The Best Ski Gloves and Mittens

Are you getting your winter equipment ready for this season? If so, don’t forget to put a pair of warm ski gloves in your backpack! To find the right model, you must think about your sensitivity to cold, the temperatures to which you are going to be exposed, and the hand dexterity you’re going to need.

Hundreds of designs are on the market, and making a decision is not always easy. Some gloves feature high-quality insulation systems like Primaloft, waterproof membranes like Gore-Tex, and even heating panels that keep your hands warm through lithium batteries.

If you have doubts about which model you should choose, don’t worry! In this article, I’m going to explain the most important characteristics to consider when choosing your gloves. In addition, I’ll review the best models of the year, so that you can find the one that best suits your needs.

Take a look at other articles to find the best ski jackets, pants, poles, goggles, helmets, boots, backpacks, cameras, ski cases, boot bags, snowshoes and hats.

THE BEST SKI GLOVES

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HESTRA POWER HEATER

DESCRIPTION: Built with high-quality materials, the Hestra Power Heater offers great dexterity and freedom of movement. Plus, it has a heating system that will keep your hands warm on cold days. The heater has three modes that provide more or less heat depending on the setting (this will help you extend the battery life). Also, it features high-performance thermal insulation that retains plenty of heat, even when the heater is off. If you are looking for a versatile model for all seasons and activities, this could be your best option.

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OUTDOOR RESEARCH CAPSTONE

DESCRIPTION: The Outdoor Research Capstone is another exceptional model with premium features: high breathability and water resistance thanks to the Gore-Tex membranes, a soft and tactile leather palm, great padding, excellent comfort, and the warmest heating system on the list. It’s quite expensive but performs incredibly well in extreme temperatures—even better than the previous model. The main disadvantage is that it’s a bit bulkier and heavier, so it doesn’t offer as much dexterity as the Hestra Power Heater.

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HESTRA HELI

DESCRIPTION: The Hestra Heli offers the advantage of being a high-end product available at a reasonable price. This model is made of resistant, high-performance materials. The shell is fully waterproof, windproof, and breathable. The palm is made from leather to increase dexterity and durability. Also, it’s available in lots of sizes and colors, so you can find the one that best suits your personality.

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BLACK DIAMOND MERCURY

DESCRIPTION: The Black Diamond Mercury is possibly the best mitten of the year because it strikes the right balance between warmth, comfort, and price. This model keeps your fingers in contact, which, combined with the efficient Primaloft insulation, ensures great thermal protection. As you know, mittens don’t allow for much dexterity when you are holding a ski pole or accessing your jacket pockets. However, they are perfect for the harshest days of winter.

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HESTRA FALL LINE

DESCRIPTION: The main strengths of the Hestra Fall Line are good design, dexterity, and durability. This model provides fantastic hand sensitivity, which makes it perfect for technical skiing. Also, it allows you to hold your phone and access your pockets easily. It has a short elastic neoprene cuff that closes with easy-to-use Velcro. It doesn’t offer as much thermal protection as other models on the list, but it will protect your hands from the cold as long as you’re not skiing in extreme temperatures. Like most leather gloves, it requires some maintenance to preserve its water-resistance.

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DAKINE TITAN

DESCRIPTION: The Dakine Titan stands out for its great price and features: It has a Gore-Tex membrane that makes it highly waterproof, efficient thermal insulation made of polyester fibers, a removable liner that is touchscreen compatible, a “Gauntlet” design that prevents wind and snow from sneaking into the wrists, and a Rubbertec palm reinforcement that improves grip and durability.

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CARHARTT

DESCRIPTION: This Carhartt glove is one of the best-selling models of the year. The secret to its success: a casual, informal design, a highly-resistant polyester shell, a waterproof membrane, FastDry technology that wicks away sweat and keeps your hands dry, and a polyurethane-reinforced palm that improves grip. Without a doubt, this is one of the best deals of the year.

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SALOMON FORCE DRY

DESCRIPTION: The Salomon Force Dry is specially designed for female skiers, as its slightly tighter design better suits the woman’s anatomy. In addition, this model offers great weather performance and comfort. The Advanced SkinDry membrane along, with the polyester fiber thermal insulation, keep your hands warm and dry at all times, while the stretchy wrists ensure a secure fit.

