The Best Gloves for Winter 2026—and All Seasons

By Michael Lanza

Are you looking for gloves that keep your hands warm and dry in all seasons—yes, in winter, of course, but also models for spring through fall—and are made to last for years? As a professional gear reviewer who gets cold hands easily and spends many days outside year-round, from resort, backcountry, and Nordic skiing in the deep cold of winter to hiking and backpacking, trail running, biking around town, and working outside in cool temps at any time of year, I’ve used many types of gloves and learned a lot over the past three decades about how to select the right gloves for a variety of uses.

This review covers the best gloves for a wide range of purposes and temperatures in all seasons, from the 40s and 30s Fahrenheit to far below freezing. I’ve tested them in snowstorms, icy wind, every kind of frozen precipitation, and raw, rainy days; and through countless days of various modes of skiing and many types of multi-day backcountry trips, from chilly outings in the mountains to yurts in winter—as well as shoveling snow and doing yard work in the cold.

I bring to this job three decades of experience field-testing and reviewing outdoor gear and apparel, including the 10 years I spent as the lead gear reviewer for Backpacker magazine and even longer running this blog.

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Hi, I’m Michael Lanza, creator of The Big Outside. Click here to sign up for my FREE email newsletter. Join The Big Outside to get full access to all of my blog’s stories. Click here for my e-books to classic backpacking trips. Click here to learn how I can help you plan your next trip.

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I’ve learned to identify the large and small differences between excellent, mediocre, and poor gear—and even more importantly, to help readers understand what activities or uses a piece of apparel or gear is best for.

Besides coming in a range of prices and styles, the gloves reviewed below have different strengths and weaknesses, making each better for varying activities and circumstances, which I specify in each review. I’m confident you’ll find a pair (or more than one) here that meets your needs—and you’ll find the best prices at the affiliate links in each review below. You can support my work by making purchases through those links (at no cost to you). Thanks for that.

See also my picks for “The Best Mittens for Winter.”

If you have a question for me or a comment on this review or any gloves in it, or other gloves to recommend, please share it in the comments section at the bottom of this story. I try to respond to all comments.

Scroll past the tips on how to choose gloves if you want to jump directly into the glove reviews.

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Two Types of Gloves

For purposes of organizing this article simply, I divide the reviews below into two types of gloves—under-the-cuff and over-the-cuff—rather than seasonal categories (three-season versus winter gloves).

That’s because, while all over-the-cuff-style gloves are designed strictly for winter temperatures and weather—which can certainly occur in late autumn and early spring—some under-the-cuff gloves cross over between three-season and winter use. In fact, you could say that any under-the-cuff gloves could be worn at any time of year—it simply depends on ambient temperatures and conditions.

I believe these simple distinctions will help you identify what you need more easily and quickly.

The two types of gloves:

1.    Under-the-cuff gloves have shorter, closer-fitting gauntlets designed to be worn under a jacket cuff. They vary in degree of warmth and dexterity, but with very few exceptions, are usually less warm, less expensive, and more dexterous than over-the-cuff gloves. They are typically used for high-intensity activities like running and Nordic skiing on groomed trails, but depending on your needs and temperatures encountered, can be used for winter and three-season hiking, climbing, ski touring, and snowshoeing in moderate temperatures from the 20s to 40s Fahrenheit.

2.    Over-the-cuff gloves have longer, adjustable gauntlets designed to be worn over a jacket cuff. They have more insulation and often better water resistance than under-the-cuff gloves—or are fully waterproof-breathable—and usually cost more. “System” gloves, with removable liners, are more versatile for activities like backcountry skiing, snowshoeing, ski touring, climbing, or winter hiking and backpacking, where temperatures and your exertion level often vary greatly. Over-the-cuff gloves that lack removable liners are designed for activities involving moderate exertion levels, like resort skiing and working outside.

How to Choose Gloves for Any Season

How do you find the gloves that are right for your needs? Consider these factors:

• Your activity’s intensity.

• Your usual range of weather conditions and temperatures.

• How easily your fingers get cold.

• Glove weight is a broadly good indicator of warmth, but less reliable when comparing models that are very close in weight but made from different materials.

