Black Diamond UL Rain Overmitts Review
Black Diamond’s UL Overmitts are waterproof seam-taped mittens for runners and ultralight hikers. They’re wrist-length with stretch cuffs, made with a 3-layer waterproof/breathable fabric, and come with reflective logos and silicone-textured palms. Weighing a mere 1.0 oz, they fold up tiny and are easily carried whatever your mode of travel. They cost $60/pair.
- Weight: 1.0 oz
- Seam-taped: Yes
- Waterproof/breathable: Yes
Black Diamond UL Overmitts are ultralight rain and wind mitts that keep cold rain or wind off your hands when running or hiking. They weigh virtually nothing, making them easy to justify carrying if you’re hiking with a pack or just out for a run, even if you don’t need them. Waterproof and windproof, they still accumulate perspiration when used, but they slow evaporation, which is what chills your hands if unprotected.
While these UL Overmitts provide virtually no dexterity, they are large enough to grip a pair of trekking poles, with or without straps, with the thumb and palm. They also have enough volume to be worn over liner gloves if you prefer a little more warmth. Regardless of the season, I’ve always found a mitten layered over a glove to be an effective combination in cooler weather.
The one thing missing from these gloves are long wrist gauntlets that can be tightened around a rain jacket sleeve to prevent rain from running up the sleeve. Long gauntlets also help retain the warmth from your wrists, where blood flows close to the skin. That’s why many mitts and gloves designed for colder weather have long wrist gauntlets.
| Make / Model | Seam-taped | |
|---|---|---|
| Black Diamond UL Overmitts | Yes | $60 |
| MLD Rain Mitts | No | $45 |
| Enlightened Equipment Visp Rain Mitts | Yes | $60 |
| Zpacks Vertice Rain Mitts | Yes | $75 |
| High Tail Designs Rain Mitts | Yes | $86 |
| Etowah UL Overmitts | No | $28 |
I’ve reviewed many rain mitts over the years, and I find it curious that big companies like REI, Black Diamond, and Outdoor Research keep producing rain mitts without long wrist gauntlets while the smaller cottage manufacturers include them.
Of course, if you’re running and pumping your arms vigorously, longer wrist gauntlets will probably be more of a nuisance than a benefit since your jacket sleeves will run back up your arms anyway. But staying warm takes on greater urgency if you’re hiking and backpacking in cold and wet weather, all day or for days at a time.
While I think Black Diamond’s UL Overmitts are fine for running, I’d give them a pass if you want rain mitts for hiking and backpacking in colder weather and check out the rain mitts offered by smaller hiker-focused companies. Net net. These Black Diamond UL Overmitts are good for runners, but not so much for hikers and backpackers.
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For $60 I am glad you can grab a hiking pole with these. I can do that with my ultralight plastic bread bags at a somewhat lower cost. My bread bags have long wrist gauntlets, too.
But do they have reflective logos?
Black Diamond currently makes a long gauntlet WP shell mitt. Check it out at https://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en_CA/product/waterproof-overmitts/.
Cheers.
That’s a winter mitt. You wouldn’t want to use it the rest of the year. It’s also enormous.
I wear the OR Revel shell mitts (3.7 oz) any cold, damp day from fall through spring to keep my hands dry and warm, sometimes just over bare hands. They’re big but rightfully so, to fit over liner or thicker gloves. Size accordingly. The long gauntlets add an ounce or two but seal out the weather and provide wrist protection.
Sadly – I think they’ve discontinued it.
I think rain mitts like these with shorter cuffs are meant for shoulder season or cool summer rain, when you’re OK with having a little exposed skin around your wrists, while long gauntlets are for full coverage needed in full on winter. I like shorter cuffs because I often hike with a wind shirt and I like to pull up the sleeves to vent if I’m sweating. The long gauntlets would get in the way.
But most backpackers don’t hike in winter…only us crazies. I use rain mitts mainly during the shoulder seasons of spring and fall when non-insulated hand protection is needed because the trees don’t have leaves. I rarely need rain mitts in summer because its too warm. Moreover, waterproof/breathable clothing does poorly in warm weather because you do better if there is a big temperature gradient between the inside and outside of the garment to drive the diffusion through the membrane.
I have a rain mitt from Salomon that I originally bought for running, but it got to warm for that activity. Now it is my go-to for fall and spring rainy hikes. No gauntlet, but a good size cuff to put under my rain jacket.
I used some similar to these from Salomon and recently lost one of them, so I bought those Black D ones, as they are even lighter and more compact. I always found my Salomon ones perfect, as you don’t think about them and just leave them at the bottom of your backpack until you need them, and they are perfect even in cold conditions as long as you’re active.
Didn’t get the chance to try my Black D ones yet, but I’m curious to know what makes you consider them good for running and not hiking ?
The gauntlets are too short. I explained this above. Hard to layer and get a tight seal with the rain jacket.
Now that these are on sale, I think I may give them a try. Should I size up if I want to layer with a fleece glove?
Yes.