Purchasing gloves can be surprisingly complicated. There are many features you need to consider and the debate usually starts on whether you want Gloves or Mittens. And throughout the years new features for ski gloves keep cropping up, such as heated gloves and touch-screen compatibility. Even the Powderheadz.com team is almost evenly split between mittens or gloves. Regardless, we know that the most important features to consider is warmth, fit, and waterproofing. You can find what we reviewed and what we think are the Best Ski Gloves for 2021-2022 down below.
“They call them fingers, but I’ve never seen them fing.” – Otto Mann
Safe riding!
Our Top Rated Ski Gloves
Best Ski Gloves for Warmth:
| Waterproofing | Gore-Tex XCR |
|---|---|
| Insulation | 100g Fleece | Primaloft 1 | Wool |
| Palm Material | Goat-skin Leather |
| Single or Double Glove | Double |
| Cuff or Gauntlet | Cuff |
| Weight | 11 0unces |
The Black Diamond Guide Ski Gloves is the one of the warmest gloves out there that isn’t a ski mitt. They feature a pair of removable PrimaLoft One and boiled wool liners which helps keep you dry in wet weather as well as GORE-TEX XCR inserts. The four-way stretch nylon shell and goat leather palms provide the durability needed to survive harsh winter conditions. And the foam-padded knuckles help protect your hands during any impacts.
Powderheadz Rating
Best Ski Gloves for Water Resistance:
| Waterproofing | Gore-Tex insert |
|---|---|
| Insulation | Primaloft Gold |
| Palm Material | Goat leather with Neoprene Cuff |
| Single or Double Glove | Single |
| Cuff or Gauntlet | Cuff |
| Weight | 12 0unces |
Black Diamond Legend Gloves use the most durable materials for prolonged use in the harshest weather conditions. These gloves are made with water-resistant goatskin leather and compression-molded padding to repel any water from getting in. The durable reinforced goatskin leather palm patch has Kevlar stitching that helps keep a tight seal around the seams.
Powderheadz Rating
Best Ski Gloves for Touch Screens:
| Waterproofing | Gore-Tex |
|---|---|
| Insulation | Synthetic |
| Palm Material | Screen Grab Toughgrip |
| Single or Double Glove | Double |
| Cuff or Gauntlet | Cuff |
| Weight | 10.74 ounces |
For those who can’t seem to put away their phone, the Burton GORE-TEX Gloves provides touch-screen capabilities on the thumb and fingers. It can really help on cold winter days when you need to use your phone to text a friend, change your music, or take a picture without having to take your gloves off. The ski gloves also performs well in all other categories such as warmth, water-resistance, and durability. That’s why we think the Burton Gore-tex Snowboarding Gloves are considered the one of the best ski gloves around.
Powderheadz Rating
Best Ski Gloves Hybrid:
| Waterproofing | Triton Polyamid |
|---|---|
| Insulation | Polyester Fleece |
| Palm Material | Goatskin Leather |
| Single or Double Glove | Double |
| Cuff or Gauntlet | Gauntlet |
| Weight | 11 ounces |
The Hestra Army Leather Heli Ski 3-Finger Gloves combines the best of both worlds. It offers the warmth that mitts provide but gloves don’t and the dexterity that gloves provide that mitts don’t. You’ll be able to stay warm in more frigid environments without feeling too clumsy with these on. The only drawback is that although these gloves are very durable, they aren’t the best for water-resistance and will need waterproofing treatments from time to time.
Powderheadz Rating
Best Ski Gloves Mittens:
| Waterproofing | Gore-Tex |
|---|---|
| Insulation | Consumer Recycled Polyester Insulation |
| Palm Material | Leather-like Polyurethane (PU) |
| Single or Double Glove | Single |
| Cuff or Gauntlet | Gauntlet |
| Weight | 2.82 ounces |
The North Face Montana Etip GTX Mitt is one of the better all-around mittens out there that scores well in durability, warmth, and water resistance. Though its not the warmest mitten in the market, it is warmer than most ski gloves. It is also pretty durable and is extremely water resistant. Consider the North Face Montana Mitt a mid-range purchase for those who ski or snowboard in moderate but wet snow climates like the North American West Coast (Sierra and Cascade Mountain Ranges).
Powderheadz Rating
Best Ski Gloves for Durability:
| Waterproofing | CZone insert |
|---|---|
| Insulation | Thermolite | Polyester Fleece |
| Palm Material | Cowhide | Goatskin Leather |
| Single or Double Glove | Single |
| Cuff or Gauntlet | Cuff |
| Weight | 9.9 ounces |
Hestra’s Leather Fall Line Ski Gloves are made with Army Leather-Goat Leather palms and proofed cowhide for the upper section. Inspired by professional free-skier Seth Morrison, these gloves are extremely durable and are designed to last through all the jumps, bumps, and bruises you may face season after season. The gloves fit extremely well and give you a fair amount of dexterity and is one of the warmest gloves on the market.