• Under-the-cuff gloves that are thin and light and have a short gauntlet—the gloves extend basically to the wrist—are designed for temps no colder than slightly below to above freezing, most commonly encountered in spring and fall or cooler environments, like higher mountains late spring into fall. In short, they are primarily three-season gloves but also work well on relatively mild winter days.

• Any gloves that are thicker, heavier, and warmer and have a gauntlet that extends beyond the wrist are usually designed for below-freezing temperatures and wetter environments, more typical of winter, late fall, or early spring.

• Warmer gloves are also overkill for high-intensity activities like running and Nordic skate skiing, except in frigid temperatures.

• Waterproof-breathable and/or windproof gloves are obviously better for inclement weather but also tend to be designed for keeping hands and fingers warm and dry in colder temps and a broader range of weather conditions.

• Under-the-cuff gloves are usually best for outings of a few hours or less.

• Over-the-cuff gloves are usually best for multi-hour or all-day activities, especially when your hands are repeatedly in snow, such as resort or backcountry skiing or riding or snowshoeing.

I’ve listed the products below in ascending order by weight within the two types and pointed out the pros and cons of each and what they’re best for.

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Under-the-Cuff Gloves

Black Diamond Midweight ScreenTap Liners
$45, 2 oz./56.7g (unisex medium)
Sizes: unisex XS-XL
blackdiamondequipment.com

Pros: Very lightweight and breathable stretch fabric, excellent dexterity, touchscreen sensitivity in all fingers and palm.
Cons: Minimal warmth, no weather resistance, unisex sizing.
Best For: Running, hiking, backpacking, walking, and similar activities in mostly dry weather and temps in the 30s and 40s.

No matter how easily your hands get cold, you will encounter conditions at any time of year (not just winter) when you need a light glove. I found this featherweight model ideal for trail runs and hikes in winter sunshine, little wind, and temps in the 30s and 40s Fahrenheit. These liners kept my hands warm and breathed so well my hands rarely got sweaty, even on hard runs and fast-paced hiking uphill; and when they did get damp, the fabric dries super quickly, minimizing the conductive cooling that causes hands to rapidly get cold.

The MidWeight ScreenTap liners combine a lightweight stretch fleece on the back with UR Powered conductive material on the palm and fingers, which creates superior touchscreen sensitivity throughout all five fingers and the front of the hand. Suede goat leather palm patches improve grip. The unisex sizing is average for men and some women, with a comfortably close, stretchy fit that helps accommodate different hand types.

BUY IT NOW You can support my work on this blog, at no cost to you, by clicking any of these affiliate links to purchase the Black Diamond MidWeight ScreenTap Liners at blackdiamondequipment.com, backcountry.com, or rei.com.

Enjoy your cold-season activities more.
See “12 Pro Tips For Staying Warm Outdoors in Winter.”

Black Diamond Mont Blanc Gloves
$30, 2 oz./56.7g (unisex medium)
Sizes: unisex XS-XL
blackdiamondequipment.com

Pros: Lightweight, very breathable, excellent dexterity, touchscreen fingertips.
Cons: Minimal weather resistance and warmth, unisex sizing.
Best For: Being active in temps from the 30s into the 40s.

Whether for high-exertion activities like running or Nordic skiing in temps around freezing to well above, hiking in cool weather, or long ultra-runs and hikes—BD designed this model with the ultra-race of the Tour du Mont Blanc in mind—these very lightweight gloves are a good pick, although not quite as warm as BD’s Midweight Screen Tap Gloves. With my typically cold fingers, I found them perfect for hiking and trail running in temps in the 30s and 40s, but not warm enough for high-speed skate-skiing in temps in the 30s, because you create your own wind; but my wife, whose fingers don’t get cold easily, found them ideal for skate-skiing in those temps.

A weather-resistant shell fabric on the back of the hand and digits sheds light precipitation and blocks some wind, while the stretch palm and cuff release perspiration and dry quickly; and the cuff seals snugly around the wrist. A silicone grip pattern covers the entire palm and grabbing side of the digits, for easily holding onto poles and bottles. And the thumb and forefinger tips have excellent touchscreen sensitivity. Sizing is average, with a skin-tight fit that doesn’t feel too tight because of the stretch, which also helps accommodate different hand types.

