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What are the warmest ski gloves available?

At Glisshop, every ski glove has a warmth rating that indicates its ability to protect the hands from the cold. What is applicable to gloves is also applicable to mittens. Manufacturers have considered everything and everyone by designing models that are varying degrees of warmth and cold. There are two reasons for this. Firstly, we are not all on an equal footing when it comes to dealing with the cold. And secondly, we don't all experience the mountains in the same way. So, whether you're looking for a pair of super warm gloves because you're extremely cold, or because you're a freerider or a high-altitude ski tourer or splitboarder, here are some tips to help you make the right choice.

Glove or mittens, which is warmer?

Both mountaineers and those who venture to the northernmost parts of the globe agree that mittens are the best way to keep out the cold. Because the fingers are not separated from each other, they keep each other warm in a greater volume of air than in a glove. The only finger that remains separate from the others is the thumb, so that you can still grip objects that do not require much precision. This is the case, for example, with ski poles, where the gripping of the handles does not require great dexterity.
Although they do not seem to be the warmest because the fingers are separated from each other, gloves do make it easier to handle small objects. These include ski boot fasteners, especially those with micrometric adjustment, but also the ski/walking system or snowboard bindings that sometimes need to be tightened and loosened. It also seems easier to adjust snowboard boots or snowshoes with gloves than with mittens. But that said, it's all a matter of habit and depends on your personal preference.
While ski gloves may not appear to be the winner at first glance compared to mittens, there is no doubt that they are equal in their ability to protect against the cold, with composition playing a key role.
Salomon ski gloves

What are the warmest ski gloves?

Ski gloves, like mittens, are distinguished at first glance by their outer design, which can be made of synthetic or natural material. It can also be a mix of the two, as with the Black Diamond Guide gloves, whose outer shell combines nylon and leather, proving to be highly resistant to abrasion. With this two-material construction, these gloves, which are also available in a lobster form, i.e., three-finger gloves, can withstand the worst conditions in the mountains.
Gant ski Black Diamond Guide Natural
Black Diamond Guide Natural Ski Gloves
Gant ski Black Diamond Guide Black
Black Diamond Guide Black Ski Gloves
Gant lobster Black Diamond Guide Finger Natural
Black Diamond Guide Finger Natural 3 Finger Lobster Ski Gloves

Waterproofness

The vast majority of the warmest gloves have a waterproof membrane that ensures your hands stay dry. The aim is to offer you an effective protection against moisture which is inevitably a vector of cold. The most common membrane is probably the Gore-Tex membrane, which is able to keep water out even in extreme rain or snow conditions. In addition to this formidable water resistance, it is also known to be breathable and windproof.


logo Gore Tex
The Gore-Tex membranes with which certain ski gloves are equipped, as well as certain mittens of which the “686” brand has become a specialist, are available in several categories: 
  • Gore-Tex Active: highly appreciated for its ultra-lightness and extreme breathability 
  • Gore-Tex Gore Grip: provides an excellent level of grip 
  • Gore-Tex + Gore Warm Technology, whose thermal performance provides more warmth, which is precisely what you need when you are off-piste and ski touring. 

