The first thing we noticed about the Endurance mitt is that the name seems wrong; these gloves are not built to go the distance during the rough and tumble of basecamp life. For digging snow, erecting tents and hauling gear, we'd rather take a chunky, heavy work glove.
But what's in a name? Rab's own description is 'a super lightweight mitt for cold conditions and emergency use' and that's where the Endurance mitt excels. Even in cold conditions, the only time you'd need the 650 fill power European duck down is when you're static - not when you're hard at work. And to that end the 218 gram Pertex Endurance construction makes perfect sense - a very packable glove to stash away until needed.
And when they are needed the generous fit makes it simple to throw them over the battered liner gloves you've been toiling in, and get those digits toasty in no time.
In reality the fit is rather too generous to be conducive to much practical use, even with a liner, but dexterity is hardly the selling point of mitts. Reinforced palms and finger tips do make your fumbling less likely to cause damage, and the wrist strap makes it simple to slip them off for fiddly jobs.
The real benefit of these simplistic mitts is the warmth-to-weight ratio, which greatly improves your chances of having them in your pack when frostbite rears its head. Add the down-to-pound ratio, and you're looking at great insulation for a great price.