BUY IT NOW You can support my work on this blog, at no cost to you, by clicking any of these affiliate links to purchase the Black Diamond Mont Blanc Gloves at rei.com, backcountry.com, or blackdiamondequipment.com.

Get the right synthetic or down puffy to keep you warm.
See “The 12 Best Down Jackets.”

Outdoor Research Vigor Heavyweight Sensor Gloves
$45, 2.5 oz./70.9g (men’s medium)
Sizes: men’s S-XL, women’s S-L
backcountry.com

Pros: Lightweight, warm liner, excellent dexterity, breathable, touchscreen finger and thumb tips, men’s and women’s sizes.
Cons: Not weatherproof, too warm for milder temps.
Best For: Moderate- to high-exertion activities when dexterity is needed in temperatures from below to around freezing.

From cold-weather hiking and trail running to ski touring and Nordic skiing, I have worn these lightweight but remarkably warm gloves repeatedly. OR’s toastiest fleece liner glove, the Vigor sport ActiveTemp thermo-regulating technology, which OR says adjusts to your body’s release of heat to keep hands comfortable during high-exertion activities. Plus, the Vigor Gloves have a double-layer fleece construction, with 265g weight exterior fleece and 100g weight on the interior. They extend slightly beyond the wrist to insulate blood vessels in the wrist that help keep fingers warm.

My hands, which get cold very easily, remained comfortable in temps down into the 20s when ski touring, trail running, or hiking in little to no wind and did not overheat until temps rose into the upper 30s in warm sunshine—partly because these gloves are highly breathable, wick moisture, and dry quickly. Still, people whose hands do not get cold easily may find them too warm for temps around or above freezing, especially for high-exertion activities, and ideal for somewhat colder conditions than I used the gloves.

They have excellent dexterity, with a very close fit and abundant stretch—they’re a little difficult to pull the cuff over my somewhat thick hands, but comfortable when wearing them. With silicone dot grip on the two middle fingers and upper palm and thumb, touchscreen sensitivity in forefinger and thumb tips, and a clip to keep them together when stored, the Outdoor Research Vigor Heavyweight Sensor Gloves are the warmest gloves for their weight and ideal for moderate to high exertion in cold temperatures.

One caveat: These gloves don’t block wind, which can make hands much colder (absent a shell glove or mitten over them)—as happened to my chronically cold hands when skate-skiing, which creates its own wind, in temps in the upper 20s; and on a January hike with temps just above freezing but a steady wind on an exposed ridgeline that made it feel much colder.

OR’s lighter options are the men’s and women’s Vigor Midweight Sensor Gloves ($39) and Vigor Lightweight Sensor Gloves ($35).

BUY IT NOW You can support my work on this blog, at no cost to you, by clicking any of these affiliate links to purchase the men’s or women’s Outdoor Research Vigor Heavyweight Sensor Gloves, Vigor Midweight Sensor Gloves, or Vigor Lightweight Sensor Gloves at backcountry.com or outdoorresearch.com.

Need serious warmth? Check out “The Best Mittens for Winter.”

Outdoor Research Sureshot Softshell Gloves
$50, 3 oz./85.1g (unisex medium)
Sizes: men’s S-XL, women’s S-L
backcountry.com

Pros: Lightweight, excellent dexterity, very breathable, touchscreen finger and thumb tips, men’s and women’s sizes.
Cons: Not weatherproof, less warm than gloves of comparable weight.
Best For: Moderate- to high-exertion activities when dexterity is needed in temperatures from slightly below to above freezing.

Skate-skiing in temps from the mid-20s Fahrenheit to around freezing, moving between sunshine and pockets of shaded, chillier forest—conditions that can quickly make my fingers achingly cold in light, breathable gloves—I was pleasantly surprised at how comfortable my hands remained in OR’s Sureshot Softshell Gloves. They’ve also kept my fingers entirely warm on winter trail runs in temps in the 20s and 30s Fahrenheit. And when I wore them through three days of torrential rain on New Zealand’s Milford Track, while they soaked through—they’re not waterproof—they still kept my wet hands warm in strong wind and temperatures in the 40s Fahrenheit.