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UNIGEAR

DESCRIPTION: The Unigear is the perfect option for entry-level skiers who don’t want to spend a lot of money. This model features great water resistance and breathability (5,000 mm / 5,000 g), Primaloft and Polyfill thermal insulation, a very comfortable and soft Tricot liner, a touchscreen-compatible design, a non-slip reinforced polyurethane palm, and a helpful strap so that you can tie the glove to your wrist. It doesn’t offer as much dexterity and freedom of movement as other expensive models, but overall it’s a high-performing glove at a very attractive price.

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND:

GLOVES OR MITTENS

If you take a look at the list, you’ll notice that most models are traditional gloves. Why? The advantage of gloves is that they allow for greater finger movement, which translates into greater dexterity when holding your ski poles, looking for something in your pockets, or strapping your boots.

Ski gloves also make other simple tasks easier, such as using your phone to take a photo (try to do this wearing mittens and you’ll see that it’s impossible) or using your GPS if you are backcountry skiing.

On the other hand, mittens are usually warmer because they keep your fingers together. That’s why many skiers who are sensitive to the cold prefer mittens to gloves. Also, many snowboarders wear mittens because they don’t need to hold ski poles.

Some manufacturers have created hybrid models with a separated sheath for the index finger (the thumb is also separated like in traditional models), while the other three fingers remain together to improve overall warmth.

THERMAL PROTECTION

The main purpose of wearing a pair of ski gloves is to protect your hands from the cold. But how do you get the right thermal protection? This will depend on many factors:

First, your sensitivity to cold. Some people run warm with thin gloves, while others always feel cold. Second, the weather conditions of the resort (and the season) in which you are going to be skiing. For example, you won’t need the same gloves for skiing in the Pyrenees in April as you will in the Alps in February. Third, the type of skier you are. If you are a super-active skier who descends slope after slope, your hands will be warmer than the hands of a lazy skier.

Keep in mind that the warmest models will be thicker and bulkier, which will likely reduce dexterity and freedom of movement. In any case, all that matters is that you get the thermal protection you need.

HEATING SYSTEM

Some high-end models feature electrical heating panels that keep your hands warm on the coldest days of winter. These models are great for people whose fingers often feel cold. Keep in mind that not all models work the same way. Some gloves produce heat only in the fingers, others in the fingers and palm, and others in the entire hand.

Also, they use different types of batteries, although most are rechargeable lithium batteries. As you might be thinking, long-lasting batteries are quite expensive. Often, heated gloves have two or three heating modes. If you set them at low mode, they will produce less heat but the batteries will last longer. If you set them at high mode, you’ll get more heat, but the batteries will drain faster.

IMPERMEABILITY

If you can afford it, I recommend that you get a waterproof glove. Also, think about how often you go skiing, the weather conditions of the place where you practice, etc. For example, if you are an occasional skier who always sticks to ski resorts, a pair of gloves of medium water resistance could do it. On the other hand, if you are a frequent skier who is often exposed to snowfall, then you should look for a highly waterproof model.

Keep in mind that even if your gloves feature premium thermal insulation systems, they won’t be able to keep your hands warm if they get wet. The most effective way to achieve a great level of water resistance is to introduce a waterproof membrane between the shell and the liner.

The main advantage of these membranes is that they prevent water from passing through the glove while allowing sweat vapor to escape to the outside. Gore-Tex membranes have the best performance on the market, and they are often found in top-end models.

SHELL MATERIALS

Most models are made from either leather or synthetic fabrics, or a combination of both. These materials have different properties that make them more or less appropriate depending on the activity and budget.

Leather:

Leather gloves are resistant, durable, and comfortable, and they usually look better. Also, leather models are flexible, allowing for more movement of the hands and fingers, and are not always more expensive than synthetic models. Often, they are reasonably priced. Unfortunately, leather is not as water-resistant as other materials. Leather gloves can withstand light rain and snow, but they are not designed for long exposure to water.

