Wearing liners under mittens is a personal preference that’s informed by your overall cold tolerance and the primary activity you’ll do while wearing mitts.
If you’re heading out on a super cold day, a liner can be useful for additional warmth, even in a well-built mitten. On the flip side, liners can be nice if you are working hard on a snow tour, like snowshoeing or ski touring, or if you’re in the yard and need to slip off that outer shell for a bit of air.
Plus, if you tend to take your mittens on and off often, liners are nice so that your skin isn’t fully exposed to the elements. Look for liners that are touchscreen compatible, like with the Burton Women’s GORE-TEX Under Mittens.
Liners beneath mittens can help protect your hands when you need to fish around in tight pockets; (photo/Eric Phillips)