Price when reviewed
The Vallerret Skadi LRS Zipper Mitts are highly recommended for photographers working in extremely cold conditions. They offer warmth and quick access to camera controls. While they are generally water-resistant, extended exposure to wet conditions may lead to moisture seepage.
If you get very cold fingers, it is well worth switching from gloves to mittens for the extra warmth they supply.
The Vallerret Skadi LRS Zipper Mitt is designed to keep photographers’ hands warm and working in cold environments. As such, the Skadi Mitts bridge the gap between traditional mittens and the specific needs of photographers by combining warmth with the ability to get hands-on a camera’s controls.
The Skadi mitts sit high up in Vallerret’s warmth rating above the Milford and Markhof Pro V3 gloves but below the Alta Arctic Mitts.
These mittens are a blend of high-quality materials and smart design. Each mitt is made from PU faux leather, laminated soft twill, and a laminated DWR shell, offering robust protection against the elements. They are also insulated with Primaloft and there’s a Merino wool lining. In addition, the Vallerret Skadi Mitts come with a pair of Polartec Power Stretch Pro inner gloves.
A key feature of the Skadi Mitts is the zip-opening finger cover paired with a flip-back thumb cap. This design allows photographers to quickly expose their fingers and thumb to operate their camera, going precise control over the buttons, dial and touchscreen.
There’s also a a zip-close pocket on the back of each mitten, which is useful for storing essential small items like memory cards, and houses a key for a tripod release plate, conveniently attached to a cord.
The mittens are available in six sizes and two colourways, black or green.
The Vallerret Skadi LRS Zipper Mitts look and feel like smart skiing or snowboarding mittens. The outer layer also proves durable and resistant to wear and tear. The mittens’ design also includes a jersey cuff which gives a snug fit around the wrist to prevent cold air from entering.
The zip mechanism is smooth and allows for quick access to the camera controls. Thanks to the long leather pull on the zipper, it’s fairly easy to open and close the zippers while wearing the gloves. On a few very cold occasions, I grabbed the pull with my teeth to close the zip.
A popper is fitted on each glove to hold back the finger cover when it’s open. I found this awkward to use and on most occasions, I didn’t bother, preferring instead to just push my fingers out of the mitten
There’s also a magnetic hold-back for the flip-top thumb covering, which works well.
While the mittens can be squashed into a a large coat pocket, the elasticated cuff and storm leash mean you can let them hang from your wrist when you pull them off, with no fear of losing one. Similarly, it’s good to see a carabiner clip to keep your mittens together and/or attach to your backpack, camera bad or a belt loop.
It can take a while to become comfortable wearing mittens if you’re used to wearing gloves, but it;’s well worth persevering as mittens keep you fingers warmer.
The Vallerret Skadi Zipper Mitts are super-warm and designed for use in deep winter conditions. I’ve worn them in -10-degrees centigrade with windchill making it feel much colder and my fingers have stayed warm and snug. They do a great job of blocking out cold wind.
Naturally, your fingers cool down quite quickly when the mittens are open and you have your hands on your camera. However, the push back finger covers give your fingers some protection from the wind.
Meanwhile, the Polartec Power Stretch Pro inner gloves are thin enough to allow for precise camera control but warm and windproof enough to keep the cold at bay. On many occasions I found the mittens warm enough by themselves, but I appreciated the liner gloves when the finger covers were pushed back.
While the gloves are water-resistant, if you’re handling wet items such as drag lift or ski poles for much of the day, water can start to seep in.
The Vallerret Skadi LRS Zipper Mitts are a great choice for any photographer who is shooting in very cold environments or who’s fingers are prone to feeling the cold. Mittens are much better at keeping your hands warm than gloves.
Features like a zip-close pocket for memory cards and a key for tripod release plates are a nice addition, but my main consideration is the warmth of my hands and the Skadi Mitts are great in that regard. The main opening allows you to get your fingers on your camera quickly while giving your hand some shelter from the worst of the wind.
Follow the link to order the Vallerret Skadi LRS Photography Gloves