Synthetic:

Most gloves are made from synthetic fabrics, typically polyester and nylon. For many skiers, synthetic models don’t look as nice as leather gloves. However, it must be admitted that synthetic gloves perform much better in harsh weather, as they are breathable and water-resistant. Nylon gloves are highly waterproof, although they are not very flexible. Polyester models are more stretchy, but they are less waterproof, and sometimes less durable, too.

LINER MATERIALS

A glove’s liners are responsible for providing thermal protection, and each model provides different levels of thermal insulation depending on the type of filler and its thickness. Even if you need a warm model, I recommend that you get one offering a nice balance between warmth, breathability, and freedom of movement.

You may already know about some thermal insulation systems commonly used in winter garments, such as Primaloft, which is made with 90% recycled materials; Lifaloft, which offers great thermal insulation with less weight and volume; Thermolite, which provides a large amount of heat even when the garment is wet; and Polartec, which is very soft to the touch, highly breathable, and lightweight.

Some winter clothes use down as thermal insulation. These goose feathers are incredibly light and compressible, but they don’t perform well when wet, so they’re not a popular choice for ski glove manufacturing.

REMOVABLE LINER

Some models feature removable liners (typically made from fleece) that make them more versatile, especially if you ski in different seasons of the year. For skiing in the dead of winter, you can wear the two layers together to get added thermal protection. When temperatures rise and there is no chance of rain, you can use only the fleece liner. If temperatures are mild, you can use only the shell, while keeping your hands well-protected.

DEXTERITY

Bulky models perform well in extreme weather because they can efficiently insulate your hands from the cold. However, this increase in protection considerably reduces dexterity in the hands and fingers. This is why some warm models are not really helpful for strapping your boot or using your phone.

You must find the right balance between thermal isolation and dexterity. If you go skiing primarily at ski resorts, don’t worry too much about dexterity. All that matters is that you keep your hands warm and protected.

However, if you are a backcountry skier, you should look for a model with a responsive feel. When you are skiing off-piste, you may need to look at your GPS or use an ice ax, so you will need more dexterity in your hands.

LENGTH

Most models can be divided into two types: short cuff and long cuff. Short-cuff gloves are shorter in length; typically, they cover your wrist (and sometimes a small part of the arm), which allows for more freedom of movement. This type of glove works well for both backcountry skiing and resort skiing without extreme temperatures. Most of them are comfortable to wear, but they don’t provide as much warmth as long-cuff models.

Long-cuff gloves cover your wrist and a bigger part of the arm. Due to their longer length, they provide more warmth and create a good seal against wind and cold. These models, also known as “gauntlets” are better suited for freezing weather.

SIZE AND COMFORT

When trying on your gloves, make sure they provide a firm, comfortable fit. Your fingers should lightly touch the end of the glove (or leave a small space), but they should never be too tight. Also, the gloves shouldn’t feel too tight on your hands or wrists. A slightly snug fit is not a problem as long as your gloves feel comfortable.

Of course, it’s also important that your gloves aren’t too big, so that you can get greater dexterity. Many models on the list are unisex, so all you have to do is worry about finding the right size. Many manufacturers sell their products in sizes S, M, L, and XL. I recommend that you take a look at the manufacturer’s size chart before making a decision.

PALM REINFORCEMENTS

Some models have additional padding on the palm to better absorb possible impacts. This feature is really helpful for entry-level skiers, who occasionally (or quite often) fall.

Also, it improves comfort when you are grabbing a ski pole. In addition, many models include outer palm reinforcements that improve grip.

HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR GLOVES

After several days of intense activity, your gloves may be slightly damp and sweaty. Just like you do with other parts of your ski gear, you must clean them regularly.

If your model has a removable liner, you can take it out and clean it separately, as this will be the dirtiest part. If your model is waterproof, don’t use strong detergents because they could reduce its water resistance.

If you have a leather model, don’t wash it in the washing machine. To properly clean the leather, you can apply a special soap (oil-based) and gently rub in a circular motion with a soft cloth. Let the leather dry, then wipe it down again. You can put some bicarbonate inside the glove to eliminate bacteria and odors.

If you still have doubts, I recommend that you follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

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