Smartwool Liner Gloves Assessment | CleverHiker

Bottom Line

The Smartwool Liner Gloves are highly versatile compared to other options in our lineup of the best winter gloves. They strike a great balance of warmth and function during cooler weather.

Crafted from a soft, merino wool blend, they provide moderate warmth while remaining lightweight and breathable. Their slim design ensures a snug fit, offering superb dexterity for handling tasks like tying laces or using zippers. Touchscreen compatibility on the thumb and index fingers makes them practical for staying connected without exposing your hands to the cold.

These gloves shine as a standalone layer on mild days, during high-exertion activities, or as liners beneath heavier gloves in freezing conditions. Their moisture-wicking and quick-drying properties keep hands dry, even during aerobic activity. The thin material, while great for dexterity, offers limited protection against wind and lacks durability for heavy-duty use. 

We also found the fingers to be long which impacted their touchscreen capabilities. Lacking any resistance to wet weather and snow, these liners are best paired with a shell for the highest performance. 

Despite these limitations, the Smartwool Liners are an excellent choice for those seeking a lightweight, comfortable option for everyday use or layering in cold weather. Their balance of warmth and versatility had us reaching for them in almost all winter outings.

How We Tested

Based in Alaska, Miles Knotek put the Smartwool Liner through rigorous laboratory and field assessment for over three months to bring you this review. The lab portion included a water resistance test, where we immersed the gloves for four minutes while monitoring water penetration timing. The field evaluation extended across Alaska’s diverse terrain – from forest paths to snowy summits – to evaluate performance under all winter weather conditions.

Comfort & Dexterity

The Smartwool Liner gloves offer great comfort and are one of the most dexterous gloves in our lineup. They are slim and hug the hand closely making them ideal for tasks that require fine motor skills. They are the only glove we tested that allows us to text easily while still wearing gloves. As long as you size down, the touchscreen-compatible thumb and pointer are tight around the finger allowing for precision not found in other gloves.

The merino wool and polyester blend is soft and comfortable on the skin and the slightly elastic cuff hugs the wrists snugly. The biggest drawback to the comfort and dexterity of these liners is their lack of traction pads. The material is extremely slippery and makes holding things like car keys and ski poles challenging. Despite that small shortcoming, they are an excellent glove and comfortable on their own or layered under a larger shell.

Warmth

The Smartwool Liner delivers lightweight warmth ideal for cool to moderately cold conditions. They were comfortable on as a standalone layer down to freezing temperatures. The wool’s insulating properties trap body heat effectively while remaining breathable, ensuring warmth during both rest and activity.

Designed as liners, these gloves excel in layering under heavier gloves for added warmth in frigid weather. On their own, they provide just enough insulation for mild winter days or during more active outings. 

The snug fit enhances heat retention by minimizing gaps where cold air can seep in. We won’t be choosing these gloves as a stand-alone layer for temperatures below thirty degrees unless we are really huffing and puffing most of the outing. They are great for throwing in your pocket to layer under a shell or for brief exposure to cold.

Moisture Control

These gloves have excellent breathability and moisture control, making them ideal for active use in cooler weather. 

Made from a merino wool blend, they allow sweat and excess body heat to breathe out, preventing your hands from overheating during exertion. This breathability ensures consistent comfort across various activities, from running to layering under heavier gloves. The natural moisture-wicking properties of merino wool pull sweat away from the skin, keeping your hands dry even during high-energy outings. The material also dries quickly, reducing discomfort caused by dampness and helping retain warmth in variable conditions. 

While the gloves perform exceptionally well in managing moisture during light to moderate activity, their thin design does not provide sufficient insulation if they become saturated in heavy rain or snow. Despite this, the Smartwool Liner stands out for their ability to keep our hands sweat-free and comfortable in most winter conditions.

Weather Resistance

Do not plan on the Smartwool Liners to keep your hands protected from the elements in much more than a light drizzle. The merino wool, while slightly hydrophobic, doesn’t have a full shell to protect from precipitation. We used the liners on runs, cross country skis, and even hiking in the rain and found that they do best when not in wet weather for extended periods. Once wet, they sponge up the moisture and need to be wrung out often. 

Our four-minute submersion test further confirmed this as the gloves wetted through immediately. While we won’t be choosing these gloves for long backcountry adventures in the snow and rain, they are enough to get you by in a pinch or for shorter outings.

Durability

As with most liners, the Smartwool Liners are not meant to be exposed to rough surfaces, scratches, or cuts. They aren’t work-rated gloves, and they aren’t meant for bush-whacking or gripping rocks. 

As a casual use glove, they have held up well without any failures during our test. The touch screen points in the thumb and index finger were the first places to show piling and loosening of the material. 

After repeatedly pulling the gloves off by the fingers, we noticed that the fabric stretched over time. While these gloves are not the most durable on their own, they work best inside of a shell or other outer glove.

Should You Buy the Smartwool Liner Gloves?

The Smartwool Liners are simple and dependable gloves that are lightweight enough to be thrown in a pocket and whipped out when you need a little extra warmth. On their own, they are warm enough for temperatures down to thirty degrees, and in colder temperatures help increase the warmth of thicker gloves by layering underneath. 

The Smartwool Liners are great for a fall or springtime glove and even for a lightweight summer option for cold conditions or alpine environments. 

Don’t expect these gloves to hold up to rain and snow, as they lack the weather resistance of a glove with an outer shell. Perfect for runs and cross-country skis, the Smartwool Liner is versatile enough for active outings in moderate temperatures or outings around town.

What Other Winter Gloves Should You Consider?

Check out our full guide to winter gloves.

REI Fleece Glove Review: Slightly beefier than the Smartwool Liner, the REI Fleece is great for active outings in cooler temperatures. 

Outdoor Research Flurry Sensor Review: The Flurry Sensors are also a wool and polyester blend offering more durability and warmth than the Smartwool Liners.

REI Guide Insulated Review: If you’re looking for a more robust option that is still dexterous, the REI Guide Insulated is a great option at an affordable price.