Black Diamond

Product Information

The sustainability of a product is a key factor that many consumers appreciate these days when buying gear: And with finite natural resources, the planet also stands to benefit. Fortunately, more outdoor industry companies are pushing the needle regarding eco-friendly materials and sustainable manufacturing practices. The Vent mittens have Burton’s DryRide two-layer shell for waterproofness and breathability and Thermacore synthetic insulation. The mittens also have a grip texture feature on the palm, and a soft, fixed microfiber lining to keep hands and fingers cozy inside. Gear Institute said, “Arc’teryx’s Fission Gloves are good all-around gloves and a great choice in most conditions for skiers who prefer over-the-cuff design. They’re lightweight and comfortable with good dexterity, but don’t offer enough warmth to make them a good choice for extremely cold weather.” A tester-favorite when it comes to the details: A soft, velvety patch of fabric wrapped across the exterior thumbs of mittens is super handy and comforting to use as a wipe for your runny nose. When you’re out in frigid temps and don’t have access to a tissue, a nose wipe panel is key. Some wrist leashes are sewn on and not removable, like with the Picture Organic Women’s Anna Mitts , while others are easy to remove. Ventilation

Any customer information held on our computers complies with the rules and laws contained within the Data Protection Act 2018. Out of the 100+ gloves we researched, we looked for gloves with premium insulation (think PrimaLoft Silver and Primaloft Gold Insulation) designed to keep cold out and warmth in. Insulation in ski gloves varies. In the skiing world, personal preferences abound, and none so much as a skier’s preference for gloves versus mittens. Here’s the skinny on both styles: WHY YOU SHOULD GET GLOVES VS. MITTENSReviewers really loved that the heating wires were woven into the liner rather than between the liner and the outer shell glove, like many other heated gloves on the market. And the battery life isn’t shabby, either—they last about 8 hours on the “low” setting, about 4.5 hours on the “medium” setting, and about 2.5 hours on the “high” setting. (Most other heated gloves only last up to 2.5 hours, too!) GORE built these mitts for deep winter and extreme cold, but if the mercury plummets to the teens or single digits, a set of pogies like Bar Mitts will (most often) afford you the extra warmth you need on top of these mittens. Mittens can have a roomy, high-reaching gauntlet cuff or a leaner undercuff. Choosing between the two designs comes down to the type of protection you prefer and need, which is influenced by your winter activities and the climate where you’ll be most outside. Other mittens will be leaner with less insulation, but that’s because they are made for a specific activity like running or cross-country skiing. You’ll get plenty of breathability though with such styles like the Hestra XC Over Mitt or the Salomon Fast Wing Winter.

Winter can mean a lot of things — specifically, a range of temperatures. Especially in higher alpine environments with more extreme winds or places with humidity, temperatures can fluctuate and drop wildly. Thankfully, mittens are a time-tested, perfect solution to extreme colds. Outdoor Research Alti II GORE-TEX Mitts: We confirmed no rating has been established by manufacturer If you’re seeking the highest level of waterproofing mittens can offer, be sure to select a style with a GORE-TEX (or similar brand) membrane, like the Outdoor Research Alti II GORE-TEX Mitts. All leather options, like the Give’r Frontier Mittens or the Flylow Oven Mitt, won’t provide full waterproofing, but with an additional wax coating, you’ll get pretty close. The Stio Hardscrabble Mitts are low-profile yet very warm; (photo/Eric Phillips) Sizing What's the difference between glove insulation types? Thermacore insulation, Theromolite Insulation, Primaloft, Bemberg polyester fiberfill. The price of a snow glove often reflects the quality of the insulation. Lofty synthetics like Primaloft Gold insulation come at a premium because they breathe well and retain warmth even when wet. Thinsulate or thinner insulation types tend to have better dexterity. To learn more, see this explanation of insulation in ski gloves. WATERPROOF & WINDPROOF shell If you tend to frequently take your mittens on and off throughout the day, wrist leashes will be your best friend.Where the gloves stood out the most is their warmth and comfort. The insulation comes in at 220 grams. The lining is an extremely soft, warm sherpa fleece with 5-finger separations to keep your hands from being too sweaty. It goes without saying, but snow gloves should be warm. While wool was the go-to for decades, the best ski gloves these days use a synthetic material (or several) between the outer shell and glove liner as insulation. Fix small tears: If you notice minor tears or holes in the gloves, you can repair them using a patch kit designed for ski gear. Follow the kit's instructions carefully to ensure a secure fix. The glove profile is a huge perception to consider when looking for your next pair of gloves. Some people prefer a sleek, thin profile; others don’t mind a bulky glove if it means they’ll be warm. An under-the-sleeve design provides a lower profile — much like the Hestra Fall Line Gloves or Kinco Pigskin Leather Gloves.

Also, the existence of a lot of insulation and a focus on warmth can also make these feel quite bulky. A removable split-finger liner helps a little with dexterity, but the mitts still struggle in that department. Durability and Weather Resistance While assessing the quality of a pair of gloves or mittens, we consider warmth, waterproofing, durability, comfort, fit, versatility, style, and overall value. We make an effort to test every pair of gloves in a variety of conditions over many days of field testing. Once a year, the whole team gets together to ski for a week and compare notes on our favorite products. This roundup is a living document — whenever a new pair of mittens earns a spot, we’ll update the list. With attentive care, good mittens like the Burton Women’s GORE-TEX Under Mittens can last many seasons; (photo/Eric Phillips) Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose Winter Mittens Types of Mittens Touchscreen compatible liner glove, nose wipe, removable leash, glove clip, carabiner loop, cinchable gauntlet The super warm Mercury Mitt has a trigger finger liner that gives greater dexterity and extra abrasion protection. The removable split-finger liner features a high-loft fleece lining for increased warmth and comfort, and a BDry™ insert adds moisture protection even when you use the liner by itself.

Our top brands

With a similar construction, battery run time, and warmth, we were impressed by the clim8 from Eddie Bauer. That said, already being in a bulky and heavy glove category, they measured out to be 10.5oz in relation to our 8.3 oz OR Prevail gloves in a size Small (7). They were also higher volume, especially in the cuff area.

One of the biggest ways to lose heat is through wind and water. With that in mind, we researched gloves that were waterproof (top priority), water-resistant (like the Outdoor Research Alti Mitten liners), and windproof. We wanted to ensure that the gloves we recommended would not just hold up in 10℉ weather but that they could withstand a -20℉ windchill, too. And since snow is just frozen water, it was a no-brainer to require that the gloves you use to play outside shouldn’t get soaked with the first snowball. For many people, heated gloves may be overkill. But for extremely cold temperatures (or Raynaud’s sufferers!) the Outdoor Research Prevail gloves are the key to staying warm and happy out in the snow. Outdoor Research updated these gloves for the 2022/2023 season in the form of the OR Prevail Heated GORE-TEX Gloves from our previous winner, the OR Lucent’s.A worthy contender for the Best Heated Gloves for Raynaud’s Syndrome, the Eddie Bauer clim8 heated gloves were just edged out by the OR Prevail Gloves. The Eddie Bauer clim8 gloves are the first heated gloves in the outdoor industry to use intelligent heating technology–AI-powered gloves to sense when to heat.