The Best Winter Gloves of 2026

Keeping your hands warm with winter gloves makes snowy days memorable — for the right reasons. Frozen fingers can halt a day on the slopes, end a hike or walk early, and just be painful and uncomfortable.

For outdoor work and play, Senior Editor Morgan Tilton and professional freeskier Dane Tudor spent dozens of hours testing four new cold-weather pairs across four months of winter’s core in Crested Butte, Colorado, and British Columbia.

We found the best premium waterproof-breathable gloves like the Black Diamond Legend. But you might be looking for a lightweight lifestyle pair, like The North Face Etip Recycled, which is touchscreen compatible.

Editor’s Note: We updated our Winter Gloves buyer’s guide on August 14, 2026, with the Gordini MTN, Smartwool Ridgeway, Smartwool Liner, and Black Diamond Tour LT. We added rating details to reflect our field-testing results for each pair.

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Other Worthy Winter Gloves In Our Gear Closet

While these seven sets of winter gloves didn’t make the cut for our accolades, we keep each of these pairs in our mud room, car, or pack as a backup.

Winter Gloves Comparison Chart

Scroll right to view all of the columns: Price, Shell/Material, Cuff Type, Insulation, Waterproof.

Winter Gloves	Price	Shell/Material	Cuff Type	Insulation	Waterproof
Smartwool Ridgeway	$90	100% Goat leather, wool knuckle panel, web space reinforcement	Rib-knit cuff with slender elastic band and snap pairing buckle	Soft-brushed Merino wool blend lining (70% Merino wool, 30% nylon)	Water-resistant and wind-resistant leather (not fully waterproof)
Smartwool Liner	$28	48% merino wool, 48% recycled polyester, 1% elastodiene, 1% elastane, 2% other fiber	Rib-knit cuff	Uninsulated/natural merino wool thermal regulation	None
KUIU Northstar Glomitt	$139	PrimeFlex Polyester, Pittard’s OilTac Leather	Gauntlet style for over-the-cuff use	Primaloft Gold with Cross Core (340 g on the back; 170 g on the palm)	HDry Waterproof Membrane
Black Diamond Tour LT	$90	100% Goatskin leather with neoprene back-of-hand and thumb/index finger overlays	Form-fitting neoprene slip-on cuff with pull loop	Lightweight fleece lining	Water-resistant leather; no waterproof membrane
Dakine Leather Titan GTX	$116	Goat leather palm with a polyester fleece lining, synthetic insulation, and a waterproof membrane	Long gauntlet cuff	280g high loft synthetic	No
Black Diamond Legend	$160	GORE-TEX insert, goat leather, fleece lining	Neoprene undercuff	170g PrimaLoft Gold on the back; 60g PrimaLoft Gold on the palm	Yes, GORE-TEX
Vermont Tuttle	$150	100% full-grain leather	Undercuff, woven	50% wool, 50% polyester liner	No, but waterproof treatment can be added
Gordini MTN Guide	$50	Synthetic leather shell with durable boar leather palm; moisture-wicking lining	Low-profile knit undercuff	Megaloft synthetic insulation	Yes — Aquabloc waterproof, windproof, breathable insert
Gordini Fayston	$72	Synthetic leather shell (nylon) and a polyester lining	Short gauntlet cuff	45g Thindown insulation	No
The North Face Etip Recycled	$45	Recycled polyester and elastane softshell	Short under-sleeve cuff	Thin fleece layer	No
Hestra Army Leather Heli	$185	Water-resistant leather and polyester with a removable polyester liner	Long gauntlet	100% Polyester G-Loft	No
Hestra Windstopper Tour	$75	Melange fleece with a goat leather palm	Short gauntlet cuff	Fleece and micro check liner	No
Norrøna trollveggen GTX	$249	GORE-TEX insert, goat leather, PrimaLoft, OEKO-TEX-certified fabric, PFC-free DWR, Bluesign-certified fabric	Medium-length gauntlet cuff	130g PrimaLoft Gold	Yes
Give’r 4-Season	$119	All leather cowhide exterior	Elasticated undercuff	Thinsulate and polyester fleece lining; 150g on the palm side with 260g on the external hand	Yes, waterproof membrane, with wax coating for additional leather protection

How We Tested the Best Winter Gloves

Our GearJunkie winter crew of five testers has put dozens of winter warmers through the wringer since this guide was first published in 2021. This guide has been updated eight times.

