It doesn’t matter what your favorite winter activity is—skiing, snowboarding, skating, snowshoeing, hiking, etc.—when the temperatures drop, there’s one thing you want to ensure you do, and that is keep your extremities warm and cozy dry. Warm hats, gloves, and socks are essential to enjoying your time in the great outdoors during the winter. So, choosing the best ski gloves is crucial to your outing—not only to keep your fingers warm but to prevent them from going numb or risking damage from the cold.
What to Look for in the Best Ski Gloves
There are various criteria that are critical for choosing the best ski gloves for you. After all, you are unique, and so are your needs. The right gloves for you can differ depending on your adventure, your location, and the weather conditions. For instance, are you spring skiing when the weather is warmer but the snow is wetter? Or are you enjoying a big pow day when humidity is low and the snow is lighter? Or is it just a day when the weather is fairly cold and dry with no increased snow accumulation?
Here are a few of the most important considerations for choosing the best ski gloves and ski mittens:
- Waterproofing: Keeping the digits warm often comes down to keeping them dry, even after several hours on the slopes with changing weather conditions. If your ski gloves get wet and that dampness travels inward, your hands will get cold. Waterproofing is even more important for people who ski near the coasts, where the air tends to be more humid.
Waterproof materials like Gore-Tex, Entrant, or Omni-Tech are even more important if you’re wearing gloves that use down for insulation as down can lose its insulating properties when wet.
- Breathability: Especially if you’re more active and work up a sweat, you also want to ensure your gloves are breathable. This breathability allows any moisture that builds up inside your ski glove or ski mitten to escape. The sweat needs a way to escape to keep your fingers dry and thus warmer and more comfortable.
- Insulation: Choosing the right glove for your adventure is also important. Depending on the type of skiing you enjoy and how cold the weather is are important considerations for how much insulation you need. If you tend to get cold quickly or if you ski in unusually cold weather, you’ll want to pull out thicker, more insulated gloves. Breathability, though, becomes even more important as they need to be made so vapor and moisture can escape while keeping the fingers dry and warm.
Fortunately, increased insulation doesn’t necessarily mean bulkier gloves, and bulkier gloves don’t necessarily mean greater insulation. Newer, often synthetic, fabrics are tightly woven to produce greater warmth while still allowing for the mobility needed. All that comfort and mobility can, however, come at a greater cost. But the added comfort is well worth it for the best ski gloves.
- Soft and comfortable lining: Yes, you want your ski gloves to keep your hands warm and dry, and that often means newer synthetic materials will be used. But you also want your gloves to be comfortable for all-day wear. Soft, comfortable linings can help keep your fingers warmer, drier, and more comfortable.
- Fit: Anyone who’s had to borrow a parent or friend’s gloves knows the importance of proper fit. If your gloves are falling off or are too fitted, they won’t be as good at keeping your hands warm. Gloves that are too big use more body heat to warm up the space around the hands. They’re also clumsy and make it difficult to get a good grip. Small gloves, on the other hand, limit your movement, could expose parts of your wrist or even hand, and are just plain uncomfortable.
To ensure your ski glove is properly fitted, ensure it covers your entire hand and wrist and allows you to pinch about a quarter inch of fabric beyond your fully outstretched fingers.
- Style: There are different styles of ski gloves and mittens, and different people prefer different styles. For instance, some prefer a shorter glove that hits the base of the wrist as they allow for greater mobility. If the temperatures drop, though, you may want a little extra protection. The other popular style, known as gauntlet, has a longer cuff that extends past your jacket sleeve.
Other style choices tend to be more for specific uses. The most common ski gloves and mittens are made with a synthetic, waterproof liner with a soft, warm, breathable lining. You can also find ski gloves that are made with leather. These are highly durable and can keep your hands warm as long as you have them treated for additional waterproofing. For park and freeride skiers who want a grippier glove, pipe gloves are the usual go-to. These provide greater mobility for the hands but aren’t as well insulated or as warm.
If you want to go with a more natural material, you can choose gloves that use non-treated leather, wool (which is insulating even if it gets damp), or fleece. These may not be the best options for downhill skiing but could be good options when you are exploring mountain towns beyond the slopes.
Finally, you can also find extra features available for ski gloves from zippered pockets to extra grippy hands to reinforcement for areas that see more wear and tear. Consider your skiing style and your needs when you’re on the sloop to determine if the additional bells and whistles will make your ski day more comfortable and convenient.
Best Ski Gloves and Mittens Comparisons
Again, the best ski gloves and ski mittens can be highly personal. That said, some ski gloves get high marks from experts and users alike. Some of the best ski gloves you can find include:
| Brand | Glove | Material | Style | Notes | Price |
| Arc’teryx | Fission SV | Gore-Tex with leather palm | Gauntlet | These warm, water-resistant gloves are lightweight, comfortable, and highly durable. You will have to pay a bit more for these gloves, but they can last several seasons and provide great performance. | $199 |
| Hestra | Army Leather Heli Glove | Polyamide and goat leather shell with G-Loft synthetic and fleece lining | Gauntlet | Comfortable, flexible, and high performing, these premium ski gloves are warm, comfortable, and built to last. They do, however, require some simple maintenance to remain waterproof. | $160 |
| Black Diamond | Mercury Mitt | BD dry with insulated liner and fleece lining | Gauntlet | Mittens can be better at keeping the fingers warm as they’re aided by body heat, which allows the fingers to share warmth. While you may enjoy greater warmth, remember that you also lose dexterity anytime you choose a mitten over a glove. | $119.95 |
| Hesta | Fall Line | Cow leather with pliable foam insulation | Under cuff, which slides easily under a jacket sleeve. | While these may not be the warmest gloves on the list, if you’re looking for greater dexterity because you use your hands a lot, these gloves won’t disappoint. They are also some of the best-looking options. Do remember that you’ll need to waterproof them both when you get them and to maintain them. | $112.00 – $160.00 |
| Gordini | GTX Storm Glove | Synthetic leather shell with Megaloft synthetic insulation and Gore-Tex waterproofing | Gauntlet | A more budget-friendly option, these gloves can keep your hands warm and toasty without the higher price tag of some of the other options. They also boast a good combination of comfort, flexibility, and protection. | $75.00 |
Best Ski Gloves and Ski Mittens Takeaway
Choosing the best ski gloves for you is highly personal, but it doesn’t have to be difficult. First, determine the most important factors—from just keeping your fingers warm and dry on the coldest days to allowing for greater flexibility and dexterity. You can narrow the list from there. Fortunately, with the improved technology, there are many great options available in nearly every price range.