The Sureshot have all the dexterity of light, close-fitting gloves, as well as touchscreen sensitivity in the fingertip and thumb, goat leather overlays in the palm for added durability, and a stretch cuff that wraps snugly around the wrist and extends a good inch behind the wrist bones—longer than many gloves this light—insulating the blood vessels that help keep fingers warm. The fit is borderline tight for my slightly chubby hands and fingers.

The water resistant, two-way stretch-woven fabric breathes quite well—after high-exertion Nordic skiing, only the wrists of the gloves were slightly damp from sweat, and they had been underneath my jacket sleeve. That high breathability also means more cold wind passing through compared to some (usually heavier) models, resulting in my hands getting cold in the Sureshot in any combo of wind and cold temps that feels below the high 20s (though people whose fingers don’t get cold as easily may find these gloves good in the low 20s). These aren’t as warm as OR’s Vigor Heavyweight Sensor Gloves.

OR’s Sureshot Pro Gloves ($65, 5 oz.) add a waterproof Ventia insert. Winter lovers with chronically cold fingers may want to consider OR’s Sureshot Heated Softshell Gloves ($269, 7.4 oz.). With the AltiHeat technology, which offers three heat settings and rechargeable battery life ranging from 2.5 to eight hours (according to OR—I have not tested these gloves), the Sureshot Heated Gloves provide a rare combination of dexterity and assured warmth in breathable, water-resistant handwear. OR’s Prevail Heated Gore-Tex Gloves or Mittens ($339, 11.5 oz.) add waterproof-breathable, windproof protection.

BUY IT NOW You can support my work on this blog, at no cost to you, by clicking any of these affiliate links to purchase the Outdoor Research Sureshot Softshell Gloves, Sureshot Pro Gloves, or Sureshot Heated Softshell Gloves at rei.com, backcountry.com, or outdoorresearch.com, or OR’s Prevail Heated Gore-Tex Gloves or Mittens at rei.com, backcountry.com, or outdoorresearch.com.

Gorewear Men’s Windstopper Thermo Gloves
$90, 3.2 oz./90.7g (men’s medium)
Sizes: men’s XS-3XL
backcountry.com

Pros: Lightweight and warm for their weight, excellent dexterity, very breathable, broad range of sizes that will accommodate many women, too.
Cons: No touchscreen sensitivity.
Best For: Moderate- to high-exertion activities when dexterity is needed in temperatures from below to well above freezing.

The temperature sat at 33° Fahrenheit and a relentless, frigid wind blew hard as a friend and I started an 8.5-mile, nearly 4,000-vertical-foot, late-November hike up and down a steep, open ridge in our local foothills. I assumed my fingers would turn white and painful because they typically do in conditions like that. (It takes a while for my hands to warm up because of my severe Raynaud’s.)

But that never happened, thanks to my Gorewear’s Men’s Windstopper Thermo Gloves: My fingers remained warm for the entire hike—including the downhill, when my body produced much less heat in that cold wind. And they didn’t overheat once the temp rose to around 40° F, with warm sunshine, and the wind largely died down. These gloves also kept my hands comfortable on chilly fall trail runs and biking around town in temps in the 20s and 30s Fahrenheit.

The Windstopper Thermo Gloves are clearly made for cold, windy days. Gore Windstopper makes them completely windproof—my fingers never felt that frigid wind on our November hike—while keeping them impressively breathable and somewhat water-resistant (although they wetted through pretty quickly in a light rain). A soft, brushed thermo lining and an elasticized cuff that extends slightly beyond the wrist make them warmer than other models of comparable weight.

They also provide the dexterity of light, close-fitting gloves, fabric reinforcements in the palm for a bit more protection and durability, and a nose wipe on the back of both thumbs. The fit is comfortable for my slightly chubby hands and fingers.

BUY IT NOW You can support my work on this blog, at no cost to you, by clicking any of these affiliate links to purchase the Gorewear Men’s Windstopper Thermo Gloves at backcountry.com or gorewear.com.

