Gloves and mittens are crucial when going skiing as you are bound to lose heat fast due to the extremities of the environment. Getting the best skiing gloves or mittens for your intended activity will prevent your hands from freezing and your fingers from becoming numb. As far as styling is concerned, choose regular fingered ski gloves or mittens depending on your preferred features. While ski gloves are ideal for people who need to use their fingers during skiing perhaps to adjust boots or outwear, Ski mittens are the best if you are likely to suffer from losing heat caused by extremely cold temperature. Apart from just protecting your fingers, you can also increase heat transmitted through the mittens by clenching a feast.

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Some features you need to consider when purchasing skiing gloves or mittens include:

Insulation

Insulation helps to create the right temperature in extreme and freezing conditions. Go for a basic glove with a padded layer of insulation that can retain heat. A fleeced lining is very vital in providing additional warmth and can be combined with waterproof membrane for extreme skin gloves.

 

Water- and snowproofness

The fabric the glove is made of needs to be treated with the waterproof coating. A good waterproof glove should have an additional waterproof membrane that is breathable and windproof to keep your hands dry, warm and comfortable

 

Heat vent

It is important that your gloves are breathable and can also allow you to breathe in the hot air when you need instant heat. This is why gloves with a heat vent are important for skiing.

 

Adjustable cuffs and wrist loops

A glove with these features allows you to secure your gloves so that snow does not penetrate from the cuff. On the other hand, a glove with a toggle can allow for tightening and closing the glove with one pull.

 

Firm grip

Look for gloves with reinforced fabric on the palms and fingers to provide a good grip for ski lifts or poles.

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Best Skiing Gloves and Mittens 2024

Our review today features some of the best gloves for skiing together with an analysis of their features.

 

1. Hestra Army Leather Gore-Tex Gloves

The Hestra Army Gore-Tex gloves are for skiers intending to go for steep grounds as they have proven their performance in providing warmth and utmost protection for the hands. With their long cuffs, these leather gloves will definitely keep your hands warm, dry and well insulated.

Their Gore-Tex insert membrane designed to operate like another layer of skin also comes with great breathability important for releasing excess heat and moisture from the body to keep your hands dry. Furthermore, the durable Triton 3 layer polyamide forms the outer layer of the Hestra Army Leather Gloves. The Triton being water and windproof ensures that your hands are protected against any tough weather conditions.

The palm and the finger part of the gloves have a soft and supple leather overlay which has been proofed to prevent freezing or saturation. The glove also features an Eagle grip that provides a great grip for handling your ski pole. The curving of the gloves follows the shape of the hands which in addition to the Hestra SoftFil polyester provides comfortable warmth free from bulkiness.

 

2. Hestra Vertical Cut Freeride Five Finger Leather Racing Gloves

Here is another top glove by Hestra designed for those with a passion for storm snowboarding or skiing as it provides exceptional protection from wet conditions. This Five Finger Leather Racing Glove is made from a high-quality leather and fabrics sewn together to yield an amazing dexterity and of course a great feel for users.

The Vertical Cut Freeride is tough too so if you are out for durable gloves that will withstand regular heavy use, they come as a sure recommendation. These gloves are made of tough leather with a perfect finish to enhance its effectiveness.

The Hestra Vertical Cut Freeride is agreeably one of the warmest among the cut length models. It comes with a soft-brush fleece inside lining and Neoprene cuffs to provide comfort and warmth.

On the downside though, these gloves can be rated average as far as water resistance is concerned therefore if your adventure exposes you to water and a lot of wetness, consider other better water resistant pair of gloves.

 

3. Black Diamond Men’s Legend Gloves

The mountainside expert will certainly love the Men’s Legend gloves. They are reinforced with leather palms along with palm patches fixed with strong Kevlar stitch making them tough and warm enough for repeated winter use. To be precise, the Men’s Legend leather is actually goat leather with PrimaLoft insulation on the back to provide warmth.

In fact, this is considered the warmest pair of gloves among the Black Diamond brand’s as it comes with a unique combination of waterproof features alongside a breathable Gore-Tex insert. The lighter PrimaLoft insulation enhances dexterity especially when you have to get a hold of your ski pole and the Neoprene cuff allows you to easily tuck it inside your jacket.

It is also very light, weighing only 0.54 lb (244 g) per pair.

The Legend has proved to be an effective performance glove thanks to other integrated features like the molded EVA foam to protect your knuckles and offer the much needed extra protection when handling the pole and pulling tight objects.

