The Best Hunting Gloves of 2024

Hunting boots get you to the game. But when the moment of truth transpires, hunting gloves can become your best friend or worst enemy. Because when your target game species is in sight, your trigger finger becomes the most important necessity.

Gloves keep your hands warm, dry, and accessible. They are one of the most essential pieces of hunting apparel in your kit.

Enter our best hunting gloves of the year. The gloves below fit a variety of disciplines, from setting out decoys to long, snowy hunts on high ridges to frigid treestand sits in the Midwest. We’ve identified 9 great options, some are quite specialized, with our top choices tending to be the most versatile.

Editor’s note: For the October 9th, 2023, update of our hunting gloves guide, we’ve highlighted the KUIU attack glove as our new favorite, the Carhartt Guantlets as a solid budget choice, and added some information about our team of glove testers and our testing process.

The Best Hunting Gloves of 2024

• Best Overall Hunting Gloves: KUIU Attack Glove
• Best Budget Hunting Gloves: Carhartt Men’s Gauntlet Glove
• Best Cold-Weather Glove: Stone Glacier Altimeter Gloves
• Best Lightweight Glove: First Lite Shale Touch Hybrid Glove
• Best Fingerless Shooting Glove: Sitka Gear Fanatic Gloves
• Best Muff: Hunter Safety System Muff Pak Hand Warmer

Best Overall Hunting Glove

KUIU Attack Glove

Check Price at kuiu

Specs

• Primary insulating material: Primeflex polyester and leather
• Touchscreen compatible: No
• Intended use: Cool weather insulation good to around freezing

Pros

• Modest insulation for cool weather
• Excellent grip
• Durable and protective
• Excellent for upland hunting or active big game hunting

Cons

• Not warm enough for truly cold weather

Nicole Qualtieri

If it isn’t too cold, the Kuiu Attack Glove ($69) is our tester Sean McCoy’s favorite glove in his arsenal. Light, grippy, and durable, the Attack Glove makes his hands feel invincible while thrashing through brush chasing pheasants or while sitting quietly waiting for elk on cool days.

The Attack has a smart blend of Pittards almost sticky Oiltac leather and Primeflex polyester. The combination is incredibly grippy and tough, and provides just enough insulation to keep the chill at bay on days down to the mid-20s (for those with good circulation). They’re also ideal for active hunting, when the wearer is moving quickly such as upland bird hunts or active big game hunting.

For those who hunt colder climates, or whose hands get cold easily, the Kuiu Guide X offers a similar-feeling but much warmer option. We love them both, but tend toward the Attack glove for its increased dexterity. The Guide X has the same grippiness, but more insulation and thickness.

Best Budget Hunting Glove

Carhartt Men’s Gauntlet Glove 

Check Price at Amazon

Specs

• Primary insulating material: Polyester
• Touchscreen compatible: No
• Intended use: Cold weather hunting

Pros

• Very warm
• Affordable

Cons

• Difficult to shoot while wearing

Nicole Qualtieri

At just $31, these gloves are up to a bunch of tasks. Whether it’s keeping hands warm in a blind or while shoveling snow, reviewers say this pair holds up.

Wear a lighter pair of gloves underneath them for an extra layer and shooting efficiency. The one downside to these gloves is that they do have a Velcro closure. So you’ll have to be cognizant of this in quiet hunting moments before a shot.

Best Cold-Weather Glove

Stone Glacier Altimeter Gloves

$149 at BlackOvisCheck Price at Stone Glacier

Specs

• Primary insulating material: Removable PrimaLoft Cross Core synthetic insulation liners
• Touchscreen compatible: No
• Intended use: Cold weather hunting

Pros

• Warm without feeling bulky
• Waterproof
• High Rise for wrist coverage

Cons

• Not available in smaller (or women's) sizes

Nicole Qualtieri

When the going gets really cold (like dogsledding in Alaska, where our hunt-fish editor Rachelle Schrute tested these), the Stone Glacier Altimeter Gloves provide serious protection in dual layers. They also somehow allow you to maintain some level of dexterity, impressive for gloves meant for the harshest of cold.

The liner/overshell combo offers that sweet spot of waterproof protection and breathability. If you find the need to be more nimble, the shell can be quickly slid off, leaving you with a liner glove capable of more fine motor tasks.

A wrist synch system helps to keep your hands and wrists protected from anything sneaking in, while the pull loops help get gloves on and off without resorting to using your teeth (though Schrute still did it out of habit).

If the temps rise, but you still need some barrier protection, ditch the liners and stick with the shell. You’ll have solid coverage without breaking a sweat. If you find yourself in really harsh conditions, the Altimeter also comes in a mitten option ($159), for that extra level of finger-to-finger warmth.

The con on these? Small hands need not apply. They run large and even the smallest options will be baggy on small hands.