Our Expert Testers

• Senior Editor Morgan Tilton specializes in snowsports buyer’s guides and grew up playing in snow at 9,000 feet. Based in the frigid, snowy wonderland of Crested Butte, she uses winter gloves daily to run errands, shovel, commute, manage her snowmobile trailer, and drive.
• Professional big mountain freeskier Dane Tudor uses winter gloves daily in his home base of British Columbia.
• Gear tester, reviewer, and photographer Eric Phillips is a splitboarder, search-and-rescuer, hunter, and snowmobiler based in the Colorado Rockies.
• Gear tester Mattie Schuler is no stranger to cold weather — she grew up in Wisconsin and teaches kids at a Colorado-based outdoor school — in cold, windy, and wet weather. She’s tested dozens of winter gloves and is admittedly picky about things like the nose wipe and wrist leash length.
• Contributor Austin Beck-Doss is based in Wyoming.

Our Testing Grounds

We have tested more than 30 pairs of winter gloves in the American Northeast, Southeast, and Southwest, as well as the Rockies, Canada, and Iceland. Temperatures ranged from -20 degrees to the 40s (Fahrenheit).

We worked outside and in the yard, shoveled mounds of snow, and ran errands in storm flurries. We played: alpine, backcountry, and Nordic skied, snowboarded, hiked, fat biked, snowshoed, skated, sledded, dog walked, and had snowball fights.

Our Testing Process

While testing to find the best gloves for winter, our team considers the waterproofness, breathability, durability, dexterity, how well they kept the weather out, ease of entry and exit, and taking a phone photo.

We also consider gripping a ski pole, steering and opening a vehicle door, riding a bike, leveraging a shovel, and packing a snowball.

Before field tests, we take into account the most popular, innovative, and acclaimed winter glove designs across applications and price points.

Our Winter Gloves Rating System

We score each pair of winter gloves on a 1–10 scale for Warmth and Insulation, Weatherproofing, Dexterity and Grip, Durability and Reinforcements. 

• Warmth and Insulation: Based on the type of insulation (down, synthetic, hybrid), insulation weight, and removable liners. We test every pair for the intended insulation value. 
• Weatherproofing: While considering weatherproofing, we take into account how the winter gloves shield from moisture and wind. 
• Dexterity and Grip: Examines the overall fit and how it translates to hand control with shovels, door knobs, bike handlebars, snow blowers, dumpsters, and other outdoor equipment. We take note of pre-curved fingers, articulated seams and panels, materials that enhance grip, and stretch panels for flexibility. 
• Durability and Reinforcements: Considers how the winter gloves endure abrasion from scraping ice off the windshield or hooking up a snowmobile trailer: are there reinforced palms, knuckles, or fingers? Are the seams double-stitched? 

The Overall Rating is based on contextual, editorial judgment, and the complex user experience across various scenarios and conditions.

Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose Winter Gloves

Winter gloves are 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.

Overall, in your go-to collection of gloves, you should have a few pairs that range from super warm to lightweight, with a medium warmth in the middle. That way, you aren’t sporting a thick, heavy glove when it’s a 35-degree sunny day outside. You’ll have a pair that fits exactly the conditions you need, whether that be a warmer, waterproof pair during super cold temps or a lighter design or liner during warmer winter days.

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 & Passive Activities

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 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.

Lobster Claws & Mittens

We focus on winter gloves here. But 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 three or four, 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.

Skiing & 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 and durable enough for active use, including ample friction with ski poles and bindings or backpacks and carrying gear. They also need to be comfortable in a wide range of conditions, because you’ll be out there with ’em on for a while and the weather can turn upside down.

