Greatest Winter Gloves of 2023

Keeping your hands warm can make the difference between a memorable time outdoors and a miserable one. Whether you need more hand heat than your body can generate or you’re looking for a light layer to keep your fingers warm when you set out for a run, there’s a glove out there that’s perfect for you.

And while there isn’t a single glove that suits everyone, we broke them into categories so you can make an informed choice based on your needs. For more help finding the right fit, be sure to check out our comparison chart to help you steer your decision-making. Also, check out the buyer’s guide and FAQ section at the end of this article for additional tips.

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The Best Winter Gloves of 2023

Winter Glove Comparison Table

Why You Should Trust Us

To find the best winter gloves, we put dozens of winter warmers to the test. We alpine, backcountry, and nordic skied, hiked, fat biked, snowshoed, skated, sledded, dog walked, and had snowball fights in more than 30 pairs of gloves in the American Northeast, Southeast, and Southwest as well as the Rockies, Canada, and Iceland. Temperatures ranged from -20 degrees to so warm we didn’t need gloves at all.

While testing, we considered waterproofness, breathability, durability, and how well they kept the weather out as well as ease of on and off, taking a phone photo, gripping a ski pole, or packing a snowball while wearing them. Many of our testers live in frigid climates and use winter gloves on a daily basis while running errands and commuting.

As new winter glove styles hit the market this season, we’ll be sure to keep this list updated with our current favorites. At any given time, our roundup will include the best of the best.

Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose Winter Gloves

“Winter gloves” is a massive category that encompasses many different types and styles. The recommendations that we’ve included on this list represent a broad spectrum of options, and it can be tricky to identify the best pair for you. While some winter gloves are versatile enough for all sorts of applications, others are specifically designed for a singular purpose.

When choosing a pair of winter gloves, there are many important factors to consider. In this handy how-to-choose guide, we break down each of these factors to help you streamline — and hopefully enjoy — the selection process.

Active vs. Passive Use

If you’ll be using your gloves as an activewear accessory — such as holding onto a ski pole, ice axe, or chainsaw — choose a glove that offers dexterity. The most dexterous gloves will allow you to articulate each finger independently for improved grip and active functionality. On this list, The North Face Recycled Etip Gloves and the Outdoor Research Mixalot gloves offer uninhibited dexterity.

If you’ll be using your gloves strictly to keep your hands warm while commuting or walking outside, dexterity and workability are less important. If this is the case for you, we recommend gloves that are warm and well-insulated.

If you don’t need dexterity, you may as well take advantage of maximum warmth. On this list, the Pearl Izumi Lobster Gloves may not be the most dexterous, but they are impressively warm and eye-catching.

How Warm Is Too Warm?

Not every activity warrants the warmest glove. If your gloves are too hot, you’ll end up with hands somewhere between sweaty and swampy. Ultimately, you will want to pick gloves based on your body’s comfort level and temperature regulation, as well as the outside temperature and your chosen activity.

Waterproof

Depending on your needs, waterproofing may be a non-negotiable priority. If your primary winter pursuit is manual labor, snowball fights, or clipping in and out of your snowboard bindings in deep snow, consider choosing a glove with a waterproof membrane such as the Norrøna Trollveggen or the Black Diamond Legend Gloves.

If you’ll be actively generating heat while running or nordic skiing, consider a glove without a waterproof membrane, such as The North Face Etip.

If you seem to always have cold hands regardless of how thick your gloves are, we recommend that you try a battery-powered self-warming option. They can be a game-changer for people who have Raynaud’s disease or chronically cold hands.

On this list, the Black Diamond Solano are high-quality self-warming gloves with plush comfort and impressive battery life.

Phone Compatibility

Not all winter gloves are touchscreen-compatible. If you will need to access your phone or tablet in cold conditions, look for a pair with “e-tips,” which are conductive fabrics that transfer your body’s electric current into the device.

Constantly taking your gloves on and off gets old (and cold) fast. Being able to text your buddy from the chairlift comfortably is a welcome asset, like with the Jeniulet Winter Gloves or the Dakine Leather Titan GORE-TEX Gloves, which have a touch-screen compatible and removable liner.

Durability and Materials

Durability is an important consideration when choosing winter gloves. Our hands make contact with surfaces more than any other part of our body, and the constant movement and action can cause gloves to wear rapidly.

Ultimately, a glove’s durability comes down to its construction and materials. The longest-lasting gloves tend to be made of high-quality leather.

On this list, the Norrøna trollveggen leather gloves and Give’r 4-Season Gloves are among the most durable we’ve ever tested. The downside of leather gloves is that they require regular maintenance. A waterproofing treatment such as Sno-Seal or Nikwax can significantly help maintain the waterproofing ability and general quality of a pair of leather gloves.

Nylon outer shells can also offer long-lasting durability. Though not as supple as leather, nylon is hardy and requires less maintenance. On this list, the Outdoor Research Mixalot Gloves are quality and affordable nylon options.

Aside from nylon and leather, many thinner winter gloves are made from wool, fleece, and cotton. Generally, cotton is not ideal, as it takes a long time to dry and tears easily.

Lobster Claws and Mittens

For those who regularly suffer from uncomfortably cold hands, mittens are the warmest form of hand protection. When encased in a mitten, your fingers are able to keep each other warm by proximity.

The major downside to mittens is loss of dexterity. When you need the use of your fingers while walking around town or snowboarding, for example, mittens are great, but for manual labor or gripping a ski pole, mittens aren’t ideal.

Lobster claws are the middle ground between gloves and mittens. Usually, one or two fingers are isolated from the other 3 or 4, resulting in two separate “claws” that can move independently. This style may be a good option for those who have chronically cold hands but still need some dexterity.

Still, lobster claws are significantly less dexterous than traditional gloves. Winter mountain bikers commonly choose to wear lobster-style gloves. On this list, the Pearl Izumi AmFIB Lobster gloves are excellent.

Skiing and Snowboarding

While all of the gloves on this list are high-quality options and well-qualified for winter use, not all of them are ideal for skiing and snowboarding. Skiing and snowboarding gloves need to be reliably waterproof, durable enough for active use, and comfortable in all conditions.

On this list, the Dakine Leather Titan, Hestra Army Leather Patrol, and the Oyuki E-Jack are solid choices for all-day shredding at the resort or in the backcountry.

Sizing

It is important to choose properly sized gloves. As always, we recommend trying gear on before purchase to ensure a good fit.

Extra space inside an oversized glove is just more air that your hands have to heat before they feel warm. When gloves are too tight, they may restrict blood flow, worsen circulation issues, and cause pain.

FAQ