One benefit to the handlebar plugs on the Extreme model might be security: Once the mitts are installed an additional tool is now required to remove them. During the course of my test, I used full-finger gloves inside my pogies that are normally only warm enough down into the 40s.

In typical winter conditions I could use lighter gloves– and sometimes no gloves– inside the Bar Mitts, allowing me to more easily and safely operate the shifters and brakes.I have a set of Moose Mitts I got this year and if not for them I don't think I would have ridden much/at all, my hands are just too messed up from too many bad rides with wrong gloves. Overall, I was pleased, but I decided that my hands felt a little cramped in the medium size, so I exchanged them for a large. All that's really needed is something thick enough for the mitts to keep their shape and block the wind. However, the ease of moving your hands in and out of the pogies depends largely on whether or not you have the cuffs installed. Warm and surprisingly comfortable, your hands will never be the weak link in your riding outfit with Bar Mitts, but leave them at home if you think you can get by with gloves.

Bar Mitts provide an alternative that promises to keep hands warm when they’re resting on the brake hoods, but still let riders easily grab food, water bottles, or other items. I'm talking wearing windstopper balaclava, moto/ski goggles, wool base, under softshell, and all that. Also, because of the strong nature of the thick neoprene, the mitts hold their form and leave plenty of room inside to move your fingers and shift. Stays secure on the handlebars while the stiff, open body of the neoprene allows for easy hand access and removal.For my first test ride, I chose a windy day where the temp stayed at a chilly 18 degrees, and my fingers stayed WARM for the entirety of the 2 hour ride with just a thin spring glove on. My experience with twist-grips is not as good, but that may be because the detents on the shifters I've used were not strong enough to make the gear positions obvious. I tried the larger mitts and they do indeed offer more freedom of movement but also take up more space, let in a bit more air and are all around bulkier.