Ski gloves

Buyer’s guide for a pair of ski gloves.

If your current pair of gloves is getting old and you keep feeling cold in them, it is time for a change! Manufacturers keep improving the quality of their products, innovation never stops and there are gloves adapted to every style and every rider. Have a little look at our selection and discover the best brands in the world, Reusch, Rossignol, Racer, Dakine, Black Crows, Black Crows, Picture, Burton, 686, Arva, Auclair, Barts, Cairn, Dainese, Eska, Gordini, Herman Headwear, Hestra, Howl, Leki, Lenz, Level, Mammut, Millet, Nitro, Northug, Oakley, Poc, Quiksilver, Roxy, Salomon, Scott, Skitrab, Therm-ic, Volcom and Ziener, DC, Kari Traa, Outdoor Research with men, women and kids models… We’ve got the lot!

What are the warmest gloves?

Don’t say you never wondered. Before answering this question, we first need to know what type of glove is adapted to your style. From ski gloves to mitts through 3-finger mitts, their warmth can vary as well as their practicality.

So, if you want to find the warmest equipment, you should ask high-alpine skiers. They will tell you mittens are by far the best for one simple reason. Fingers are held altogether in the same ‘pocket’. They all create a bit of heat which cumulates and heats the air that surrounds them. Only the thumb is on its own, it allows you to pinch and grab things (poles, skis, etc), however, you cannot be as precise as you would with gloves. Mittens can be stuffed with wool, down or other synthetic materials to provide higher insulation. Some mittens also come with waterproof and breathable membrane. To sum it up, mittens are best suited for extreme conditions or for those who are not skiing, like parents taking their kids to the ski school and wait for hours at the bottom of the slopes.

To the opposite, gloves offer more agility than mittens since the five fingers are free to move. They are ideal for skiers or snowboarders who need to be able to hold their poles easily or adjust their bindings or their boots without having to take off their gloves. But...convenience has a cost. Gloves are not as warm as mittens. The volume of air kept around each finger is not as big which reduces insulation performance. Don’t worry too much though, high quality gloves come with high-end materials, like Primaloft or Thinsulate providing excellent heat retention and great insulation, as long as you keep moving. Like mittens, high-end gloves are coated with a waterproof and breathable Gore-tex membrane.

There are also 3-finger mittens which are a good in-between as they provide more insulation than a glove and more agility than a mitten. It is a good option for riders who are really sensitive to cold but who don’t like mittens.

How to make sure you picked the right gloves?

On Glisshop.co.uk, we have so many gloves available that if you don’t know exactly what you want, you will probably hesitate with several models. If you look for something light that you can use every day and that you will also use for your ski holidays when the weather is nice, a basic pair of gloves should make you happy. You won’t spend too much money and it will keep your hands warm enough.

However, if you are on the slopes 7 days a week no matter the weather conditions, do not neglict quality. You need a high-end leather ski glove that can keep you warm even if it’s freezing cold outside. There is nothing worse than having your hands frozen, it can literally ruin your day. It will also be perfectly windproof like a softshell so as not to suffer the end of icy days.

Speed addicts, racers and slalomers, should definitely go for reinforced equipment like racing gloves or freestyle gloves which is welcome when you fall with integrated wrist guard.

Finally, if cold is your worst enemy, then you can buy a pair of self-heating gloves by Therm-ic. They can create heat for about 10 hours.