Black Diamond Mercury Mitts Review

Mittens offer the ultimate in warmth for cold hands and cold climates alike, and Black Diamond’s Mercury Mitts are a perennial favorite. The design features a protective outer shell with a removable liner, which is insulated with lofty synthetic fill and lined with thick, soft fleece. We put the women’s Mercury Mitts through their paces during a very wet ski season in Canada and came away with high praise regarding warmth, comfort, and durability. Dexterity is pretty limited due to the bulky and well-insulated build, and some may want to treat the leather palm with an aftermarket waterproofing treatment, but these gloves nevertheless are the real deal for those who suffer from cold hands. Below we outline our experiences with the Mercury Mitts. To see how they stack up to the competition, check out our articles on the best winter mittens and best ski gloves and mittens.
 

Table of Contents

• Warmth
• Weather Protection
• Comfort
• Dexterity
• Build Quality and Durability
• Key Features
• Fit and Sizing
• What We Like/What We Don't
• Comparison Table
• The Competition

Performance

Warmth

Designed to keep your hands warm in temperatures as low as -15 degrees Fahrenheit, the Black Diamond Mercury Mitts are an excellent companion for cold-weather adventures from downhill skiing to winter camping. I wore the mittens primarily while backcountry touring in wet and cold weather but also while snow camping, hanging out at our van après ski, cleaning snow from our driveway, and resort skiing. I should also note that I have notoriously cold hands and suffer from Raynaud’s syndrome, so keeping my fingers warm can be difficult. Impressively, I never experienced cold hands wearing the Mercury Mitts. Due to the lack of dexterity, which I cover below, I often needed to remove the mittens during transitions or when fiddling with gear like tent poles, but my fingers warmed up quickly once I put them back on. On particularly frigid days, I’ve also found it helpful to move my thumb into the larger finger pocket, which results in even worse dexterity but makes a notable difference in warmth.
 

Mittens offer better warmth than gloves by keeping your fingers together, which makes it much easier to retain heat. Even so, I’ve had to revert to chemical hand warmers with other mittens I’ve tested, but that’s never been the case with the Mercury Mitts. The primary source if warmth is the removable liner, which is packed with a healthy dose of PrimaLoft Gold Cross Core insulation. It’s also lined with thick fleece, which provides a soft next-to-skin feel. The liner is cozy even on its own, although it lacks a drawcord for cinching the cuff, leaving a gap for cold air or moisture to enter. The outer shell is tasked with protection from both water and wind, including a drawcord-equipped gauntlet that can be cinched tight, which helps a lot with heat retention.
 

Weather Protection

The Mercury Mitts were a great match for an extremely wet winter in the Pacific Northwest, which included several bouts of heavy rain. For protection, Black Diamond paired a waterproof insert (which uses their in-house BD.dry technology) with a durable water-repellent (DWR) coating on the shell. The combination proved very effective, keeping my hands dry even during extended onslaughts. The only area of concern has been the leather palm, which isn’t fully waterproof and has grown damp with moisture on several occasions. To be fair, water has never made its way through to my hands, but treating the palm with an aftermarket waterproofing product (like Sno-Seal or Nikwax) is probably a good idea. The inner mitten is also water-resistant, although I don’t wear it on its own very often since the cuff is prone to gaping and omits a cinch cord. A final contributor to protection is the mitten’s gauntlet cuff, which is large, easy to slide over jacket sleeves, and adjustable with a convenient and well-executed drawcord.
 

Comfort

The Mercury Mitts excel in the comfort department, too. As I mentioned above, the insulated liner is very cozy with thick fleece lining the interior, while the outer shell features a soft and supple goat leather palm with stretchy polyester along the wrist and back of the hand. Additionally, the wrist area is elasticized, resulting in a snug but not restrictive fit, and the gauntlet opening can be customized by manipulating the drawcord at the base (bonus: It’s large enough that I don’t have to remove my other mitten to toggle it). Finally, Black Diamond included a suede nose wipe patch along the inside of the thumb, which is a small but very helpful addition for minimizing irritation and chafing.
 

