Oh, how we love the new Moon Mitt. Made by esteemed Swedish manufacturer Hestra that specializes in handwear, this mitten is extremely warm, plush on the inside, and perfect for casual use and winter walking even in the most frigid of temperatures. Compared to the more serious mitten options like the Hestra Heli, the Moon Mitt does not have features like a drawcord at the wrist or tough fabric on the outside of the hand. The Moon Mitt is, however, supremely warm and comfortable, making it one of our favorite casual mittens on the market. For serious downhill or backcountry use, we've also tested and written about ski gloves.
Warmth
Loaded with high-end PrimaLoft insulation, warmth and comfort are where the Moon Mitt excels. We tested these mittens in frigid Northern Wisconsin temperatures that dropped down to 0 degrees Fahrenheit not accounting for wind chill, and they kept us warm each and every day no matter the conditions. On a long nighttime walk when everyone else was complaining about consistently cold digits, our tester commented that, “My hands have not been cold on this entire trip.” The maximum temperature in which we wore the Moon Mitts was 35 degrees Fahrenheit and we didn’t have issues with overheating, although they felt like they were approaching the comfort ceiling.
As is the case with most mittens and gloves, warmth is least impressive at the tips of the fingers. I borrowed the Moon Mitt for a test—we had them in a size 7 and my hands are more like a size 8—and I noticed feeling colder temperatures at the tips of the fingers, perhaps a consequence of compressing the insulation. This is a reason not to push the sizing and err on the side of wearing them slightly large, especially given their casual slant.
Comfort
The Moon Mitts feels like you are wearing pillows on your hands. Upon first trying them on, we immediately took notice of how comfortable they felt. The inside is a non-removable brushed polyester liner—which doesn’t bode well for high exertion activities where your hands really sweat—but is very soft to the touch. Inside is high-end PrimaLoft synthetic insulation that feels feathery and warm. Given the high loft of these mittens, they rival the feel of down mittens but with solid water resistance to boot.
Features
The Moon Mitt is high on the warmth and comfort scales but minimalistic in terms of features:
Waterproof Ripstop Shell
The ripstop shell is waterproof, wind resistant, and surprisingly soft. However, it’s certainly not the toughest shell we’ve worn. For downhill and backcountry skiers, the Hestra Heli Mitt and its Triton Entrant shell is tougher and less prone to abrasion, plus it offers much more leather coverage around the inside of the hand. The shell on the Moon Mitt protects well against cold and precipitation, but the lack of padding or thicker materials means that it won’t stand up to serious abuse (think brushing against trees and rocks).
Leather Strips on the Palms
The Moon Mitt has single strips of leather on each palm for grip and protection, which is helpful in grabbing small things like a phone but isn’t optimal for activities like gripping a ski pole during a tough downhill run (stick with real ski gloves for that). We did take the Moon Mitt snowshoeing and they were totally sufficient for that activity, and they also work well for winter walking with poles. All in all, the leather palms are helpful for light to moderate activity and add some durability, but you don’t get full leather coverage like other Hestra mittens.
Elastic Cuffs
Simple elastic cuffs on the wrists are effective at keeping cold air out, but the mittens don’t have drawstrings like the Hestra Heli that prevent snow and ice from entering. This is yet another reason that the Moon Mitt is not built for serious backcountry use where the snow really flies. The cuffs are comfortable and keep a tight seal on the wrists for cozy hands, which is all that most people who wear them need.
Non-Removable Liner
During high exertion activities, your hands sweat and eventually can soak through the liners. The Moon Mitt has a non-removable brushed polyester liner, which is simple to use and and helps with comfort as a removable liner has a tendency to bunch. For casual use, a non-removable liner is common and not a detractor for us. However, given the high levels of warmth the Moon Mitt provides, it won’t wear well in warmer temperatures when sweat can build up. We recommend these as your cold weather mittens and not for cool temperatures. Depending on how cold your hands run and how much they sweat, we like these mittens for temperatures of about 35 degrees Fahrenheit and below. They are great for winter in cold places like the East Coast, Midwest, and Northern Europe, but are overkill for moderate climates like the Pacific Northwest.
Fit and Sizing
Interesting, the Moon Mitt is listed as unisex by about half the online retailers and as a women’s mitten by the other half. To us, this is a unisex mitten and nothing makes it fit the traditional stereotypes of women’s gear (which we dislike in the first place). Our female tester got the mitten in black and I happily wore it on multiple occasions.
The Moon Mitt currently is offered in sizes 6-9, and we got the Moon Mitt in a size 7, equivalent to a women’s medium or men’s small on Evo’s Hestra sizing chart. The mitten runs larger than usual, with our tester having plenty of extra room at the tips of her fingers. I wear a medium or large in men’s gloves and mittens depending on the brand, and the Moon Mitt was on the small side for me but wearable nevertheless. We recommend sizing down if you’re on the fence.
Best Uses
As described above, the Hestra Moon Mitten is fantastic for daily use and leisurely winter activities like walking and snowshoeing. The build is casual, with impressively high levels of warmth and coziness without the performance-oriented bells and whistles that add cost and complexity. Serious adventurers will want a tougher mitten, but the Moon Mitt is great for everyday use in cold climates.