Best Lightweight Glove

First Lite Shale Touch Hybrid Glove

Check Price at Amazon

Specs

• Primary insulating material: Wool
• Touchscreen compatible: Yes
• Intended use: Cool to warm weather concealment

Pros

• Good for active hunts
• Durable palm
• Insulating when wet
• Tactile

Cons

• Not very warm

Nicole Qualtieri

Not only are these one tester’s go-to gloves in the field, but they’re also her go-to everyday gloves, period. From long rides on horseback to running errands, the Shale’s ($80) leather palm and padding are durable and protective.

The furnace Merino-X fleece keeps her hands regulated once she’s out and moving. They can be a little light on warmth. But once our tester gets active, her hands adjust, go unnoticed, and stay warm and dry. Plus, these gloves are they’re wonderfully tactile. That’s a rare deal with a pair of full-fingered gloves. Testers tend to get annoyed and pull gloves often. Not so with these.

The cons? They’re expensive, the touchscreen capability works maybe 50% of the time, and the wool stretches a bit. We recommend ordering a size down.

Best Fingerless Shooting Glove

Sitka Gear Fanatic Gloves

Check Price at ScheelsCheck Price at Sitka Gear

Specs

• Primary insulating material: Stretch polyester
• Touchscreen compatible: Yes
• Intended use: Shooting glove or as a liner

Pros

• Easy to shoot while wearing
• Provide modest insulation
• Tactile

Cons

• Only provide minimal warmth

Nicole Qualtieri

Fingerless gloves are a staple in many a hunter’s gear arsenal. But Sitka revamped the game with its beloved Fanatic gloves ($40). A fingerless thumb and finger allow for tangible shooting and touchscreen ease while allowing your less-useful fingers to remain encapsulated and warm.

You can use these with an over-glove or an insulated muff on cold days, or on its own for an added bit of warmth and hand concealment during the early season.

In testing, Sitka’s stretch polyester fabric with a water-repellent finish performed admirably for such a lightweight glove. We tested these (and Sitka’s similar, full-fingered Traverse Gloves) during 2 weeks of hunting in Colorado’s high country. Even during a sloppy rain-snow mix, the Fanatic stayed reasonably dry. Our tester’s hands stayed warm enough during weather in the high 30s to maintain dexterity.

Best Muff

Hunter Safety System Muff Pak Hand Warmer

Check Price at Amazon

Specs

• Primary insulating material: Fleece
• Touchscreen compatible: No
• Intended use: Keeping hands warm in cold weather

Pros

• Very warm
• Easy to remove hands for shooting
• Can add handwarmers or liner gloves and still shoot quickly

Cons

• Difficult to use while using
• Difficult to carry objects while using

Nicole Qualtieri

For those that find themselves in blinds on cold days, muffs can be a hand-saver. Hunter Safety System offers a muff beloved by many. And it comes in two options. Stuff a few hand warmers in the budget $40 regular muff, and you’re good to go.

Or you can level up to a USB-powered heated muff for $60. Use a plain old battery pack, charge it up for a 5-hour warming stretch, or bring the battery pack with you for a longer sit.

The big bonus of this muff is the ease of removing your hands for shooting. Even in very cold conditions, we’ve used the muff while wearing light, fingerless shooting gloves. For whitetail hunting or sitting in a goose blind, the muff keeps hands warm but ready to shoot in a matter of seconds.

Best of the Rest

Sitka Blizzard GTX Mittens

Check Price at Amazon

Specs

• Primary insulating material: Removable PrimaLoft liner
• Touchscreen compatible: No
• Intended use: Cold weather and stationary hunting

Pros

• Excellent insulation
• Waterproof
• Durable

Cons

• Very limited dexterity

Nicole Qualtieri

I’m a cold-weather lifer — begrudgingly a bit. But, in my winter experience, one thing rings clear: Mittens are superior to gloves. I know these are fighting words for some. And that’s fine. But the Blizzard GTX mittens ($199) from Sitka Gear could be the last cold-weather glove you buy.

The PrimaLoft liner is absorbent and removable. And the outer is seriously durable, waterproof, and textured for grip. Take these on your dream sheep hunt, then up to the hills for a ski weekend. Keep them in your truck for cold spells. Layer a light glove underneath. Use body heat or shove a hand warmer in there. And protect two of your most valuable assets from the weather and elements in the process.

Showa Atlas 460 Vinylove Cold Resistant Insulated Gloves

Check Price at Amazon

Specs

• Primary insulating material: Polyvinyl chloride
• Touchscreen compatible: No
• Intended use: Industrial cold-weather use (but great for setting decoys)

Pros

• Keeps hands warm while submersing in cold water
• Super durable
• Good grip

Cons

• Not tactile
• Not breathable

Nicole Qualtieri

The double-dipped PVC gloves are designed to be a serious workhorse for those working in cold and wet environments. For less than $15, you get warm and bombproof gloves, with a textured outer that provides solid grip and dexterity.

Inside, a soft insulated lining offers a refuge for hands. These gloves are best suited for waterfowlers setting or pulling decoys, and less as a blind glove. They can also serve as great gloves for wicked fishing conditions or emergency gloves in the truck.