On this list, the Dakine Leather Titan and the Hestra Army Leather Heli Ski Gloves are solid choices for bell-to-bell shredding at the ski resort or in the backcountry. Otherwise, read more about our favorite ski gloves.

Ski Pole Connectivity 

One very niche feature of some winter gloves, and specifically ski gloves, is their ability to connect to ski poles, like with those from Leki.

Leki has the Trigger System, which offers a built-in, tiny loop in the thumb saddle of some of their mittens and gloves that then connects to the brand’s ski poles. This helps provide more user control and a quick and easy on-and-off, but is also supposedly safer with a rapid-release mechanism.

If you’ve got LEKI poles but aren’t a fan of the brand’s gloves, you can also use the Trigger S straps, which is a harness that goes over your gloves to still be able to connect to the poles.

Durability & 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, and many have added reinforcements. The Norrøna trollveggen has additional leather in high-wear areas, like the palm and fingertips.

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.

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.

Cuffs & Gauntlets

Choosing a glove that has a large gauntlet cuff or a small undercuff comes down to the amount of protection you need from snow, wind, and cold temperatures, as well as personal choice and style plus your layering system.

With a larger gauntlet cuff, the cuff goes over the cuffs of your winter coat, like with the Hestra Army Leather Heli Ski Gloves. Then, tightening the wrist cinch makes it so no snow or wind gets in during a long day. Wrist cinches also help to ensure a secure, proper fit on your hands. 

With an undercuff, like the 4-Season Give’r Gloves, you’ll have less bulk around your wrists, but a higher chance of snow or wind getting near your wrists and into your coat.

If your coat or midlayer has built-in wrist covers and thumb holes in the sleeves, then a gauntlet or undercuff comes down to personal preference, as your wrists will be covered and protected from any snow getting in. 

Type of Insulation

Insulation is the part of the gloves that adds that extra padding and warmth around your fingers, palms, and back of your hand. There are two main types of insulation, down and synthetic, or a product can include a mix of both. 

The majority of our favorite winter gloves are made with synthetic insulation, which has a strong resilience to getting wet or damp, so the gloves can retain their warmth properties.  

Down

Natural down fill is often made of duck down or geese down (the finest, lightest feathers), and is extremely lightweight, very packable (like what you want in a down jacket), and is overall warmer than synthetic down. The Gordini Fayston gloves use natural down.

The down is technically Thindown, a natural goose down fabric that is RDS-certified or post-consumer recycled. The material is packed into a streamlined, flat layer that resembles a piece of fabric, rather than the down being stuffed inside stitched-together fabric.

Synthetic

Synthetic insulation, however, keeps you warm even when damp because it is made from polyester, and keeps its insulation power and ultimately dries faster. Many more companies are opting for recycled synthetic fill.

Hybrid

Winter gloves can include a mix of insulation with both synthetic material and down fill.

Amount of Insulation

When you see a number in grams next to a pair of gloves, that’s the amount of synthetic insulation.

If the glove is made with natural down feathers, the most common notation is the fill power, like 800-fill mittens for hunting. Typically expressed in the hundreds, the value reflects the loft of down inside the product. That volume is calculated based on the number of cubic inches that one ounce of that particular down can take up. Loftier down will have a higher fill, which means more warmth at a lighter option. 

None of our selected winter gloves on this top picks list have down fill. Here is a side-by-side comparison of the amount of synthetic fill offered in each pair:

Amount of Synthetic Insulation (Grams):  

• Dakine Leather Titan GORE-TEX Gloves: 280g high-loft synthetic 
• Black Diamond Legend Gloves: 170g PrimaLoft Gold on back, 60g PrimaLoft Gold on palm 
• Give’r 4-Season Gloves: Thinsulate and polyester fleece lining, 150g on palm, 260g on the external hand
• Norrøna trollveggen GTX: 130g PrimaLoft Gold 
• Gordini Fayston: 45g Thindown insulation 

Warmth

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.

