Gloves and mittens are essential for keeping your hands warm while skiing or riding – not to mention during any other winter activities. Numb, painful fingers can quickly ruin a day on the slopes, so it’s essential that you get a pair that’s comfortable and warm.
When choosing a pair of ski gloves, the first decision you’ll need to make is whether you want gloves or mittens. In general, gloves offer better dexterity while mittens offer more warmth. Remember, though, that this assumes that you pick gloves and mittens that fit well and offer comparable insulation.
If your hands get cold easily, mittens are typically the better option. You can squeeze your fingers together for warmth, and there’s plenty of space to add a hand warmer into the mitten compartment. However, that extra warmth won’t do you any good if you are constantly taking your hands out of your mittens to adjust equipment or snap photos.
If your hands don’t get cold that easily and you’re frequently pulling out your phone or camera, gloves may be the better option. For winter activities other than skiing (like climbing, touring, and hiking) gloves are usually the better option. The added dexterity will come in handy, and your hands probably won’t get as cold since you won’t be sitting on a chairlift.
There are a lot of things to consider when choosing the right gloves or mittens for skiing. Here, we’ll highlight a few of the most important factors.
Most gloves and mittens use synthetic insulation like PrimaLoft or fleece to keep your hands warm. PrimaLoft is typically the best insulation available. It’s extremely warm and dries out quickly if you sweat into your gloves or get them wet with snow. Fleece-lined gloves are often less expensive, and many people prefer the feel of fleece against their hands. When choosing between fleece gloves, be sure to check the weight of fleece used – higher weight fleece (200 grams or higher) is warmer.
Another design feature that has a huge effect on warmth is whether your ski gloves or mittens are made from one or two layers. Single-layer gloves combine the insulation and waterproof shell into a single piece of material. Double layer gloves and mittens have a removable inner liner, surrounded by an outer shell that’s typically waterproof and windproof.
Double layer gloves are almost always warmer than single-layer gloves. They also dry out faster, and you can pull the inner liner out at night and throw it in the drying machine if you have one available. But, single-layer gloves usually offer much better dexterity than double-layer gloves. They’re a great option for spring skiing when the weather is warmer.
The cuffs of your gloves or mittens are essential for keeping snow out of your insulation. Some ski gloves are designed to go over your jacket, while others offer tight cuffs that you can stuff under your jacket sleeve.
Which style of cuff you prefer largely comes down to personal preference, since both will keep you dry. But, under-the-jacket cuffs may do a better job in wet, snowy weather, because there’s no chance that water will run down your jacket sleeve and into your glove.
The best way to find your perfect pair of ski gloves or mittens is to shop our enormous selection at addnature.co.uk. We carry gloves and mittens for men, women, and children, so you can easily outfit yourself or the entire family for this ski season.
