A size chart will allow you to determine the correct sizes of mittens for your hand. A size chart will help to prevent you from purchase mittens that do not fit your hand. If the mittens that you wear is too small for your hand, you may experience numbness in your hand.
If the mittens that you wear are too large for your hand, they may be more difficultly to manage with your hand. By using the size chart, you can ensure that the mittens will be the proper size for your hand and you wont have to return them later. To use the size chart, you must first take your hand measurements.
Use a Size Chart to Find the Right Mittens
To do this, use a measuring tape to measure the circumference of your widest part of your palm (ensuring that your thumb is out of the way), and measuring the length of your hand from the crease of your wrist to the tip of your middle finger. The size chart use these two measurements to determine the size of mittens that you should purchase. In the case that your measurement fall in between two size, choose the larger size (especially if you plan to wear a liner within the mittens).
In addition to the size chart, there is also different types of mittens. For instance, some mittens is unlined, which allow for more dexterity in your hand, but do not provide as many warmth as lined mittens. Other mittens may contain some form of insulation to retain the warmth within your hand, but this take up extra room within the mittens.
Furthermore, mittens may have a knit wrist cuff (to keep snow out of the mittens) or a gauntlet cuff (to protect a jacket sleeve from snow and slush). The material used in the mittens will also affect the way in which they may fit your hand over time. For instance, pigskin mittens will soften quick and break in after a few days of wearing the mittens.
Cowhide mittens are stiffer then pigskin but are more resistant to abrasion. Regardless of the material used to make the mittens, the leather will mold to your hand over time so that the mittens feels customized to your hand. To ensure that the mittens maintain there original size, you must maintain them proper.
If the mittens gets wet, the leather will shrink when the mittens dry. You should never use a car heater or wood stove to dry the mittens as the heat will make the leather stiff within the mittens. Instead, allow the mittens to air dry to room temperature.
Additionally, you can treat the mittens with beeswax once or twice during each season to restore the water resistance of the leather without changing the size of the mittens. Using the size chart is a simple process, but important to ensure that your mittens will perform as they should. By using the size chart to find the proper size of mittens for your hand, you will ensure that the mittens are useful for many season to come.
Following the size chart, the measurements for your hand, and properly caring for your mittens will ensure that they remain a functional piece of equipment.
