UNIQLO MARNI MITTENS
NOT EVERYTHING FOR ALPINE CLIMBING NEEDS TO BE SUPER-EXPENSIVE, SPEC-MADE, HARDCORE GEAR FROM THE BIG BRANDS.
OVER THE WINTER OF 2022/23 WE GOT A LOT OF DAYS AND NIGHTS CLIMBING, ALMOST ALL OF THEM AT SOME POINT USING THE MARNI GLOVES FROM UNIQLO. “UNIQLO?” YOU MIGHT SAY, AND YES, THE JAPANESE STREETWEAR COMPANY BETTER KNOWN FOR BORING SOX, UNASSUMING CHINOS, AND DOWN JACKETS THAT ARE WORRYINGLY CHEAP.
WHAT MOST PEOPLE DON’T KNOW IS THAT UNIQLO IS HEAVILY INVESTED IN BY TORAY, THE SAME COMPANY THAT IS A MAJOR PLAYER IN MOST OTHER BIG BRANDS INCLUDING PATAGONIA AND ARCTERYX. BEING AN INDUSTRY JUGGERNAUGHT, UNIQLO PRETTY MUCH GETS TO CHOOSE WHAT THEY WANT KNOWING THEY WILL SELL TENS OF THOUSANDS OF ANYTHING THEY MAKE, AND SO THE SAME MATERIALS AND TREATMENTS SEEN IN CLIMBING WEAR MAKE THEIR WAY INTO THINGS LIKE THEIR JACKETS.
WE DON’T THINK THAT HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH THESE MITTENS THOUGH.
WHAT THESE MITTENS ARE, ARE VERY LIGHT, KNITTED ACRYLIC MITTENS, ONLY DIFFERENT FROM ANY OTHER BY THEIR SIMPLE SEAMLESS DESIGN AND SOLID KNIT THAT MAKES THEM ALMOST UNBREAKABLE. MADE LIKE A TUBE-SOCK, THESE HAVE NO SEAMS OTHER THAN THE ONE OVER THE FINGERTIPS, WITH THAT ONE BEING REINFORCED WITH A KNITTED OVERLOCK. IT IS LOW BULK AND COMPLETELY KNITTED WITH NO CHANCE OF UNRAVELLING, NOR DOES IT FORM A STIFF SEAM IN WHAT IS AN OTHERWISE SOFT BIT OF GEAR.
WE KNOW THE FIBER IS CHEAP, BUT IT IS ALSO HYDROPHOBIC, RETAINS IT’S SHAPE AND DOESN’T ABRAID WHEN WORN TO RAPPEL. THEY STAY WARM WHEN WET LIKE ANY SYNTHETIC, AND UNLIKE WOOL THEY DRY SUPERFAST.
THESE MITTENS ARE LIGHT ENOUGH TO ONLY MINIMALLY AFFECT DEXTERITY, BUT WILL HANDLE A LAYER OF SNOW AND STAY WARM AS LONG AS YOUR HANDS ARE BUSY. THEY WON’T BLOCK TOO MUCH WIND, BUT THEN THEY DON’T GET SWEATY EITHER, AND MAKE EXCELLENT LINER MITTS WITH A BIG MITT OVER TOP.
FOR MANY CLIMBERS THIS LEVEL OF HANDWEAR IS ABSENT FROM THEIR SELECTION, USUALLY RESERVING MITTS JUST FOR BIG ALPINE ONES OR THE LIGHT PUFFY ONES FOR BELAYS. THESE FILL THE SPACE BETWEEN A LIGHT GLOVE AND SOMETHING WARMER, AND ARE DEXTROUS ENOUGH TO USE BINERS, SPOONS, STOVES, TOOLS, AND ELECTRONICS.
PERHAPS BEST ABOUT THE MARNI MITTENS ARE THEY ARE AMBIDEXTROUS, NEITHER LEFT NOR RIGHT, SOMETHING SURPRISINGLY GOOD WHEN IT COMES TO PUTTING THEM ON. THESE MAKE GREAT SLEEPING HANDWEAR AND CAN EVEN DOUBLE AS BOOTIES, OR WHEN REMOVED MAKE A GOOD COVER FOR PHONES, CABLES AND BATTERIES INSIDE YOUR SLEEPING BAG.
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AVAILABLE IN A SELECTION OF APPARENTLY FASHIONALBE COLOURS, OH YEAH, AND THEY COST $4.