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Seirus Soundtouch Xtreme All Weather Gloves
$70, 3.5 oz./99.2g (men’s medium)
Sizes: men’s and women’s S-XXL
rei.com

Pros: Lightweight, waterproof-breathable, warm, excellent dexterity, touchscreen fingertips, and great value.
Cons: Too warm for some users for high-intensity activities in temps above freezing.
Best For: High-intensity activities in temps below freezing or moderate activity in temperatures above freezing.

Through waves of heavy rain and thunderstorms in chilly temperatures on a mid-September backpacking trip in Wyoming’s Wind River Range, these lightweight gloves kept my hands warm and absolutely dry. They also proved plenty warm enough for a morning near freezing while backpacking in May in Utah’s Dark Canyon Wilderness, as well as chilly mornings of spring backcountry skiing and on frosty days cycling and hiking at home.

With a light fleece lining and a stretchy cuff that extends about two inches behind the wrist bones, these gloves felt quite warm in temps in the low 40s Fahrenheit; even with my cold fingers, I could wear them in temps down into the 20s, so they’re as warm as some bulkier fleece gloves. But unless you get cold fingers easily, they’re too warm for hiking in temps in the 40s or running in temps much above freezing. A waterproof-breathable Pro-Fit insert kept my hands dry through heavy rain during thunderstorms in the Winds, and even when I ran tap water over them; they’ll certainly repel snow. The soft-shell outer fabric’s four-way stretch affords a close fit with excellent dexterity. Soundtouch sensitivity in the thumb and forefinger allowed me to easily tap out text messages and select icons on a phone screen, and PVC in the palm adds durability.

BUY IT NOW You can support my work on this blog, at no cost to you, by clicking this affiliate link to purchase the men’s or women’s Seirus Soundtouch Xtreme All Weather Gloves at rei.com, or the lighter Seirus Soundtouch All Weather Gloves at rei.com.

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Black Diamond Tour Gloves
$100, 4 oz./113.4g (men’s/unisex medium)
Sizes: men’s/unisex XS-XL
blackdiamondequipment.com

Pros: Lightweight, waterproof-breathable even when repeatedly immersed in snow, windproof, good fit and dexterity, durable materials.
Cons: Not warm enough for deep cold, no touchscreen sensor.
Best For: Temps from below to above freezing while skinning uphill in the backcountry, snowshoeing, bike commuting, or working outside.

Black Diamond’s Tour Gloves have kept my hands warm most of the time and absolutely dry on days of ski touring in Idaho’s Boise Mountains, in temps from the low 20s into the 30s Fahrenheit. Not unusually for me (my fingers are typically colder than anyone’s I ski with), my fingers started out cold on the skin track one morning, partly because we began in flat terrain in temps in the low 20s; but these gloves otherwise kept my digits warm for uphill travel. (I always switch to warmer gloves for the downhill.)

They also kept my hands dry even when getting them in snow a lot, thanks to the waterproof-breathable and windproof Pertex Shield shell fabric in the gauntlet and water-resistant goatskin leather throughout the hand. (I applied leather treatment for water repellency before wearing them.) A fleece lining and a gauntlet extending slightly beyond the wrist, with a hook-and-loop strap to provide a snug closure, makes them respectably warm for gloves this light and dexterous. The goatskin leather’s suppleness, a close but not tight fit, and quality construction lend these gloves good dexterity, enabling me to easily manipulate everything from pack buckles to climbing skins to ripping the wrapper off an energy bar. A clip keeps them together.

BUY IT NOW You can support my work on this blog, at no cost to you, by clicking either of these affiliate links to purchase the Black Diamond Tour Gloves at blackdiamondequipment.com or rei.com.

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Outdoor Research Extravert Gloves
$85, 5 oz./141.7g (men’s medium)
Sizes: men’s S-XL, women’s S-L
backcountry.com

Pros: Versatile balance of warmth, weather resistance, and dexterity and a good value.
Cons: Not warm enough for deep cold, no touchscreen sensitivity.
Best For: Moderate cold while hiking, backcountry skiing or snowboarding, snowshoeing, climbing, bike commuting, or working outside.

The Extravert has become a go-to glove for me on days of backcountry skiing both uphill and downhill in temps in the 20s, at times in heavily falling, wet snow, or just for the up track in deeper cold.