Dexterity

Mittens are inherently less dexterous than gloves, and the Mercury Mitts’ well-insulated and bulky construction doesn’t lend itself to great freedom of movement. For reference, I was able to grip my ski poles and grab the safety bar on chairlifts, but I did have to remove the mittens to fiddle with gear (e.g., ski boots and climbing skins) during transitions. Tasks like adjusting my boot buckles and manipulating zippers on my jacket proved very difficult. It’s worth noting that prior versions of the Mercury Mitts featured a split-finger liner, which offered better dexterity, but the mitten liner on the latest model is warmer. Those worried about dexterity can pair the outer shell with a separate pair of liner gloves, but this will increase overall cost and reduce warmth.
 

Build Quality and Durability

Black Diamond specializes in technical gear built to withstand harsh mountain environments, so it comes as no surprise that the Mercury Mitts are impressively well built. Overall craftsmanship is impressive, from the soft and supple goat leather palm to abrasion-resistant gauntlet and reinforced patch between the thumb and pointer finger for gripping rope tows or ski poles. I imagine that the leather will require occasional treatment to maintain its moisture resistance, but this is common among leather designs, and I haven’t had to re-treat the gloves yet. In fact, after extensive testing, my Mercury Mitts still look and feel like new: There are no scuffs or snags, all of the stitching is intact, the elastic at the wrist hasn’t stretched out, and the fleece lining remains cozy and warm. Even the insulation along the palms—which is often compressed when grabbing items like ski poles—has maintained its loft. For the price, it’s a truly impressive level of quality.
 

Key Features

As I covered above, the Mercury Mitts boast a removable liner that’s insulated with lofty PrimaLoft Gold synthetic and lined with wool. The liner is also a mitten (rather than a glove) and can be used without the outer shell, although the cuff doesn’t have a drawcord for sealing out wind and moisture. For added warmth and protection, simply slip on the outer shell, which features polyester at the back of the hand and gauntlet with supple goat leather along the palm. The shell features a waterproof BD.Dry insert, along with thoughtful features like a suede nose wipe patch along the inside of the thumb and a fabric loop at the back of the hand for attaching the mittens to a ski backpack or harness without exposing the interior to the elements. I wish the Mercury Mitts came with a wrist leash, but I found that hooking them together via the bottom clips (right above the gauntlet drawcord) and draping them over my pack’s hipbelt worked pretty well.
 

Fit and Sizing

I have short fingers but a fairly meaty palm, and the women’s size medium was a great match. The mittens are definitely a bit roomy, but sizing down would likely result in a smaller cuff opening, making them harder to get on and off. In testing, I was easily able to wiggle my fingers inside the mitts, and there’s even enough room to move my thumb into the finger pocket when I really need to maximize warmth. Finally, I appreciate that Black Diamond offers the mittens in a nice selection of sizes, including four options for women and five for men. Their sizing charts featured on the Mercury Mitts product pages provide a helpful breakdown of which option will fit your hand best.
 

Sustainability

The Mercury Mitts have a lot going for them, and a final feather in their cap is that they're built with an eye toward sustainability. Specifically, the shell, lining, and insulation are all made from recycled polyester. Black Diamond also opted for a PFAS-free DWR coating along the outer shell, which forgoes the use of harmful "forever chemicals." The coating is unique in that it fuses directly to the fibers in the shell fabric, with the intent being to boost long-term water resistance. I can't say for certain that it's noticeably longer-lasting than other DWR coatings, but I've had no issues with water repellency throughout testing.
 

Men’s Black Diamond Mercury Mitts

I tested the women’s Mercury Mitts for this review, and they’re also sold in a men’s version for the same price. The two styles are largely identical apart from differences in colorway and sizing options, with the men’s mittens offered in five sizes (XS to XL) compared to the women’s four (XS to L). The men’s Mercury Mitts are listed at a slightly heavier weight (9.5 oz. per pair), but the difference is pretty negligible.
 

