outside or indoors in the winter, or both? Do you have a cutoff point where it’s just “too cold”?
Be happy, be warm, and catch ya in a couple of days!
-E
I love those little hot hands things. I’ve put them in my bike shoes before I wear them in a cold triathlon.
maggs´s last [type] ..Mai Tais Are My Kryptonite
In the south, you can pretty much always get away with the 99 cent cotton throw away gloves
Have a great week of school!
I might need a deal on some mitties…but I’m also wondering if your shop caries the Saucony Grid Type A4? I don’t necessarily need a hook up – just wanting to give the shoe a try in person to avoid ordering and sending back if possible!
Betsy´s last [type] ..Spring in Holland!
Those mittens look awesome. I live by the hot hands. They make sooooo much difference when it’s cold outside. In fact, I asked for a Costco sized pack of them for Christmas.
Chelsea´s last [type] ..This one is for the books
ohhh yeaaa!! (in Kool-aid voice) My fingers go numb even if it’s 40 degrees out. It’s pathetic, but I’ve been blessed with terrible circulation, so these mittens are for me!
I always wear mittens when I run in the winter, but they hardly help. My hands are so frozen, I can barely take them off or unlock my door with my key. I have to say that I visited MN in the winter a yr ago (we were there for the Mayo Clinic) and Ive never seen so much snow or been colder. Im from TN. We would laugh about how we knew a true MN when they were able to go outside without a coat. O’ and I have to tell you that I’ve MN people were super nice. I loved it. We got to visit Harmony as well.
Yes…for sure put cocoa + coffee = mocha. Love it! Hope y’all get a sunny weekend!
Kallie´s last [type] ..bling bling
I’ve always had a fondness for little hotties (and Little Hotties, too).
I just did my own gear review and it only took a minute for a rebuttal to appear from a distributor.
SteveQ´s last [type] ..You waited a week for THIS