The deerskin mitten is the glove riders reach for when fingered gloves stop keeping up with the cold. Legendary USA makes its deerskin insulated mittens from 100% American Whitetail deerskin with a 100-gram 3M Thinsulate lining, and designs them for conditions below 30 degrees Fahrenheit. This is a look at why cold-weather riders keep a pair of deerskin mittens in the garage, and what they trade away to stay warm.
The glove that comes out last
Every rider who keeps riding into late fall has a pair that only appears when the frost is on the seat. For many it is the mitten. It is not the glove they reach for first, and it is not meant to be.
Mittens work because your fingers share heat. In a fingered glove each finger sits alone in its own sleeve. In a mitten the fingers sit together, and they warm each other. Legendary USA describes it plainly in its product notes: mittens keep fingers together to share body heat rather than isolating each one.
That is a simple idea, and it is the reason mittens have a long history wherever people work and travel in the cold. It carries over to the motorcycle without changing much.
What the Legendary mitten is built with
The outer is American Whitetail deerskin, and the lining is 100-gram 3M Thinsulate. Legendary USA notes that is 2.5 times heavier than the 40-gram lining in its fleece-lined short wrist glove. The palm is double-layered for strength at the highest-wear point, and the stitching is outseam for interior comfort.
The wrist is elasticized, and the mitten is hand-cut and stitched in the USA. Legendary USA notes the deerskin stays pliable in cold without conditioning. The same deerskin has run through the line for years, which is the story told in our post on the American deerskin riding tradition.
What a rider gives up
A mitten trades dexterity for warmth. You will feel the controls differently, because your fingers work as a group rather than one at a time. Take a short ride in a parking lot before you commit to a long cold one.
Sizing also differs. Legendary USA asks you to order by hand circumference, and to size up if you wear liner gloves underneath. Our deerskin mittens vs gloves guide compares both options side by side so you can decide which belongs on your bars.
Where mittens fit in a cold-season kit
Most riders do not replace their gloves with mittens. They add them. A fingered glove handles fall, a lined glove handles early winter, and the mitten covers the coldest rides. You can see every glove style in our Made in USA motorcycle gloves collection.
The mitten is not an all-weather answer, and it is not a substitute for judgment. If the road is icy, the answer may be to stay home. Riders who keep going through the cold season know that, and they pack accordingly.
One job, done well
The deerskin mitten is a tool with one job: keep hands warm when fingered gloves cannot. Pick it up for the coldest mornings, practice with the controls before you rely on it, and keep your regular gloves for everything else.
For rider training and general riding guidance, the Motorcycle Safety Foundation publishes resources on its rider training site.
Frequently asked questions
- What are Legendary deerskin insulated mittens made of?
- The outer is 100% American Whitetail deerskin. The lining is 100-gram 3M Thinsulate, and the palm is double-layered for strength. The stitching is outseam for interior comfort, the wrist is elasticized, and the mittens are hand-cut and stitched in the USA.
- Are mittens warmer than gloves for motorcycle riding?
- Generally yes at the same insulation level, according to how Legendary USA describes the design. In a mitten the fingers sit together and share heat, while in a fingered glove each finger is isolated. The trade-off is reduced finger dexterity, so expect the controls to feel different and practice before a long ride.
- What temperature are the Legendary deerskin mittens designed for?
- Legendary USA designs the mittens for conditions below 30 degrees Fahrenheit, where fingered gloves are insufficient. Wind chill at speed makes the effective temperature lower than the air temperature, so factor in your speed, your exposure and how long you plan to ride when you choose a glove.
- How should deerskin mittens fit?
- Order by hand circumference. Legendary USA recommends sizing up if you plan to wear liner gloves underneath, because a tight mitten restricts blood flow and makes your hands colder. A snug fit that does not squeeze works best, with room for your fingers to move together.
- Do I need to condition deerskin mittens before riding in the cold?
- Legendary USA notes the deerskin outer stays pliable in extreme cold without conditioning. Clean and dry them as you would any leather glove, and store them in a cool, dry place. If you ride in wet snow or cold rain, let them dry fully and away from direct heat before the next ride.