The 8 Best Winter Gloves

Our Favorite Men's Winter Gloves

REI Co-op Gauntlet GTX Gloves

Material: Polyester, Spandex | Touchscreen Compatible: Yes

These gloves hit the bullseye when it comes to warmth, features, and weatherproofing. The REI Co-op Gauntlet GTX Gloves are our faves because, once again, REI Co-op has developed a product that holds true to the manufacturer's commitment to quality, function, and performance — all at a very reasonable price. Lead tester Jason Wanlas sang their praises, saying, “These were my overall favorite; they're comfortable, warm, and I really loved the convenience of their touchscreen-friendly fingers and thumbs.” These gloves are a solid choice for everything from shoveling to sledding. They proved themselves during all of our side-by-side testing, keeping up with some of the top ski-specific performers in our lineup, especially when it came to their Gore-Tex waterproofing. The Gauntlet GTXs kept us warm on even the coldest Utah winter days, even if they aren't quite as warm as the Rab Khroma Freeride Gore-Tex Gloves. “The Gauntlets aren't my first choice to take up the slopes, but for everything else, they work great,” says our lead tester. We also found their synthetic leather palm to be very rugged and were impressed by the extra-long, drawstringed gauntlets' abilities to keep snow at bay during work or play.

Our cons list for the Gauntlet GTX Gloves was quite short. There was very little we didn't like. However, when compared against more robust models, they do feel thinner. The longer gauntlet makes them slightly less breathable when drawn tight. Otherwise, you simply can't go wrong with their solid, Earth-conscious construction (Bluesign Approved and Climate Neutral Certified), reasonable warmth, and weather protection. However, if you'd rather save some cash and don't need something quite as warm, we recommend the Carhartt Men's W.P. Waterproof Insulated Mittens or the Carhartt Waterproof Insulated. If you only need basic frost protection with functional fingertips, you might want to consider the Trendoux Touch Screen.

A Great Deal on A Warm Daily Wearer

Carhartt Waterproof Insulated

Material: Polyester Insulation and Shell | Touchscreen Compatible: No

Warm and comfortable, the Carhartt Waterproof Insulated gloves are a reliable winter classic. We tested them while shoveling snow and hanging out on cold winter days in Maine. We also used them to collect data on a remote glacier in the Yukon, comfortably wearing them in temperatures as low as -20° F for extended periods. That makes them an easy option for a quick dog walk or snowball fight. One tester made the point, “I was impressed with their warmth even on colder days — for the price, I don't think you can find a better deal out there.” They're windproof and largely waterproof, and their adjustable cuff holds them in place, though the small plastic buckle is less robust than we'd like. The Carhartt Men's W.P. Waterproof Insulated Mittens are very similar in performance and structure. The only difference is their mitten design.

Their pliable polyester fabric and generous cut of the Carhartt Waterproof Insulated allow your fingers nearly their full range of movement. Still, the thick insulation and slick fabric aren't great for detailed tasks. And while a waterproof liner protects most of the glove, the fleece cuff is not. If it gets damp, the moisture can spread to the liner inside. We also noticed our fingertips getting slightly wet during our water tests. Sweat can also accumulate, and the glove takes time to dry — over a day and a half in our tests. The fabric is sturdy but not as durable as leather work gloves like the Wells Lamont 5127 White Mule Insulated Cowhide Leather gloves. They also don't come in women's sizes. That said, if you can remove them once your liners wet out, these warm and comfortable gloves are the best deal among those we tested.

Best Women's Winter Gloves

Carhartt Quilts Insulated

Material: Polyester Insulation and Shell | Touchscreen Compatible: No
Nearly as warm and as waterproof as the men's Carhartt glove, the

Carhartt Quilts Insulated is a good alternative for anyone with smaller hands. They hold heat well, with a quilted layer of lofty polyester insulation and soft fleece lining. Although they aren't as rugged as the women's Wells Lamont Hydrahide Leather Hybrid, the Quilts did block the wind, and they repelled moisture well, keeping our hands dry for nearly two minutes during a submersion test before water snuck in through a seam in the pinkie finger. A tab extending from the thick panels on the palms makes them easy to pull on, and a cinch at the wrist holds them in place. One tester points out it will be important to size these correctly for your hands, saying, “Although these gloves fit me well, the finger length verges on being too short, even for those who often wear a size small glove.” We'd recommend trying a pair on before committing to a size.