Insulation

In order for ski gloves to remain warm, two other elements are an essential part of their construction. On the inside, these are the insulation and linings, which can also be synthetic or natural. In the warmest ski gloves, Real DownPrimaLoft or Thinsulate insulations are some of the most effective. They ensure an optimal thermal comfort. Many mittens also have these high-quality insulations, which not only protect your hands from the cold when you are moving, but also provide good breathability.
This is the case, for example, with the Black Diamond Women Mercury, Racer Guide Pro Mitt 2 and Reusch Sonja mittens :
Black Diamond Women Mercury Mitts
Black Diamond Women Mercury Mitts
Racer Guide Pro Mitt 2 Black
Racer Guide Pro Mitt 2 Black Ski Mittens
Reusch Sonja R-Tex Xt
Reusch Sonja R-Tex Xt Ski Mittens
Other types of insulation exist, found more specifically in certain brands. This is the case with Burton Snowboards, for example, with the insulation called Thermacore. Dakine uses High Loft Synthetic insulation, combined with a Gore-Tex + Gore Warm technology membrane, to ensure that the entire package is super resistant to the cold. 
Reusch also uses Gore-Tex membranes for its warmest gloves, but it uses an insulation called Real Down. Contrary to its name, this is not a natural down insulation, but a synthetic insulation. Like PrimaLoft, it is an alternative to goose or duck down, which has high thermal performance and also has water-repellent properties. 
Another feature of these three brands is that they design some of their warmest ski gloves with a small zipped pocket on the top, into which it is possible to insert hand warmers. The purpose is to provide extra warmth in extreme cold conditions, such as blizzards at high altitudes or in northern territories where temperatures can drop very low. The three models below combine all these features. They are some of the warmest ski gloves available, capable of perfectly protecting your hands and fingers. 
Reusch Down Spirit Gtx glove
Reusch Down Spirit Gtx Ski Gloves
Gant Burton Baker 2 In 1 Bog Heather
Burton Baker 2 In 1 Bog Heather Ski Gloves
Picture Madson Gloves A Black Ski Gloves
Picture Madson Gloves A Black Ski Gloves

Lining

The lining is another essential component of the warmest ski gloves. There are different types of lining. Most are made of 100% synthetic materials, such as the Reusch William R-Tex XT mittens, but there are also linings that are made entirely or partially of natural materials. The Black Diamond Guide ski gloves and the Dakine Excursion mittens, are among the warmest models with a lining made of wool. This is also the case for the Hestra Army Leatrher Heli Ski mittens. 
Dakine Excursion Black Mittens
Dakine Excursion Black Ski Mittens
Gordini Gtx Down III Mitt Black
Gordini Gtx Down III Mitt Ski Mittens
Hestra Mitt Army Leather Heli Ski Navy
Hestra Mitt Army Leather Heli Ski Mittens

Gloves with removable undergloves

In addition to having a lining, some gloves, as well as some mittens, are equipped with removable undergloves. The advantages are numerous. Worn inside the gloves or mittens, the under-gloves act as an extra layer that provides extra protection against the cold. They allow hands to be taken out of gloves or mittens without being directly exposed to the cold. They allow you to handle objects with greater dexterity than you would with gloves or mittens, for example, adjusting the straps on your poles or taking a photo with your phone. Undergloves can be worn alone for spring skiing, for example, or as part of another outdoor activity. The gloves and mittens can also be worn without the under-gloves when the weather is a tad more favourable. 
Burton snowboard gloves
Here are two of Burton's warmest ski gloves with removable undergloves:
gant ski femme Burton Snowboard Women's Gore-Tex Glove
Burton Snowboard Women's Gore-Tex Glove
gant de ski Burton Snowboard Men's Gore-Tex Glove
Burton Snowboard Men's Gore-Tex Glove

Heated gloves

Some brands, in addition to designing their gloves with waterproof-breathable membranes, insulation and linings, have opted to use heating systems. Made up of carefully integrated components so that they are almost imperceptible to the touch, they gently heat the top of the hand and the fingers. When turned on, powered by small, portable, rechargeable batteries, they deliver heat in varying degrees at the click of a button. The brands Therm-Ic, Racer and Lenz are among those that offer the best heated ski gloves, which are ultra-efficient against the cold, but also against moisture. 
Therm-Ic Ultra Heat Boost Women Black Glove
Therm-Ic Ultra Heat Boost Women Black Heated Ski Gloves
Racer Connectic 5 Heated Ski Glove
Racer Connectic 5 Heated Ski Gloves
Lenz Heat Glove 6.0 Heated Ski Glove
Lenz Heat Glove 6.0 Heated Ski Gloves