To keep our hands functioning normally in harsh alpine conditions, we kit up with The North Face Summit Patrol GTX Trigger Mitten. The 3-finger design frees our index finger to more easily handle gear, while the rugged, impermeable construction resists abrasions and blocks out dumping powder. Reinforced with back-of-hand padding and packed with heat-trapping fibers, this pair ensures our hands won't get banged up on tight tree lines or frozen on gusty summits, and the wrist leash promises to not let a mitt drop into our line without us.