While we appreciate the welcoming fleece lining of the Carhartt Quilts Insulated, it can pull moisture into the glove when wet. This makes it harder for your hands to stay warm, and the gloves took nearly two days to dry in our tests. They're also handwash only. While the gloves are malleable, the bulky insulation and slippery fabric make it hard to complete detailed tasks like tying shoes or zipping jackets. After a few months of testing, they also have a few loose stitches. If you're looking for warmth and weatherproofing for tasks like pulling sleds, frigid walks, or shoveling snow, these are our top recommendations for smaller hands. Try the Black Diamond Midweight ScreenTap for a touchscreen option.

Our Favorite Men's Ski Glove

Rab Khroma Freeride Gore-Tex Gloves

Material: ]Stretch Nylon, Leather, 3-layer Gore-Tex | Gauntlet or Cuff: Gauntlet
No skimping was allowed in making the Rab Khroma Freeride Gore-Tex Gloves. These gloves are absolute workhorses for keeping hands warm and dry, fingertips protected, and wrists guarded from deep powder. Their impressive stretch-nylon gauntlets are dense but pliable, and our testers can't say enough about their leather-clad fingers and palms, with comments like, “I just loved the overall feel of these gloves; they're hefty and weighty, and they just feel like they mean business.” The Khroma Freeriders have a pre-molded grip, which makes it easier to hold onto your poles, and they're reinforced with extra leather between the index finger and thumb so that they won't wear out. In addition to primo insulation and three-layer Gore-Tex, these gloves are also lined with soft fleece for an extra measure of comfort and warmth. They also come with detachable wrist straps — an added feature most of our testers really liked.

Aside from being somewhat basic and more expensive, we don't have a lot of negatives to mention about the Rab Khroma Freerides. It's safe to say that if you are hunting for the best ski gloves out there, you won't go wrong with the Freerides. They're built to last, and they'll keep your digits warm and protected. However, if the price tag doesn't appeal to you, we think the REI Co-op Gauntlet GTX Gloves are an excellent, less-expensive option for the slopes, although they aren't as warm. If mittens are your thang, we really like the Carhartt Men's W.P. Waterproof Insulated Mittens for everyday activities, even if the Black Diamond Mercury Mitt were our top pick for Ski Mittens specifically.

Read more: Rab Khroma Freeride Gore-Tex Gloves review

Best Unisex Winter Work Glove

Mechanix Wear Coldwork Original

Material: Rubber, fleece, softshell | Touchscreen Compatible: Yes

From dog walks and shoveling chores to building glacier monitoring stations in Maine and repairing a hot water drill in Alaska, the Mechanix Wear Coldwork Original gloves are the jam. They're the best in our lineup at protecting our hands without restricting their function. They also breathe well — and dry hands are warm hands. Our lead tester often wore them with the Smartwool Liner when temperatures dropped and reports staying toasty, saying, “I found it super easy add a bit of extra warmth when I needed more, but I like that I wasn't left overheating on days I had heavier-weight jobs to tackle.” We appreciate that they're machine washable since they're durable, dark, and (our pair always seems to be) dirty. Luckily, their touchscreen-compatible index finger and thumbs worked despite the grime accumulation.

With minimal insulation, the Mechanix Wear Coldwork Originals aren't the warmest gloves. We feel the Carhartt Waterproof Insulated gloves are a better option for warmth, but the trade-off is less durability. Overall, with elevated activity levels, the Mechanix gloves kept our hands fairly comfortable in colder temps. Our lead tester noted, “These gloves make working in the cold a whole new experience, and I even found them warm enough for small engine repair when temps were in the teens.” Though the back of these gloves can resist a very small amount of light rain and snow, they wet through quickly and take time to dry (a day or more). The size small Mechanix is a little long in the fingers for our lead female reviewer, who normally wears a woman's size small or medium. And yet, they still worked wonderfully for her. As long as they fit you, we can't recommend the Mechanix enough; they are excellent work gloves for colder weather.