Powderheadz Rating
And there you have it! Our current list for the Best Ski Gloves of the 2021-2022 Season. There are literally hundreds of ski and snowboard gloves out there and finding the right one can be a challenge, so hopefully you agree with out choices. Do you think a certain pair of ski gloves deserves a spot on our Top Rated Ski Gloves list? Let us know? Email us at info (at) powderheadz.com and we will do our best to give it a thorough testing! Need more tips? Look below for a thorough guide on how to determine which pair of ski gloves is right for you.
As always, happy riding!
How-To: Buy the Best Ski Gloves
Any good skier and snowboarder will know that a good pair of ski gloves or mittens can be the difference between a great time and a miserable time with frozen fingers. When shopping for a pair of gloves, you need to determine the activity you plan on using these for. Not all gloves are created equal. Depending on the situation, sometimes a thick, well insulated mitten is perfect for sub-zero temperature but not for a spring day of skiing. Below you’ll find some categories to consider when shopping for snowboard gloves.
Glove Types:
Determining the type of ski glove you want will always be the first question that needs to be answered.
Gloves – Gloves with individual fingers offer the most dexterity and are the standard that most people go by. They allow you to frequently handle gear without having to take them off.
Mittens – Mittens are usually the warmest type of glove because your fingers generate more heat when they are together instead of separately. However you trade warmth for dexterity.
Hybrid – A combination of a glove and a mitten that offers a little more warmth than a glove and a more dexterity from a mitten.
3-in-1 – 3-in-1 gloves consist of shell glove/mitten and a removable liner glove/mitten. These versatile gloves give you the flexibility to wear both for maximum warmth or just the shell or liner during warmer weather. Liner gloves offer the most amount of dexterity without exposing your hands to cold weather. You can either purchase 3-in-1 gloves as a unit or mix and match separate shells and liners.
Fit:
It’s important that your gloves fit you properly. Here are a few tips to help you figure out the right fit for your hands:
- There should be about a 1/4 inch of material between the glove and end of your fingers.
- The glove shouldn’t be tight or restrictive when you ball your fist.
- Make sure the palm is completely inside the glove and past the cuff.
Insulation:
The conditions you ski or snowboard in will usually determine what type of insulation you should look for when choosing a pair of ski gloves. The best type of gloves will offer you warmth and breathability without compromising fit. You may want to consider more than one pair if you travel to different parts of the world to go riding. Here are some types of insulation that can be found in ski gloves:
Down – Down insulation is perfect for very cold and dry conditions. The material is often made with down feathers and plumules that traps air which keeps your hands insulated. However, it loses its ability once it becomes wet and is very slow to dry.
Fleece – Fleece isn’t quite as warm as most synthetics but it is the most comfortable. It is often used in conjunction with other insulation like Primaloft®.
Primaloft® – This material handles wet conditions the best. It is not as warm as Down material but it is more breathable and water-resistant. It also still provides some insulation when it does get wet.
Thinsulate™ – This material is made of microfibers that provides amazing insulation with less bulk. It is often found in gloves and mittens that advertise dexterity as their main feature.
Waterproof Material:
Getting your hands wet on the mountain will eventually cause you to have cold hands. Most gloves will offer some level of waterproofing, if not 100% waterproofing. And usually your hands get wet from snow getting inside your gloves through your wrist or just by sweating. But sometimes it really is just the exterior glove not having any of the following materials:
Gore-Tex® – Gore-Tex® is the gold-standard for waterproofing and breathability. It also means it is the most expensive.
Hipora® – This material is more stretchable than other polyurethane coatings and will have microscope pores throughout the fabric to prevent water from entering but allow moisture to wick out.
Polyurethane – Most waterproof fabrics have a laminated coating made of polyurethane such as the North Face HyVent® or the Marmot MemBrain®. They are usually much cheaper than Gore-Tex® and offer decent enough water protection.
Other Features:
Heated Gloves – There are some battery-operated gloves that provide heat. These are often heavier, bulkier, and definitely more expensive than regular gloves.
Leashes – Made for the clumsy people who will lose their gloves on the chairlift. You know who you are.
Long gauntlets – These gloves extend over the sleeve and cinch close to keep snow and air from getting in.
Palm Materials – Leather palms offer superior grip and durability over synthetic materials.
Thumb wipes – Some gloves will have a soft material on the thumb specifically to wipe your drippy nose.
Touch-Screen Compatibility – Some manufacturers will offer touch-screen compatibility for those who plan on using their smartphones frequently on the mountain. The feature is often found on lightweight gloves or liners.
Zippered Pockets – Pockets on the back of the hand are designed to fit disposable hand warmer packets or RFID cards. They can double as air vents during warmer days.
This is our current list of Best Snowboarding and Ski Gloves for the 2021-2022 Season. However, there are tons more Snowboarding Gloves out there and we will be updating this list often with the most current information. Think we missed a pair of Snowboarding or Ski Gloves and that there’s one that deserves a spot on the Best Snowboarding Gloves List? Let us know! E-mail us at info (at) powderheadz.com.
As always, happy riding!
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