What We Like

• Very warm and cozy with lofty synthetic insulation, a thick fleece lining, and an outer shell that does a great job sealing out wind and moisture.
• Thoughtfully built with excellent craftsmanship and long-lasting materials throughout.
• Well priced for the level of warmth and quality.
• Removable liner adds a nice dose of versatility, allowing you to tailor warmth and protection depending on conditions.
• Offered in a nice selection of sizes, including four options for women and five for men.

What We Don’t

• Thick and bulky construction results in subpar dexterity, and the latest model features a mitten liner rather than a split-finger design.
• Leather palm is not fully waterproof—we recommend applying an aftermarket treatment like Sno-Seal or Nikwax.
• Removable insert does not have a drawcord for cinching the cuff, which can lead to moisture and wind making its way inside when it’s not paired with the outer shell.
• I wish the mittens came with a wrist leash for added assurance when removing them to perform fine motor tasks or dump excess heat.
   

Comparison Table

The Competition

Black Diamond’s Mercury Mitts are impressively warm, but those who aren’t prone to cold hands may want to consider a more dexterous glove instead. From Black Diamond’s lineup, we really like their Guide Gloves, which cost $60 more than the Mercury Mitts but come with some nice upgrades. Most notably, the Guide features a proven Gore-Tex insert, foam padding on the knuckles for impact protection, and a boiled wool lining at the back of the hand (along with fleece along the palm). In testing, we came away with high praise regarding warmth, comfort, and protection, and the Guide is much more dexterous than the Mercury Mitts once worn in. In the end, a final decision will likely come down to whether or not you prefer keeping your fingers together to maximize heat retention. As a viable middle ground, Black Diamond offers the Guide Finger Gloves, which feature a split-finger design that leaves your pointer finger separate from the rest of your hand.
 

If you like the mitten style, it’s also worth considering Hestra's Army Leather Heli Mitt Like the Mercury Mitts, the Army Leather Heli boasts a hybrid leather and synthetic construction, a removable liner (in this case, fleece with thick polyester insulation), and a sizable gauntlet cuff that can be cinched to seal out weather. Additionally, with sleek seams and no unnecessary materials, the Heli Mitt is just about as breathable and dexterous as can be without compromising on warmth and weather protection. Hestra also included Velcro adjustments to snug things down at the wrist, along with eyelets for securing the gloves to a pack (both of which the Mercury Mitt lacks). However, the Army Leather Heli is missing one key component: a waterproof insert. For that, you’ll have to step up to the Gore-Tex-equipped version for $190. If protection is a key consideration for you, we’d save with the BD. Otherwise, the standard Army Leather Heli is a trusted design from one of the best in the business.

The Mercury Mitts are hard to beat when it comes to value, but Flylow Gear offers an enticing alternative in their Super D Mitt. For just $5 more than the BD, the Flylow mittens stack up very closely in overall construction and performance: They feature a goatskin leather palm with polyester along the back of the hand and gauntlet, boast a waterproof lining for sealing out moisture, and come with handy features like a suede nose wipe, attachment clip, and drawcord for cinching the gauntlet. Flylow even included foam padding along the back of the hand for impact protection. That said, there’s no removable liner, which detracts from overall versatility (you can’t ditch the shell on mild days). For this reason, we consider the Mercury Mitts to be the better overall value—you’re essentially getting two mittens in one—but the Flylow offers comparable quality and a couple added features.
 

A final alternative to consider is another value leader: REI Co-op's Thindown Soron GTX Mittens. For a very palatable $124, the Thindown Sorona features an upgraded Gore-Tex insert, along with a sheet of down and synthetic fill designed to minimize cold spots and bunching. The shell is made from synthetic leather that requires less water and chemicals to manufacture, while the interior features a brushed tricot lining for moisture wicking and next-to-skin comfort. Like the Super D Mitt covered above, the Thindown Sorona forgoes a removable liner, but the rest of the feature set lines up pretty well, including an adjustable gauntlet cuff, a soft patch at the back of the thumb for wiping your nose, reinforcements in high-wear areas, and even a wrist leash, which the Mercury Mitts lack. Again, we really like the BD’s removable liner, but the Thindown stacks up impressively well in most other ways.