To choose the proper size for an pair of Dakine mittens, one must understand the effect of mitten size. If a pair of Dakine mittens are too tight, the Dakine mittens will restrict the blood flow to the fingers. If a pair of Dakine mittens is too loose, the Dakine mittens will allow for the presence of pockets of cold air within the mitten.
In either situation, you want to use the Dakine mitten size charts to ensure that your Dakine mittens are the proper size for your hand. The Dakine mitten size charts shows the measurements of the circumference of the hand and the length of the hand. To determine the circumference of your hand, measure around the knuckles of your hand.
How to Choose the Right Size for Dakine Mittens
To determine the length of your hand, measure from the wrist to the tip of your fingertip. Because the human hand is not made to be symmetrical, it is a recommendation to use your dominant hand to take these measurements. Additionally, if you find that your measurements are in between two size, choose the larger size to avoid losing the circulation of your blood to your fingers.
Because Dakine mittens are designed to keep all of your fingers together and to allow for the even sharing of the body heat given off by your hand and fingers, it is crucial that your Dakine mittens is the proper size for your hand. If your Dakine mittens are too large for your hand, they will lose the heat that your fingers radiate. If the mittens are too small for your hand, they will restrict the blood flow to your hands.
The separate measurements for circumferences and lengths on the Dakine size charts allow for individuals to select the proper size for their hand without purchasing a pair of Dakine mittens that are too large or too small. Dakine offers womens specific mitten models as well as mens and unisex models. The women’s specific mitten models are designed with a narrower profile to accommodate for the shorter fingers that women typically possess.
Additionally, the women’s specific models have a softer cuff than the mens and unisex mitten models. By wearing a mens or unisex mitten on a smaller hand, there may be excess space within the tips of the mittens, and the cuffs may feel bulky on the smaller hand. The women’s models are designed in a way that reduces this bulk.
The size charts that Dakine provides for the junior mittens are the same as the adult models. However, the junior mittens are designed for younger children. Because young children may grow in the span of a few months, it is always a good idea to purchase a pair of Dakine mittens for a younger child with an extra size in case of growth or if the mittens will be layered with a thin liner glove.
To measure your hand, you can use a soft tape measure. Measure around the widest part of the palm of your hand with your thumb tucked in the side of your hand to obtain your hand circumference. To measure your hand length, take the tape measure from the crease of your wrist to the tip of your middle finger.
Write down both measurements. Many individuals dont measure their hands due to their reliance upon old glove size. However, taking these measurements will ensure that you purchase a pair of mittens that fit proper.
Depending upon the type of snow and riding that you perform on the mountain, Dakine creates different models of mittens. For example, some models will have tall gauntlets and heavy insulation to help retain the body heat in deep powder snow. Other models will have shorter cuffs and light insulation for park riding.
Within the Dakine comparison grid, Dakine illustrates each model with its features such as the type of insulation, membrane, the material used for the palms of the mittens, and the style of the cuffs. Reading the comparison grid will allow an individual to select the best pair of Dakine mittens for their specific type of riding. Dakine mittens may have leather palms or synthetic palms.
Leather palms offer the most grip on the snow and last longer with time. However, you must condition the leather periodically. Synthetic palms are lighter than leather and do not require any maintenance.
However, the synthetic palms will wear down over time with exposure to snow and riding on park snow ramps. Choose synthetic mittens for park use and leather for deep snow. Depending upon the type of snow that you will be skiing or snowboarding in, the length of the cuffs of the mittens may change.
For instance, mittens with longer cuffs will help to prevent the cold air from deep snow from entering your hand. However, these types of mittens will be bulkier to wear on your arm than mittens with short cuffs. Shorter cuffs will allow for these mittens to tuck into the sleeves of your jacket and will keep your profile slim when performing tricks in the park.
The length of the cuffs can be selected based off the type of terrain that you will be skiing or snowboarding in. In order to ensure that your Dakine mittens last as long as possible, they should be air dried when wet. Additionally, applying water repellent treatment to the outer shell of the mittens will protect the mitten from absorbing moisture.
If the mitten features removable liners, you can wash those liners. These steps will ensure that your mittens do not degrade with time. Dakine provides temperature ratings for each of its mitten models.
The warmest models are designed for deep cold weather and stormy weather. However, there are also models with light insulation for when the sun comes out and the snow is soft. These temperature ratings are an indication of the warmth provided by each model, but they are not exact due to the differences in human body chemistry and physical characteristics.
The Dakine size chart ensures that the purchasing of any pair of Dakine mittens is transformed from a subjective decision to an objective one. With the information provided on the chart and with the knowledge of the measurements of your own hand, you can ensure that the mittens will fit the way that they are intended to fit. Additionally, choosing the correct size for your mittens will result in warmer mittens as well as better control of the skiing or snowboarding equipment while on the mountain.
