They're back, Vulpine IceBike Mittens

Last year, in my search for a solution for cold hands in bitter cold temps, I found the answer in my own little town. Vulpine Adaptive IceBike Mittens were being made right here in Duluth, Minnesota in a garage behind Kevin and Beth Kinney's home. Read a review of the mittens on IceBike.com.Last year Kevin acquired the business called Empire Canvas Works, a business he was already sewing products for. Last year he tried to run Vulpine and Empire Canvas at the same time. Vulpine products used state of the art synthetic materials while Empire's products were traditional clothing made with canvas or wool. At some point Kevin closed down Vulpine and switched all his energies into the Empire line of products. The Icebike Mittens were discontinued along with Vulpine. I recently saw a post on a forum that had Kevin announcing he will be making a few batches of the Icebike Mittens again in 2008. For more information go to the Empire Canvas Works website. This is the current description on the website for the IceBike Mittens:
Tested and used from the Appalachians to the Arctic. Back by popular demand, the Vulpine ICEBIKE Mittens. Our split palm mittens have a rugged and supple weather proof shell, grippy coated palms, and cozy insulation. We clad your vulnerable digits with fleece-laminated neoprene to block wind chill and soothe you chilly nose. This year's mitten is lined with a single layer of recycled polyester velour, and offers more room inside to add liner gloves for riding in colder weather. We've stitched a strip of reflective tape to each one for safety after dark. The adjustable wrist straps provide a secure fit, while the draw cord cuffs seal out the worst weather. Use our True North Mittens sizing chart to find you size. Limited production run for 2008. Please call or email for availability.

Kevin is an excellent craftsman using top quality materials and doing all the sewing himself. These mittens are not made in China. They are handmade in a cottage industry in Duluth, Minnesota. Kevin produces products in batches. Once those mitts are sold, that's it until he decides to make another batch.

I can honestly say I have not experienced cold hands since buying a pair of Vulpine IceBike Mittens. In fact they are so warm, I don't normally wear them above 10 or 15 degree F. My hands get to hot. I've worn them in -20 degree temps and the cold never penetrated these gloves. Get a pair now if you never want to have cold hands again!!!
Today we had single digit temps in the am and mid teens in the afternoon. Very nice commute with light winds. The only down-side is this continued feeling that I have some underlying cold symptoms. A bit of a scratchy throat today. I'm screwed for the AH 135 if I get hit with a cold now. It's very like me to take 2-4 weeks for a bad cold to run its course. The AH135 is in two and a half weeks. I just hope the scratchy throat is from the dry air and not an oncoming cold!

Tuesday: 20 mi
2008: 317 mi