Snow slides off the tough, wind- and water-resistant, stretch nylon shell and the durable goat leather palms, which also lend good grip to the hands and textured fingers. The wool blend lining strikes a good balance of warmth for the snow pit avalanche-hazard assessment, skinning exposed ridges in cold wind, and skiing downhill in moderate temps while wicking moisture and keeping hands from overheating when cranking up the skin track.

The pre-curved fingers are comfortable without feeling at all stiff. The fit runs true to size and is just right: snug enough for good dexterity without choking off circulation to the fingers. A big loop makes pulling them on easy and the hook-and-loop closure and beyond-the-wrist gauntlet lock snow out and fit over the cuff of an insulated jacket or under the adjustable cuff of a shell. They have a carabiner loop on the middle fingers for hanging to dry and a buckle to clip them together.

The Outdoor Research Extravert Gloves hit a sweet spot for warmth, weather protection, and dexterity that makes them useful for everything from backcountry skiing, hiking, and climbing in moderate winter temps to bike commuting and clearing snow—at a good price for this level of performance.

BUY IT NOW You can support my work on this blog, at no cost to you, by clicking any of these affiliate links to purchase the Outdoor Research Extravert Gloves at backcountry.com, outdoorresearch.com, or rei.com.

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Smartwool Ridgeway Glove
$90, 5.5 oz./155.9g (unisex medium)
Sizes: Unisex XS-XL
backcountry.com

Pros: Very durable, water-resistant, lightweight, good dexterity.
Cons: No women’s sizes or touchscreen sensor.
Best For: Everything from high- and moderate-intensity activities in temps below and above freezing to all-around, everyday use, including working outside.

For high-speed Nordic skate-skiing in temps down to the mid-20s as well as biking around town, these gloves kept my chronically cold fingers happy, thanks to the warm and soft, Merino wool and nylon lining. And yet they’re low bulk, fitting easily in pole straps and offering good dexterity. With goat leather everywhere but on the back of the hand (to make that area more breathable and the glove more flexible), and a double layer of leather reinforcing the thumb and forefinger, the Ridgeway is an excellent all-around winter glove for everything from cross-country skiing and snowshoeing to bike commuting and working in the yard and elsewhere.

The cuff lacks a closure strap or elasticity, leaving it slightly open, but fits easily under any jacket cuff to keep snow and cold out. They’re not warm enough for downhill skiing, except on sunny, warm early-spring days. Sizing runs slightly small, probably to accommodate women’s hands (since these are unisex); men on the cusp between sizes will probably need to size up. But I almost always wear men’s medium, and the medium Ridgeway fit my hands well.

BUY IT NOW You can support my work on this blog, at no cost to you, by clicking any of these affiliate links to purchase the Smartwool Ridgeway Glove at backcountry.com.

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Black Diamond Legend Gloves
$160, 8 oz./226.8g (men’s medium)
Sizes: men’s S-XL, women’s XS-L
blackdiamondequipment.com

Pros: Waterproof, all leather, padded, very warm.
Cons: Too warm for moderate temps, minimal dexterity for under-the-cuff gloves.
Best For: Moderately cold days backcountry or resort skiing, snowshoeing, snowboarding, ice climbing, and mountaineering, or working outside.

BD’s Legend Glove achieves a successful marriage of the warmth of an over-the-cuff glove with the fit of an under-the-cuff glove. With 170g of PrimaLoft Gold insulation on the backs of the hands and 133g of PrimaLoft Gold Eco in the palms, these are among the warmest under-the-cuff gloves I’ve ever used—and they come loaded with high-end features.

Shoveling out our tent after a night of wet, heavy snowfall, and taking the tent down later—with my hands repeatedly in heavy, sloppy snow—I found the Gore-Tex-lined Legend Gloves lived up to their fully waterproof claim. Ditto when I shoveled about a half ton of wet snow off the deck of a backcountry yurt in Idaho’s Boise Mountains. They’re built for hard use, with goat leather construction, Kevlar stitching, and compression-molded EVA padding on the backs of the hands. The soft suede nose wipe on the thumbs and a neoprene cuff with hook-and-loop closure close out a rich feature set.