Best Women's Winter Work Glove

Wells Lamont Hydrahyde Leather Hybrid

Material: Leather, spandex, neoprene | Touchscreen Compatible: No

While certainly not warm enough for the depth of winter in northern climates, the Wells Lamont Hydrahyde Leather Hybrid are thick gardening/work gloves that work well for mild winters and shoulder seasons. They're especially suited to days when you work hard enough to generate warmth. The leather palm protects your hands while breathable spandex keeps sweat from accumulating. Neoprene panels on the back of your hand and wrist are comfortable and add warmth and water resistance. They fit our lead female tester well and are among the most dextrous gloves in the test. She reports, “I was able to tackle every gardening and home-repair task on my plate easily.” They also repel a light mist yet soaked through immediately in our immersion test.

The fit is too tight to comfortably wear liners beneath the Wells Lamont Hydrahyde Leather Hybrid gloves, which is a shame because it would greatly increase their temperature range. If you wear a women's size small or extra small, these may provide a better fit than the other top work gloves in the test, the Mechanix. The Hydrahydes are a compelling option for anyone needing more warmth and protection than your average work glove. If you need an inexpensive work glove for less rugged tasks, check out the affordable Achiou Touch Screen Thermal liner gloves.

Best Touchscreen Winter Glove

Black Diamond Midweight ScreenTap

Material: Nylon, polyester, elastane fleece, leather | Touchscreen Compatible: Yes

If you need a lightweight option that makes it easy to check your touchscreen devices without freezing your fingers, we would steer you to the Black Diamond Midweight ScreenTap gloves. They have a snug but flexible fit that improves their touchscreen function and offer conductive materials that allow screens to recognize your touch on all ten fingers and both palms. That makes using your touch-compatible devices a breeze. A soft fleece lining improves warmth without diminishing your ability to complete complex tasks. A leather palm improves your grip and increases the longevity of the gloves.

While the Black Diamond Midweight ScreenTap gloves perform well during active pursuits like runs, cross-country ski tours, and fast-paced commutes, they aren't much warmer than liner gloves. They're also not waterproof and take about a day to dry. They brush off dry snow easily, though, and with a little care and some good pockets, we make them work in mild winter weather. We find ourselves wearing these gloves around town when exploring new trails and need to consult our digital maps often. One tester's final word: “They aren't super warm, but I enjoyed their added protection during morning runs.” Another great, around-town winter glove is the Outdoor Research Flurry Sensor, which works nearly as well on touchscreen devices. We also like the Smartwool Liner gloves for their great fit and feel and the Achiou Touch Screen Thermal for their grip palms.

Best Liner Glove

Achiou Touch Screen Thermal

Material: Acrylic and polyester | Touchscreen Compatible: Yes

Liner gloves are essential in frigid climes, and the Achiou Touch Screen Thermal outperformed the rest. Many winter gloves are warm and waterproof but unwieldy. You often must remove them to navigate your phone, unsnap buckles, or tighten laces. When it's below zero, liners help protect your fingers from frostbite while you do so. They're also great for chilly shoulder season runs. The Achiou are soft with helpful palm grips and touchscreen-compatible tips on the pointer fingers, middle fingers, and thumbs. And, if you layer the Achiou liners with the REI Co-op Gauntlet GTX Gloves, you'll have the best of both worlds because the REI gloves are touchscreen compatible as well. Though they don't offer much protection from precipitation, the Achiou gloves dry faster than most and block wind impressively well. They're also pretty tough, and the price is right. However, one tester pointed out, “Although I was impressed at their ability to block the wind, I caution you not to expect greatness when it comes to waterproofing.”

That said, while the Achiou's won the liner test for functionality, they didn't quite win our hearts. They aren't machine washable; the thumb is a little too long, and the cuff is a little too short. We also often prefer the feel of natural fibers. Still, if you want to save money for a durable pair and don't mind handwashing them when they need it, these gloves are an easy choice. Check out the Smartwool Thermal Merino or the Icebreaker Merino 260 Tech Liner gloves for a decent Merino wool blend liner glove.