Offering adaptability, the Dakine Leather Titan GORE-TEX Gloves have a small zipper pocket on the top of the glove, so you can either open it for some extra ventilation or pop in a handwarmer for added warmth.

Some companies provide a warmth rating in degrees, while others have a rating system to rate the warmth of the gloves to other gloves in their brand’s lineup. Warmth can be tricky, as materials and fill do influence the amount of overall insulation value and heat retention, but so does a person’s physical ability to generate heat and their personal preferences. 

Here is the warmth value of our selected winter gloves based on ambient temperature:

• 4-Season Give’r Gloves: -40 deg. F
• Black Diamond Legend Gloves: 0 to 30 deg. F 
• Norrøna trollveggen GTX: 14 to 40 deg. F

To give us a more general idea of functionality, here is the warmth value for our selected winter gloves based on how those models compare to other products within their brand’s family (warm, warmer, warmest): 

• The North Face Etip Recycled Glove: Warm
• Vermont Glove Tuttle: Warm
• Gordini Fayston: Warmer
• Hestra Windstopper Tour 5-FingerFleece Gloves: Warmer 
• Dakine Leather Titan GORE-TEX Gloves: Warmest

Extra-Warm Options

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.

Some designs are self-warming gloves with plush comfort and solid battery life.

Waterproofness & Water Resistance

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. Waterproof membranes help keep water out but aren’t quite as breathable as a glove without a waterproof membrane.

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 are using the gloves for something right in the middle — not too wet but not completely dry — you can opt for a glove with water resistance. A waterproof glove aims to never let water in, so the gloves stay dry all the time. With water resistance, water can eventually seep in, but only after long periods of time or a high volume of water. 

You can also apply waterproofing to your gloves, like Nixwax, which includes options like a wash, a spray, or waterproof creams for leather gloves. The Give’r team with the all-leather 4-Season Give’r Gloves recommends using Sno Seal Beeswax Waterproofing on leather gloves once a season.

Breathability 

The best winter gloves should keep your hands warm. But if your hands get too warm and sweaty, that can actually make them feel colder. That’s where breathability is important. Heavy-duty winter gloves are made with a waterproof and breathable membrane, which keeps water droplets out but allows for vapor to seep through.

If you aren’t going to be using gloves in extremely wet weather, but want something that is super breathable, opt for The North Face Etip Recycled Glove, which strikes a near-perfect balance between warm insulation that is still breathable.

Ventilation

Alternatively, some gloves have ventilation options in the form of small zipper pockets, like on the Dakine Leather Titan GORE-TEX Gloves. Zip it open to let some air in if your hands are hot, or use it to stash a hand warmer for extra heat.

Cuff Loop

On gloves with shorter cuffs or undercuffs, getting them pulled on all the way can be a bit tricky. Thankfully, the Norrøna trollveggen gloves have a streamlined cuff loop, so you can easily pull the winter gloves on for a secure fit.

Wrist Leashes

Wrist leashes are your best friend if you tend to take your winter gloves off often.

With a wrist leash, you get a stretchy leash that attaches to your glove and then goes around your wrist, so even if you let go of your gloves, it’s still securely attached to you.

Some wrist leashes are sewn on and not removable, while others are easy to remove and use from glove to glove.

You’ll also find wrist leashes that might be too short for your liking or the wrist cuff feels too tight or too large. If the leashes are removable, you can easily change these out to your liking.

Touchscreen 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 labeled with “touchscreen compatible” or “e-tips.” Meaning, the construction includes 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 exterior coatings on the fingers of the Dakine Leather Titan GORE-TEX Gloves, which come with a touch-screen compatible glove liner.

Glove Sizing

It is important to choose properly sized gloves. As always, we recommend trying gear on before purchase to ensure a good fit. If you can’t try on the glove, most websites have accurate sizing guides and charts where you simply measure the circumference of your hand and the length from wrist to fingertips.

Be sure to pay attention to the specific metrics on the chart, as well as the difference between men’s and women’s gloves, which can differ from product to product and brand to brand.