Not surprisingly, I also found these gloves too warm for highly aerobic skate skiing in temps around freezing. They’re best for moderate-exertion, cold-temperature activities like ice climbing, resort skiing, skiing downhill in the backcountry (or skinning uphill in very cold temperatures), or hiking, snowshoeing and ski touring in temperatures well below freezing.

BUY IT NOW You can support my work on this blog, at no cost to you, by clicking either of these affiliate links to purchase the men’s or women’s Black Diamond Legend Gloves at backcountry.com, blackdiamondequipment.com, or rei.com.

Over-the-Cuff Gloves

Rab Khroma Freeride GTX Gloves
$180, 9 oz./255.1g (medium)
Sizes: unisex XS-XXL
backcountry.com

Pros: Very warm, waterproof-breathable, fully featured, decent dexterity, durable, superior construction.
Cons: Too warm for relatively mild temps or spring skiing, no removable inner glove.
Best For: Resort and backcountry skiing, snowshoeing, winter hiking and backpacking in deep cold.

On numerous days of backcountry skiing from Idaho’s Boise Mountains and Boulder Mountains to Utah’s Wasatch Range, I faced weather that translates to great powder skiing but frequently create discomfort in my chronically cold digits: temps ranging from the single digits to the teens Fahrenheit, with periods of cold wind and snow falling heavily much of the time. But through long days out, these gloves kept my hands warm and dry, even when digging into snow pits while evaluating avalanche hazard. They also kept my fingers warm on multiple days resort skiing in temps in the single digits—and have become one of my go-to gloves for the coldest days.

Credit goes to the hydrophobic PrimaLoft Gold insulation—which delivers warmth even when wet from precipitation or sweat—and the three-layer, waterproof-breathable Gore-Tex Plus Warm technology. That Gore-Texmembrane not only kept moisture out when skiing downhill, it breathed well enough that my hands never became sweaty, even when I wore the gloves skinning uphill in the coldest temps, keeping my hands toasty when they likely would have gotten too cold if I had switched to a lighter glove (as I would in relatively warmer but sub-freezing temps).

The high loft pile lining feels comfortable against the skin. I found the unisex medium Khroma fit my hands like men’s medium gloves from other brands: Roomy enough to not inhibit blood circulation in my thick fingers and just the right length. The fit helps create good dexterity for such a warm and beefy glove, enabling me to easily manipulate helmet and boot buckles and food packaging.

An adjustable gauntlet extends well past the wrist to fit over a jacket sleeve and cinches tight and loosens with a one-hand drawcord. Pittards Armortan goat leather provides excellent grip in the palm and abrasion resistance on the backs of the fingers and knuckles, pairing effectively with a stretch Matrix nylon shell fabric through the back of the hand and gauntlet. The Khroma Freeride also come with all the features you should expect from high-performance gloves, including a removable wrist leash with a wide band for security and durability, pre-curved fingers for comfort gripping poles, and nose-wipe pads on both thumbs.

BUY IT NOW You can support my work on this blog, at no cost to you, by clicking this affiliate link to purchase the Rab Khroma Freeride GTX Gloves at backcountry.com.

Planning your next big adventure? See “America’s Top 10 Best Backpacking Trips”
and “Tent Flap With a View: 25 Favorite Backcountry Campsites.”

 

Mountain Hardwear Boundary Ridge Gore-Tex Glove
$190, 10.5 oz./297.7g (unisex medium)
Sizes: unisex XS-XL
backcountry.com

Pros: Warm, waterproof-breathable, fully featured, very durable, superior construction.
Cons: Too warm for relatively mild temps or spring skiing, no removable inner glove.
Best For: Resort and backcountry skiing, snowshoeing, winter hiking and backpacking in deep cold.

As often happens to me, the best days of backcountry or resort skiing typically correspond with cold temperatures and conditions that make my hands cold. But these gloves kept my hands warm and dry in overcast, snowy weather in the backcountry when the temps plunged low enough that I sometimes had to wear these gloves even skinning uphill (when I’d often wear lighter gloves).