Compare Products

Compare select up to 5 products to compare

	Score	Product	Price
	86	Rab Khroma Freeride Gore-Tex Gloves Our Favorite Men's Ski Glove	$180
	78	REI Co-op Gauntlet GTX Gloves Our Favorite Men's Winter Gloves	$85
	71	Mechanix Wear Coldwork Original Best Unisex Winter Work Glove	$33
	68	Carhartt Waterproof Insulated A Great Deal on A Warm Daily Wearer	$30
	67	Carhartt Men's W.P. Waterproof Insulated Mittens	$27
	61	Carhartt Quilts Insulated Best Women's Winter Gloves	$28
	53	Wells Lamont Hydrahyde Leather Hybrid Best Women's Winter Work Glove	$21
	50	Achiou Touch Screen Thermal Best Liner Glove	$9
	47	Black Diamond Midweight ScreenTap Best Touchscreen Winter Glove	$45
	47	Trendoux Touch Screen	$14
	47	Wells Lamont 5127 White Mule Insulated Cowhide Leather	$21
	44	Smartwool Liner	$28
	43	Outdoor Research Flurry Sensor	$45
	43	The North Face Etip Recycled	$45
	38	Smartwool Thermal Merino	$40
	31	Icebreaker Merino 260 Tech Liner	$45

How We Tested

Our yearly search for the best winter gloves starts online. We document our research in a spreadsheet, taking the time to compare dozens of options and their various features. We then select the most promising pairs, buy them, and see how well they withstand day-to-day abuse.

We wore these gloves running errands around town, walking the dog, jogging, hiking, and doing chores in rural Maine's bone-chilling weather and Utah's freezing high-altitude temps. We also tested the men's gloves in Fairbanks, Alaska, while collecting data on a remote glacier in the Yukon. We tied our shoelaces, unbuckled our avalanche beacons, took notes, and clipped dog leashes to test their dexterity. To test their warmth, we wore them in frigid temperatures, sometimes comparing them directly with one on each hand, and tossed them in a freezer for 5 minutes with a thermometer inside. We also dunked them in a bucket of water for two minutes to test their waterproofing and timed how long it took them to dry.

Our winter glove testing considers 5 rating metrics:

• Warmth (25% of total score)

• Comfort and Dexterity (25% weighting)

• Weather Resistance (20% weighting)

• Features (15% weighting)

• Construction Quality (15% weighting)

Why Trust GearLab

Lead tester Jason Wanlass calls the great state of Utah home, so he's no stranger to long, cold, snow-packed winters. He's also an avid skier and trail-seeker and enjoys hiking year-round. Jason also tests Men's Winter Jackets, traveling extensively during the winter months to examine the best coats and gloves for the world's colder climates. He is joined by long-time GearLab tester Clark Tate, who has spent extensive time between the Appalachian, Rocky, and Sierra mountain ranges. She currently lives in central Maine, embracing the long winter months with wilderness camping trips, backcountry and cross-country skiing adventures, and trail runs/slides. When the windchill is well into the negative double digits, you want your gloves to work. Our New England test team is rounded out by Jake Homes, a Registered Maine Guide who leads winter trips on Katadyn for Acadia Mountain Guides. He also studies geophysics and glaciology at the University of Maine, spending a chunk of every year pulling radars around on remote glaciers in Alaska. You need warm gloves for that, too.

Analysis and Test Results

Warm gloves are often bulky, making it harder to perform daily tasks. If you have to take your gloves off whenever you need to use your hands, they aren't doing you much good. In this review, we're searching for the elusive unicorns that keep our hands warm while maintaining enough dexterity that we rarely have to remove them. For your hands to stay warm, they also need to be dry and out of the wind, so we tested waterproofness as well.

We've included a wide range of glove types in this review, from liners worn under other gloves to thick, insulated options. We'll guide you through the scores to explain the circumstances where each pair works best. Keep in mind that our scores are relative. Just because a glove has a lower warmth score doesn't mean it doesn't hold heat – it just doesn't do it as well as the top options.

What's the Best Value?

Your budget is important. To honor it, we identify products that offer exceptional performance at below-average prices. These high-value options are often the most popular among our testers, and that's true of the winter glove lineup. The REI Co-op Gauntlet GTX Gloves and Carhartt Waterproof Insulated gloves easily earn the top scores while costing only a bit above average for the review. Both are warm and reasonably waterproof.

The least expensive gloves in the review, the Achiou Touch Screen Thermal, also offers excellent value. They are the top-scoring liner gloves in the test. Since they're meant to be worn under other gloves, they can't compete outright in the warmth category, but that doesn't make them any less crucial to our kit.

