When the bells and whistles are traded for pure performance, you get Hestra’s Army Leather Heli Ski – Mitt, a five-word title for five stars of warmth. This multilayered mitten with durable polyamide material and goat leather on the shell is coupled with cozy warm fleece in the liner. It’s an almost perfect mitten. The “almost” is critical here, as Hestra has opted not to use a waterproof liner with the Heli Ski Mitt, and we’re not sure why. The leather tends to wet out in warmer conditions, which impacts the mitten’s overall warmth. It’s so close to being perfect, but overall, it is still an amazingly warm mitten with surprisingly good dexterity.

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See Our Best Winter Ski Mitten Review 2021 Article HERE!

You can’t create a “best winter mittens” list without including Hestra in some way. Hestra is a favorite brand amongst people who take their winter recreation very seriously. Founded in 1936, Hestra is now operated by the third and fourth generations of Magnussons, who are based out of Hestra, Sweden. If there is one thing our Swedish friends know, it is how to make a durable and high-quality glove and mitten. The Hestra Army Leather Heli Ski Mitten is no exception; it has been built to perform in formidable environments while remaining warm and comfortable.

Material

The Hestra Army Leather Heli Ski Mitten is built with a removable liner made of incredibly soft 100% polyester fleece. The bonus with Hestra mitts is that it is quite easy to find replacement liners for the mitts or gloves if your pair begins to wear out, saving you from the expense of buying entirely new mittens.

The mitten shell is Hestra’s Triton Polyamide fabric, a windproof, water-resistant, and breathable fabric. The palm and thumb of the mitten are a durable but non-treated goat leather. We highly recommend treating these mittens to improve their water resistance and overall durability. It really is too bad that Hestra hasn’t included a waterproof membrane, or these mittens would be perfect.

Insulation

The insulation on the Hestra is their proprietary G-Loft, a thin polyester fiber integrated into the liner. While it doesn’t add to the weight of the insulation, the liner of the Army Leather Heli Ski Mitts does not pack down as quickly as other mittens. The warmth is there, and it’s there to last.

Dexterity and Fit

Hestra has its own sizing system to help you pick the perfect pair for your hands. The company offers more than 400 styles of handwear, as they know that everyone has different hands and they want everyone to find the perfect fit. The fit guides run in a numbered system from 5-13 for adults. Having worn a large for all the other mitts in the test, I found an 8 or 9 was perfect for my hand depending on the shell. As with all outdoor gear, it is worth trying something on before purchasing, but if you can’t, Hestra shows you how to measure your hand to find the best fit.

Accessories

Complete with our favorite accessory, a wrist leash, there really isn’t much else to brag about with these mittens. They have a large reinforced metal ring with a complimentary carabiner to keep the mitts together when not being worn. This carabiner could also be used to clip them to a harness or pack if needed for quick access. There is a front wrist cinch and gauntlet cinch to lock snow out.

The liner is connected to the shell by a ring of Velcro that made the liner feel very secure in the shell. The mitten is also available in seven colors to match any snowsuit. Not only will you be warm, but you’ll be super stylish, and that is always a win.

The Bottom Line

Hestra has not disappointed with the Army Leather Heli Ski – Mitt. Sure, the name could be a little shorter, but now we’re just splitting hairs. The overall warmth and comfort of the mitten are almost unrivaled, and we are fans of the well-thought-out features, like the wrist leash and over-engineered carabiner connector. Frankly, the only flaw (though it is fairly substantial) is the lack of a truly waterproof membrane throughout the mitten. This can lead to the leather wetting out, and cold sneaking in through wet material. For $155, the lack of waterproofing takes away from the overall value of the mitten, but if you are only helicopter or cat skiing and are only making powder turns, they’re perfect. If you do end up in warmer conditions with wetter snow, a treatment on the leather is highly advised.

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