Thanks to PrimaLoft Gold insulation fused with a NASA-developed aerogel technology that blocks heat transfer—keeping your hand warmth on the inside—plus a fleece lining, the Boundary Ridge gloves warmed my hands quickly when I pulled them on after my digits had gotten chilled when the air temp dropped while I wore lighter gloves for skinning uphill. The waterproof-breathable Gore-Tex membrane means hands stay dry through the even wettest conditions, even with your hands in the snow a lot.

Pittards leather on the palm, fingers, and back of the hand—basically, the entire hand except for the soft nose wipe on each thumb—ensures great durability through many days of hard use. Foam padding protects the knuckles. I found the touchscreen compatibility didn’t really work for me in the forefinger but worked well in the thumb: I could actually tap out texts, although very slowly with gloves this big.

The adjustable gauntlet extends well past the wrist to fit over a jacket sleeve and cinches tight and loosens with a one-hand drawcord; it also features a leash with an elastic forearm band, a bit more comfortable and secure than a simple cord, and a big grab loop for using a gloved hand to pull on the other glove. A carabiner loop on the ring finger enables hanging them fingers-up from a pack, so falling snow doesn’t get inside. I normally fit many men’s medium gloves and the unisex sizing medium Boundary Ridge gloves fit me a bit tightly in the pre-curved fingers, which may inhibit circulation for people with bigger hands; but sizing up doesn’t work unless you also have long fingers.

BUY IT NOW You can support my work on this blog, at no cost to you, by clicking this affiliate link to purchase the Mountain Hardwear Boundary Ridge Gore-Tex Glove at backcountry.com.

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Black Diamond Guide Gloves
$190, 11 oz./311.8g (unisex medium)
Sizes: unisex XS-XXL
blackdiamondequipment.com

Pros: Very warm and durable, waterproof-breathable, removable liner glove, fully featured, nice fit and dexterity, superior construction.
Cons: Hard to find any complaints.
Best For: Resort and backcountry skiing, snowshoeing, winter hiking and backpacking in moderate to deep cold.

For several straight days of backcountry skiing around Idaho’s Galena Summit and upper Wood River Valley in late December and early January, the temperatures stayed stuck in the single digits and low double digits Fahrenheit, with wind chills around zero—and we stayed out for hours skiing blower powder. Wearing BD’s Guide Gloves, I suffered only occasional periods of my fingers feeling uncomfortably cold—when, say, I had cooled off during a short break and they wouldn’t warm up again until I had resumed moving for a while (a common scenario for me and many people in winter).

BD rates the gloves as warm to -15 to 0° F/-26 to -18° C; with chronically bad Raynaud’s, I found the upper end of that rating was my comfort limit. These gloves are among the warmest in this review and have quickly become my go-to for cold days in the backcountry and sometimes for resort skiing (although I’ll often choose mittens on really cold days riding lifts).

The warm, removable inner glove featuring Primaloft synthetic insulation, with a lining that combines soft, boiled wool and 200g fleece, gives the Guide Gloves much more versatility than models that lack this modularity: In warm sunshine and temps in the 20s, I wore only the shell or inner glove skinning uphill. The waterproof-breathable Gore-Tex membrane kept my hands completely dry while skiing in heavily falling snow.

Construction and durability get a superior grade, thanks to the abrasion-resistant, woven, four-way stretch nylon from the wrist through the extended gauntlet and at the middle knuckle on the fingers—which also provides a closer fit that improves dexterity for such a warm glove—and goat leather throughout most of the shell above the wrist. I’ve used few gloves with removable inner gloves that have such good fit and warmth. The adjustable gauntlet extends well past the wrist to slide easily over a jacket sleeve and has a one-hand drawcord; it lacks a leash. Foam padding on the knuckles and back of the hands protects against impact and there’s a soft, suede leather nose wipe on the thumbs.

BD’s Guide Finger Gloves ($190) differ largely in their split-finger design, with the forefinger free for dexterity while the other three fingers share a mitten-like space for better warmth.

BUY IT NOW You can support my work on this blog, at no cost to you, by clicking any of these affiliate links to purchase the Black Diamond Guide Gloves at blackdiamondequipment.com, backcountry.com, or rei.com, or the Black Diamond Guide Finger Gloves blackdiamondequipment.com or backcountry.com.