There is also the value that comes from buying exactly what you need instead of spending less and being annoyed with your gear every time you use it. The Mechanix Wear Coldwork Original gloves offer loads of value by being precisely the glove we need for dextrous winter chores. And while the Mechanix offer excellent touchscreen compatibility, you might prefer the more expensive Black Diamond Midweight Screentap gloves, which don't absorb water as readily and have a more polished look.

Warmth

A liner glove isn't as warm as an insulated, waterproof option. So, it's often helpful to break down the warmth scores by winter glove subcategories. We'll do that here, starting with the men's Rab Khroma Freeride Gore-Tex Gloves. If you're looking for warmth, these gloves are absolute beasts, earning them our top spot as the warmest gloves in our lineup.

The Rabs are followed closely by the REI Co-op Gauntlet GTX Gloves, women's Carhartt Quilts Insulated, men's Carhartt Waterproof Insulated and Carhartt Men's W.P. Waterproof Insulated Mittens. These leaders pack a higher insulation density, so they're bulkier and offer less dexterity.

What blew us away is that the men's Carhartt Waterproof Insulated gloves kept our lead tester's hands comfortable for prolonged periods at -20 degrees. The Wells Lamont 5127 White Mule Insulated Cowhide Leather, which he wore on one hand while wearing the Carhartt on the other, didn't come close.

The Mechanix, OR Flurry Sensor, Black Diamond Midweight ScreenTap, The North Face Etip Recycled, and Wells Lamont Hydrahyde are the midweight options in our lineup. Of them, the Mechanix stands out. It held a bit more heat during our freezer tests. We wore them comfortably to work on cold metal into the teens and to temperatures well below zero when working hard. When we stopped, they weren't nearly enough.

What tips the scales, though, is the cut of the Mechanix. It fits well and maintains excellent dexterity while being roomy enough to fit a liner glove beneath easily. (We preferred using the Smartwool Liner here for its extended cuff.) This makes them much more comfortable for a range of winter temperatures. We could also do this with the Black Diamond Midweight, though it does make it harder to use touchscreens if you do.

The rest of these stand-alone, midweight gloves lost more heat in our freezer tests than the liner gloves below. It's good to remember that these lightweight winter gloves are all meant for active use.

Then there are the liners themselves. The Achiou, Trendoux Touch Screen and Smartwool Liner are warmer than the lightweight Icebreaker Merino 260 Tech Liner and Smartwool Thermal Merino. They held more heat in the freezer test and on cold weather runs, where we used these gloves independently. When your body is generating heat, the breathability of a thin liner works well to keep your hands warm and dry.

Comfort and Dexterity

To test the comfort of these gloves, we wore them side-by-side and judged their relative fit, the softness of their material, and the placement of their seams. To test dexterity, we took every pair of gloves through an obstacle course — tying shoes, tightening straps, zipping coats, etc. — then used them day in and out for weeks to see where they annoyed us and where they shined. And the Mechanix shined.

According to our lead men's glove tester, the Mechanix gloves are lightyears better than the rest in manipulating fine objects and dexterity – 10 out of 10. And they're tough as nails. “I would want something warmer if I were stationary or in a survival situation,” he says, “but working in the cold or moving on trail, they're excellent.”

Similarly, the form-fitting Black Diamond Midweight ScreenTap and The North Face Etip Recycled are flexible enough to complete daily tasks, though they don't offer as much grip.

The next most comfortable and dextrous class of gloves are the liners. The Achiou, Trendoux, and Smartwool liner fit exceptionally well and do nothing to inhibit the movement of your hands. Their stretchy, synthetic materials hold them in place well, making them pleasantly form-fitting.

While the Smartwool liner is made of 48% merino wool, the 88% in the Smartwool Thermal Merino glove means that it stretches more easily and doesn't map your hand as well. The same applies to the 95% Merino wool in the Icebreaker Merino. Both Merino liners are soft and comfortable but run large and loose, and the too-long fingers often get in your way.

The Outdoor Research Flurry Sensor and Wells Lamont Hydrahyde Leather Hybrid are both thicker than the liners and less flexible than the Mechanix. Still, they fared well in the tests, and we rarely need to remove either to complete a task.