Extra space inside an oversized glove is additional air that your hands have to heat before they feel warm, which isn’t necessarily good but isn’t detrimental. However, gloves that are too big can feel more cumbersome, sloppy, or flop off.

When gloves are too tight, they may restrict blood flow, worsen circulation issues, and cause pain. One way to tell if gloves are too small is if getting them on and off hurts or rubs. You should be able to slip them on and off with relative ease. 

Sustainability & Eco-Friendly Materials

More companies are moving toward using sustainably sourced materials as well as recycled materials.

Responsible Synthetic Fill

PrimaLoft is a leader in sustainable fill options, as seen in the Norrøna trollveggen and the Black Diamond Legend Gloves.

The brand PrimaLoft has a few different iterations — Gold, Grip, and more — and produces synthetic fill that doesn’t require animal-sourced materials. Rather, the process takes retired plastic bottles and turns that rubbish into fibers that insulate gear. Plus, gear with PrimaLoft fill can also be recycled and turned into another piece of gear. Pretty cool, right?

Responsible Down Fill

Thindown is another fill option, though it is composed of naturally occurring down. The down is sourced ethically and certified RDS (Responsible Down Standard) and is able to be recycled, meeting the Global Recycled Standard.

Recycled Materials

Taking an inspection of the exterior textiles and interior liners, we’re starting to find more gear with recycled polyester, like in The North Face Etip Recycled Glove.

Other companies use fabric that is Bluesign-certified, like the Norrøna trollveggen, which means you are getting a product with fabric that has been tested to not be harmful to humans or the environment. Similar certifications include OEKO-TEX-certified fabric and Fair Trade sewing.

Nontoxic Treatment

Topically, materials are often treated with chemicals for water repellency. When you see PFC-free water repellency, that means the application is free of toxins or perfluorochemicals, which are harmful to human health and the environment.

Maintenance & Care

To help your winter gloves last from season to season, washing and treating is also a good end-of-season practice, but make sure to follow the instructions for each pair.

For pairs with removable liners, you can wash the liners in a gentle cycle with cold water and a mild detergent, like a fine fabric wash, then air dry. Do not use bleach, fabric softener, or a harsh detergent. 

Those pairs that don’t have removable liners or are mostly leather: Use a damp rag to spot clean and wipe away any dirt or debris. If they still need to be cleaned more, hand wash with a mild detergent and let air dry.

Then, leather gloves can be treated once they are dry with a waterproofing treatment such as Sno-Seal or Nikwax. That routine can significantly help maintain the waterproofness and quality of leather gloves.

Price & Value

Budget: Lightweight & Work Winter Gloves

As you’re leveling up, winter gloves that are economic and well made are still below $100, but use more durable materials for a higher-quality glove.

That includes the touchscreen-compatible The North Face Etip Recycled Glove ($45), the lifestyle glove Gordini Fayston ($72), or the Nordic touring glove Hestra Windstopper Tour ($75).

Mid-Tier: Winter Gloves for Activities

For gloves that are more ski and snowboard-ready with higher insulation, durable leather, and necessary features (like wrist leashes and nose wipes), this third bucket rounds up the Dakine Leather Titan GORE-TEX ($116), which is a superb deal for a GORE-TEX glove. For a bit more, there are the full-leather 4-Season Give’r ($119) and the Black Diamond Legend ($160).

Premium: Warmest, Most Durable Winter Gloves

The Hestra Army Leather Heli ($185) are just a bit more pricey than some of the other gloves and have similar features and insulation: Check the overall fit and comfort to see what your personal best choice is. The Norrøna trollveggen GTX ($249) cost more than the other gloves in the guide. That’s because they are made for the coldest pursuits in the mountains and don’t disappoint.

While we don’t have a top choice at the moment, typically battery-powered gloves are the most expensive: They will truly withstand cold temperatures — they can be rated to keep your digits warm down to -20 degrees Fahrenheit, well below zero.

Frequently Asked Questions