Moose Mitts
There are a variety of pogies and bar mitts out there on the market to choose from and I’m sure all of them surely do the job. I am no pogie expert as on a personal level I tend to shy away from long rides in extreme cold, I’m just NOT a fan of cold weather riding (plus I gotta say being on blood thinners does NOT help). BUT… since moving to Michigan I have learned to suck it up a bit more than I used to and kick my ass out the door and off the trainer when time allows in the winter. Having said all that, this year I finally invested in some pogies.
I went with Moose Mitts, basically because they are made at Trail’s Edge Cyclery just a couple hours south of my house XXC Mag HQ and it’s nice to support localish businesses when I can. Today was the ride that was finally cold enough (9˚ at ride time, I think that’s cold enough), I had the time to get a “real” ride in and the dirt and gravel farm roads were snowy and frozen enough to support such cold-ass shenanigans.
I must say my hands were seriously HAPPY! If anything they became TOO warm and sweaty and after about an hour twenty-five things got more than a tad cold due to that fact. Had I taken and extra pair of gloves (something I usually do due to my sweaty hand problem) or used a more breathable pair I would have been gold. I gotta say that buying the Moose Mitts was the best $65 I’ve ever spent on my winter cycling. Now if they could just make something to keep my feet warm I’d be EXTREMELY happy, my vintage pair of Lake winter boots aren’t really cutting it these days. I thought I was gonna lose a little piggy or two today. YIKES!
As I said above, I am not a HUGE winter cyclist (but the more beer I drink and pizza I eat I am becoming a HUGE cyclist)… I do what I can to just to stay on the business side of sane and call it a day. I mean today topped out at just under 3 hours, not HUGE by any means but that’s about all I have for cold weather riding. I do have to say though, rides like the one today REALLY ups my respect for the folks who take on challenges like the Arrowhead 135, Susitna 100, etc., Freaks… FREAKS I tell you!!! I really don’t know how their bodies deal with the cold, eeesh!! BTW, keep an eye out for more on the Arrowhead 135 in the next issue of XXC Magazine.
Despite the Ice Station Zebra temps, the sun was out, vitamin D was soaked up, miles were rode and after I chiseled away the frozen sweat on my face and thawed out my toes a grin was seen in the mirror.
Wait… what was this post about? Umm…a….a… I guess pogies are sweet, get some if you do cold ass rides and Moose Mitts are swell.
Category: Gear, Uncategorized, Winter Riding