It's hard to execute detailed tasks while wearing bulky, heavyweight winter gloves like the Carhartt models, the Kinco gloves, and the Wells Lamont White Mule Insulated Cowhide Leather. Testers found themselves dropping small items while wearing either of the Carhartt gloves. The palm fabric is slippery and too puffy for detailed work. It's frustrating and often tempting just to pull the gloves off, cold weather or not. We like these gloves for tasks like shoveling or loading and unloading gear.

The Wells Lamont White Mules are similarly bulky, though they offer a much better grip with high-quality leather palms. They have a less polished cut and construction, making them a little more difficult to maneuver.

Weather Resistance

Keeping your hands dry and out of the wind goes a long way toward keeping them warm. Leading the pack in this metric are the Rab Khroma Freeride Gore-Tex Gloves, followed by the REI Co-op Gauntlet GTX Gloves, men's Carhartt Men's W.P. Waterproof Insulated Mittens, Carhartt Waterproof Insulated, and women's Carhartt Quilted. Of the Carhartt grouping, the women's Quilted are nearly as good, though water did soak through a pinkie seam at the end of our two-minute submersion test. But all three Carhartt gloves do a great job of blocking out the wind.

None of the rest of the gloves are waterproof. The Wells Lamont Hydrahyde and the Mechanix get some points for very light mist-resistant panels on the backs of their hands. However, the fleece of the Mechanix is especially prone to soaking in any moisture present. When we plunged them into a bucket of water, they were wet through almost immediately. Both took over a day to dry, and the Mechanix was one of the last to dry out in the test. It blocks nearly all wind, though, while the Hydrahyde lets a lot in along the sides of the fingers.

The Wells Lamont White Mule gloves blocked wind everywhere except for the cotton panel on the back of the hand, which also allowed water to pour in during the immersion test. But, the Wells Lamont dried out faster than the Mechanix and the OR Flurry Sensor.

The mid-weight and liner gloves offer very little protection from water, though the Black Diamond, North Face, Smartwool Liner, Trendoux and Achiou options do surprisingly well at blocking wind. The Achiou, Icebreaker, and Smartwool Thermal Merino gloves were the fastest to dry in the test, which makes them good options for wet climates. We were disappointed that the Smartwool Liner gloves scored lower for drying than was expected for wool.

Features

We listed each of them to compare features and rated how well they worked. The most prominent features include touchscreen compatibility, adjustable cuffs, pull tabs, and glove clips that hold the pairs together.

The Mechanix and Rab Khroma Freeride Gore-Tex Gloves offer the most impressive features, followed closely by the REI Co-op Gauntlet GTX Gloves and Black Diamond Midweight ScreenTap. We loved the dense leather and detachable wrist straps on the Rabs and the touchscreen control (with every finger) offered by both the Mechanix and REI gloves. The Mechanix are also machine washable, a rare feature among winter gloves. The Black Diamond Midweight ScreenTap was another top scorer for features.

The Outdoor Research Furry Sensors are also feature-rich, with a similar clip and large, easy-to-grip pull tabs to hold them together. Since these gloves are snug, we really appreciate this detail. Furry Sensors have a touchscreen-compatible tab on the gloves' pointer finger and thumb. The sensor pads are stiff and took us a few days to wear in, but after that, they work well. The glove also features grip tabs along the palm and fingers that come in handy for tasks like turning slippery door knobs.

The Achiou, Trendoux Smartwool Liner, Smartwool Thermal Merino, and Icebreaker liners have touchscreen pads on their pointer fingers and thumbs. (The Achiou and Trendoux include your middle fingers as well.) The first three work wonderfully since the gloves fit your hands snugly. The Icebreakers do not, because they stretch out quickly, leaving you with sloppy fingers. The Smartwool Thermal Merino work well, if they fit you snuggly.

Since people often wear liners to keep their hands warm while performing tasks like taking photos or navigating with their phones, the Achiou, Trendoux, and Smartwool Liner gloves earn respectable feature scores for how well they perform at this one very important task.

The rest of the gloves have very limited features. Carhartt options give you a flimsy clip to hold the gloves together, nose wipes, and adjustable cuffs. The cuffs are the most useful of the three. The women's Wells Lamont Hydrahyde gloves have an excellent cuff cinch to hold them in place while you work.