4 Season Give’r Gloves

Check Price at Give'r

Specs

• Primary insulating material: Thinsulate, heat reflector, and fleece
• Touchscreen compatible: No
• Intended use: Rugged cold use, skiing, snowmobiling

Pros

• Tough leather exterior
• Warm
• Waterproof

Cons

• Dry slowly
• Heavy

Nicole Qualtieri

Our team has been testing Give’r 4 Season gloves since they launched back in 2016. And guess what? Our test models, now seven years old, are still going strong! And they have been used hard for everything from downhill skiing to hunting to picking logs out of campfires.

The 4 Season Give’r glove is the ideal leather glove. It’s tough as heck thanks to the hand-waxed cowhide exterior coupled with a waterproof membrane and thinsulate/polyester insulation.

They’ve held up through a lot, and they kept my hands both protected and warm on cool days. They’ve developed a patina that makes me proud of the work I’ve done in them. And my favorite part just might be my initials branded into the gloves. They make great gifts, for yourself or others. And you can personalize them via Give’r.

They only have one downside, but it’s significant: These gloves don’t dry quickly. For multi-day hunts, they need to spend time on a heater at night or they’ll be damp the next morning. They’re also too bulky for shooting, so you will need to remove one glove to pull a trigger. But for general camp chores — a big piece of winter hunting — these are the cat’s pajamas.

Hunting Gloves Comparison Chart

How We Test Hunting Gloves

Gloves are an incredibly personal choice and each hunter’s needs vary dramatically due to differences in physiology and hunting location. That’s a fancy way of saying “Some people get cold hands easily, others don’t.”

We understand that. Our team of hunting glove testers is made up of Rachelle Schrute, a Montana native and lifelong hunter who happens to get cold hands easily. Our next tester is Sean McCoy, a former Wisconsinite who somehow got the hot hands gene. His hands stay warm even in brutal conditions, but he still needs good gloves to keep them dexterous! He now tests gloves in the mountains of his home state of Colorado and beyond. Finally, Nicole Qualtiere, GearJunkie’s former hunting editor, weighs in on her choices.

We tested the gloves in this guide through multiple seasons and various conditions. Most of the gloves here were worn through at least five hunts, with some stretching into their fourth or fifth season (or more in the case of our favorite Give’r Gloves). And they’ve withstood tough, real-world use, proving their efficacy and durability.

Finally, our goal is to give you the same clear-cut, useful information that we give our hunting buddies. Yes, they too know we test gear and ask us for recommendations all the time. The advice we give them is the same as we present to you, here, in this article.

Our email line is always open. If you have feedback on this or any other product we’ve tested, please let us know, particularly if you disagree with our assessment. We are always working to improve our guides to help you pick the best hunting gloves for your needs the first time, every time.

Buyers Guide: How to Choose the Right Hunting Gloves

Know Your Body

We’ve said this once already, but it bears repeating; gloves are incredibly personal. Every person experiences cold differently, and the extremities seem to magnify that fact. McCoy, who tends to not get cold hands easily, often skis with his wife, who does get cold hands very easily. If they choose the same gloves on the same day, our editor will have toasty hands while his partner freezes.

So our first piece of advice is this: know your body. If you know you easily get cold, choose warm, highly insulated gloves. And bring hand warmers! They can make a world of difference. Finally, a Muff, like the one listed above, allows you to really warm your fingers and gets downright toasty with the addition of hand warmers.

If you’re lucky enough to have warmer hands, you can choose lighter gloves and get away with it. This allows you extra dexterity, which can be an advantage in many situations. But even those blessed with good hand circulation and warmth need warm gloves when it gets really cold. So don’t overestimate yourself and prepare for the elements you will face. Which brings us to:

Know Your Elements

A waterfowler has very different needs from an upland bird hunter. Consider the climate you’ll be hunting in. If it’s cold and you’re actively hunting, consider a layering system. A wool liner glove coupled with a heavy-duty option for cold weather can be rotated to keep hands warm.

If conditions will be snowy or rainy, a waterproof glove with some over-the-wrist length is a must. For some, water-resistant gloves can be a great option. However, waterproof gloves are often not breathable.

Quality vs. Quantity

A hunting season can take on many different ecosystems and climates. It might make sense to invest in a variety of budget options to cover your bases.

But if you drew your dream sheep tag and expect to get into legitimate weather and elevation, investing in a high-quality (read: expensive) pair of heavy-duty gloves or mittens is a reality. Note: A solid pair of skiing gloves can substitute easily for cold-weather hunting gloves if you’re looking for some versatility.

Durability

Keeping your fingers warm is one thing, but keeping your hands and fingers protected is also important. Leather is a go-to for many, but there are solid synthetics that can do the job as well.

Spending a few extra bucks on padded gloves, leather, or more durable synthetics could be worth it in the long run. If you’re in a warmer climate, maybe a plain leather glove will work out just fine. But if you need a bit more, look for fleece-lined gloves that can keep hands both warm and protected.

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