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Yesterday, we talked about the weather getting colder, and the fact that you might want to have some additional heating support in your house. Well, just because it’s cold outside, that’s no reason to not get out and get active, is it? If you find yourself looking for something to keep your fingers warm when you go for a jog, we’ve been testing out the Nathan Hypernight Reflective Convertible Mitt.
I will say, for jogging/walking, I’m pretty fortunate. I’ve got a crushed limestone trail not far from my home, though that gets bogged up with ice and snow in the winter. So when it gets cold, I switch to a park that’s close to my house that has blacktop paths that get cleared. Along with a good pair of water-resistant running shoes (I seem to have gravitated towards what Asics makes just in terms of a comfortable fit), you need to layer up. For me, my hands get cold easily, so gloves have been a must.
In the past, I’ve just used a pair of regular winter gloves with some reflective running bands that I velcroed around them for some extra visibility. And you know, I’ll probably be using those in the really cold mornings. But so long as the temps are, say, no lower than 35 and not too windy, these Nathan Hypernight Reflective Convertible Mitt really get the job done.
Yes, their specs say they’re good down to 20 degrees, but that’s all in what you find personally comfortable. For me, my extremities (fingers and toes) get cold quickly, so I tend to not quite hit those ratings. And yes, these gloves are actually fairly thin. That’s a good thing, as they don’t weigh you down, and they’re really comfortable. The question is, how warm would they be?
With the extra mitt layer that you can wrap over your fingers (or tuck away when you don’t need it) is actually surprisingly warm. In fact, I would even tuck my thumb in there as well to give it some extra warmth. With higher winds, below 40 I found my fingers getting cold, even after I’d been jogging a bit. With calm winds, going down to 35 was easily comfortable, especially once you had been moving.
While the neon yellow version of the Nathan Hypernight Reflective Convertible Mitt is a solid option for visibility, the black version that we reviewed is no slouch as well. You see all those black dots down the side of the mitt, as well as the Nathan logo? Those are reflective! My photo above does a poor job of showing it, but they do reflect a lot of light. So long as you’re not trying to dress like a ninja, these will do a good job helping enhance your visibility if you’re running in low light in the morning or evening.
And you know, I’ve focused on these for winter runs, but the Nathan Hypernight Reflective Convertible Mitt will help you out as well in the early spring and late fall as well. Sometimes you just want a light layer on, and these get that job done without overheating you. With the touch-sensitive bits on the mitts, you’ll still be able to use your phone, unlock the back door when you get home, and all that jazz. You’ll even be able to interact with your bluetooth earbuds.
While I would not have considered myself a mitten person, the Nathan Hypernight Reflective Convertible Mitt have me convinced (it helps that you can tuck the mitten layer away so they look like gloves once you warm up). They keep my fingers warm, they help me stay visible, have grip patterns so things don’t slip, and I can use my phone or smart locks without taking them off. What’s not to like? If you want to pick up a pair, they run for $35 direct from nathansports.com
Details from Nathan Sports
- STAY WARM: Thermal stretch fabric with weather-resistant DWR finish. These gloves have the perfect tucked away, thermal mitt shield so you can bundle up your fingers for extended weather protection. Perfect for winter runs in the 20° to 35°F/-7° to 2°C range.
- SMART FEATURES: Conductive TruTouch™ technology on “texting” finger allows smart phone operation with gloves on so you can answer a call or take a picture. And best of all, there is a built in chamois to wipe your nose in the cold.
- Conductive TruTouch™ technology on “texting” finger allows smart phone operation while keeping gloves on
- Convertible feature provides added warmth and allows wearer to pull back mitts for freedom of movement
- Nose wipe chamois on thumbs, while keeping hands warm
- Small pocket on back of hand to hold StrobeLight for increased visibility in low light conditions
- Unique geo-reflective print for added visibility in low-light conditions
- Unisex Glove offered in sizes x-small to x-large
- Materials: 88% Polyester 12% Spandex Pro stretch