Construction Quality

We judged construction quality based on how these gloves stood up to months of use and to light abrasion with the end of a paper clip to test seam and fabric strength. The Rab Khroma Freeride Gore-Tex Gloves easily topped our list as some of the toughest winter gloves we've tested. The REI Co-op Gauntlet GTX Gloves and the hard-working Mechanix gloves were nipping at their heels. The Mechanix saw more shop work than the rest, thanks to their excellent maneuverability.

The Wells Lamont White Mule gloves seem to be made of high-quality materials, including sturdy cowhide leather. While the stitching isn't particularly straight, it seems likely to hold up over time. The women's Wells Lamont Hydrahyde also includes a sturdy leather palm that's likely to last, but the relatively thin spandex between the fingers seems vulnerable to wear and tear. The men's waterproof Carhartt and OR Flurry Sensor gloves seem well made, but their fabric is less sturdy.

The women's Carhartt gloves already have some loose stitching, and the thinner liners have fewer layers to wear through. The fully synthetic Achiou and Trendoux Touch Screen showed no signs of use, while the Smartwool Liners started piling around the seam, especially by the touch screen sensors, after only a few weeks of use. We like the feel and function of the Smartwool liners, but we can't recommend them if they're already coming apart.

We treat the thin Icebreaker Merino 260 Tech Liner and Smartwool Thermal Merino with care. And they need it.

How to Choose the Right Winter Gloves

When choosing a pair of winter gloves, it's important to consider what activities you'll use them for, what type of materials you'll need, how we'll they'll fit you, and what features you'll need. We'll walk you through these decisions below.

What Activity Will You Use Them For?

Think about how you'll use your gloves most of the time. For skiing or snowboarding in-bounds, you'll need warm, insulated, and waterproof gloves to handle cold and wet conditions when sitting idly on a lift. If you'll be active the entire time you wear them, as you are when running or cross-country skiing, they need to be more breathable than warm, and waterproofing may not matter as much. Touchscreen compatibility and comfort will be most important for casual use, like commuting around town. If you want work gloves, you'll need them to be well-made and durable. Tailoring your gloves to your specific activities will help keep you comfortable and your hands available in cold conditions. Since many of these gloves are inexpensive, buying a few pairs for dedicated tasks may be worth it.

What Material Will Work Best For Your Needs?

The materials your winter gloves are made of will significantly affect their performance. Synthetic materials like polyester or nylon are durable and, with proper treatment, can resist water, making them ideal for outdoor sports. However, untreated synthetic gloves do not resist water well. Gloves made with a high percentage of Merino wool dry faster if wet. While stylish and durable, leather gloves usually need a waterproofing agent like Nikwax to perform well in wet conditions. Consider gloves with fleece or wool linings and added insulation for maximum warmth. If you are engaged in active pursuits, seek options with moisture-wicking properties.

How Well Do They Fit?

A proper fit is essential to keep your hands comfortable, warm, and functional. Tight gloves can restrict circulation, reducing warmth. Loose gloves have the opposite effect. They will let in too much cold air and make it hard to use your hands, reducing the functionality of features like touchscreen capabilities. Look for gloves with good sizing information, adjustable cuffs, straps, or elastic bands to ensure a snug fit. Stretchy, knit versions composed of some synthetic fabrics often fit snugly.

What Features Do You Need?

Modern winter gloves come with a variety of features. One of the most important among them is touchscreen-compatible fingertips, which allow you to use your phone without removing your gloves in the cold. Another much-appreciated set of features includes adjustable cuffs and straps, which provide a better fit and help to improve insulation. Similarly, machine-washable gloves are much easier to maintain for those who don't have time or capacity for hand washing or spot cleaning. Considering these factors will help you find gloves that meet your needs.

Conclusion

Choosing between the many winter gloves on the market today can be hard. We hope that by buying these options, spending weeks testing them, and months wearing them, we've helped you zero in on your perfect pair. Keeping your hands warm is a crucial step to enjoying the winter months. We've got you covered, from heavily insulated and waterproof gloves for outdoor chores to deft liners for the most detailed tasks. See the roundup of our favorite gloves to find the best pairs for specific disciplines.

Need more winter gear to complete your cold weather protection? Whether you want an top-rated insulated jacket, a nice fuzzy sweater, or a new favorite winter jacket, our wintertime experts have thought of it all.