 

4. Black Diamond Mercury Mitts Cold Weather Mittens

The Mercury Mitts are among the best mittens for extremely cold conditions as it is designed to provide maximum warmth. This mitt is also highly water resistant thanks to its bomber shell construction. Therefore if you are planning to ski on extremely cold mountains, you may want to consider them.

Other features Mercury Mitts boasts of is that it has a special slot for the internal index finger together with a hanging loop for you to hang it to dry faster. The mitten’s complex liner is designed with a 340g PrimaLoft that enhances its toughness and comfort. Additional warmth is provided through its fleece which is covered by a waterproof material known as Bdry.

The Mercury Mitts disadvantage is that it is not very durable and hence tends to wear out easily after runs on a few heavy seasons though this is not at all a deal breaker. It also has poor dexterity and therefore good for you if you don’t mind a classical regular design.

Black Diamond Mercury Mitts are still among the best mittens for your consideration in terms of warmth as it can handle the freezing temperatures on mountains tops.

 

5. Black Diamond Men’s Guide Gloves

Here is a perfect glove for expedition lovers keen on extreme warmth even in very cold climates without minding too much about dexterity.

In fact, the Black Diamond Men’s Guide is considered one of the warmest non-mitt gloves making them the best for skiing or snowboarding in cold weather.

The Guide features removable liners which make drying them fast after getting wet or being washed. You’ll love the fact that it’s made of very tough leather and that it also comes with an above-average water resistance. With molded EVA Foam padding to provide extra warmth on your fingers and knuckles, you are not only fully protected from the extreme cold but you also have a durable pair of gloves.

The downside of the Guide Glove is that they are tough so you will need some time to break in. In addition, people who fall between sizes may require a bit of sizing up to get the right fitting gloves.

 

6. Hestra Army Leather Heli 3-Finger Ski Gloves

Here is another pair of gloves with detailed attention to warmth. The Hestra Army Heli 3-Finger Ski glove is best for you if you need warmth. They are recommended for skiers who are looking for exceptionally warm mitts that cannot be provided by gloves. They come with removable liners, are low profile and very well designed. Of importance to note is that these gloves are especially suited for cold and dry climates like New England and Colorado as they lack a waterproof membrane.

The Heli 3-Finger Gloves are very durable owing to the fact that they have been made using leather palm backed by nylon insulation. The fleece inside liner is also warmer and last longer than many other synthetic insulated options available. The inside liner is also removable to allow for easy cleaning and fast drying. Their wrist locks them firmly in place for guaranteed warmth and protection from snow.

This mitt has more advantages when it comes to dexterity due to its separate finger design and as mentioned earlier, a removable fleece glove making it feel less discomfited.

However, like all other human inventions, this one too didn’t miss a disadvantage. On the downside, these gloves are only fairly water resistant hence not ideal for freezing temperatures. In addition, the leather palm will require regular treatment when used extensively.

 

7. Hestra Leather Fall Line Ski and Cold Weather Gloves Unisex

Here is a warm glove that is perfect for backcountry skiing and snowboarding due to its ability to withstand tough weather conditions. The Hestra Leather Fall Line is a soft glove made of premium supple cowhide leather to deliver high-level comfort. The gloves are further insulated with Polyester fiberfill that supplies even more warmth even when snowboarding in a damp environment.

Your comfort is also enhanced by the polyester linings that wick the moisture to keep your hands dry throughout. With their unisex design and a wide range of sizes, it is easy to get one that fits your hands well.

Additionally, the external part of the gloves is strong enough to protect against varied conditions. The high-quality leather is also water resistance while the external seams of the gloves ensure that you have a good grip of ski poles even in wet conditions.

Finally, these gloves are very compatible with other outwears like jackets because they are designed with adjustable rip and stick neoprene cuffs that will fit securely underneath many kinds of jackets sleeves.

 

Conclusion

Having the right mittens or gloves is an important determining factor of whether you will have a fun filled skiing adventure or a trip full of discomfort due to frigid fingers. As you shop for the best skiing gloves or mittens for your needs you will also need to consider the activity you intend to undertake.

Most of the gloves and mittens designed for downhill skiing or snowboarding are made of synthetic exterior insulation to keep you warm in both wet and cold conditions. On the other hand, gloves or mittens intended for cross country need to be flexible and breathable enough to facilitate removal of moisture and sweat from your hands.