The 6 Best Gloves of 2025

Best Men's Winter Gloves

Carhartt Waterproof Insulated

If you're looking for a classic, reliable, and easy-to-wear winter option, we recommend the Carhartt Waterproof Insulated. The functional construction and flexible polyester material make it a surprisingly dexterous glove despite its bulk. All that insulation keeps your hands toasty, and a soft fleece liner on the inside keeps things cozy. One of our testers brags, “I wore these gloves in temperatures as low as -20° F while collecting glacial data in the Yukon.” After proving themselves in a scenario like that, it's for us easy to recommend them for shoveling the walk or walking the dog. It doesn't hurt that they block wind, and the main body has a waterproof insert that keeps your hands dry even in soggy conditions. We also feel better about putting these gloves to work thanks to their low price and decent quality of construction. However, for a more heavy-duty option, the Kinco 1927KW is another good glove to check out.

Touchscreen Compatibility	No
Intended Uses	Everyday wear
Material	100% polyester
Additional Insulation	Fleece liner and cuff
Weatherproofing Features	Waterproof insert

While the outer shell of the Carhartt Waterproof does repel water effectively, its cozy fleece wrist cuff does not. When it gets wet, moisture creeps up the liner and inside. You can protect the cuff with the sleeve of a jacket, but that doesn't work in a snowball fight. If you run warm, sweat is another way moisture can build up in them as well, and unfortunately, once wet, they often take more than a day to dry. While they move well, their slippery fabric and bulky insulation make it difficult to complete detailed tasks, like tying your shoelaces, and they are not touchscreen compatible. Though imperfect, these are the best winter gloves we've tested for daily use. If you don't need as much warmth and prefer a bit of added dexterity while working, the Mechanix Wear Coldwork Original is a solid alternative. A great range of movement and comfortable material help these gloves excel for everyday use in the elements.

Best Women's Winter Gloves

Carhartt Quilts Insulated

The Carhartt Quilts Insulated women's winter glove is almost as warm and water-resistant as the men's and has a more tailored fit to accommodate smaller hands and thinner digits. A lofty quilted polyester layer of insulation helps keep the heat in, and an interior fleece lining is soft against the skin. Though Carhartt does not claim that these are waterproof, we found in our testing that they repel water better than expected and block wind completely. During a submersion test, water only snuck through one seam just before the two-minute mark. Straps that tighten at the wrists and fasten with a hook and loop closure hold the gloves in place, and a tab extending from the palms makes them easy to pull on. Our lead female tester said, “I appreciate the smaller fit and that there is extra adjustability to get it just right.” The palm side of the glove is coated with a thick synthetic material that makes it more durable for hands-on activities. Although, the Wells Lamont Hydrahyde Leather Hybrid glove was a bit more dextrous and rugged.

Touchscreen Compatibility	No
Intended Uses	Everyday wear
Material	100% Polyester
Additional Insulation	Polyfil and fleece lining
Weatherproofing Features	Yes - waterproof insert

As mentioned above, these gloves hold their own in wet weather. However, if any liquid does manage to get in, the cozy fleece lining is a weak point. It holds onto moisture, which can sneak in from the cuff or through perspiration. They take up to two days to dry. Our tester also warns, “These are also not the gloves for delicate work.” The fingers are short and bulky, and the fabric is slick, making it hard to perform detailed tasks. A few loose stitches from the start have us questioning their durability, and we'd opt to use these gloves only when we don't plan to venture too far from home. If you find yourself needing a glove that is also suitable for days on the hill, the Dakine Camino is a solid crossover between everyday use and a reasonably priced ski glove. Still, the Carhartt Quilts are reasonably priced and will work well for hands looking to shovel, pull sleds, and make snowballs.

Best Ski Glove for Men

Rab Khroma Freeride Gore-Tex Gloves

If we had to choose just one glove for hitting the slopes, it would be the Rab Khroma Freeride. This glove delivers top-tier performance across the board and especially stands out for its ability to provide both warmth and dexterity, two factors that usually work against one another. Despite having plenty of insulation, it remains one of the most flexible gloves in our testing and the only one that offers this level of heat retention without feeling bulky. However, that's not to say it doesn't stand out in other metrics as well; while other gloves may excel in certain areas, none perform as consistently as the Freeride in all aspects. It has a cozy fleece lining on the inside and a goatskin leather palm that provides a better grip when working with your hands. We also found it to be the most durable and weatherproof option available, featuring a Gore-Tex membrane and water-resistant materials. Our lead tester has used the same pair for three seasons with minimal signs of wear and appreciates the thoughtful build of the glove, saying, “Some gloves skimp on insulation through the wrist, but these gloves are packed with insulation through the gauntlet.”

Gauntlet or Cuff	Gauntlet
Double or Single Glove	Single
Palm Material	Pittards Armor-Tan® Goat leather
Inner Glove Material	Pile
Waterproof Material	Gore-Tex Plus Warm

These gloves are an excellent option for skiers and riders who prioritize superior weather resistance and flexibility. We reach for these gloves when we need to endure long, cold days on the slopes while using our hands, but they still fall short of the warmth provided by electrically heated gloves. If warmth is your highest priority, you might want to consider the Outdoor Research Prevail Heated Gore-Tex Gloves. The Arc'teryx Fission SV is an “analog” style glove that comes close to matching the Khroma's performance, offering slightly better weather resistance, but the Khroma remains more dexterous due to its more precise design. The Khroma also does not have as many extra perks as some other models, but it covers the basics with a removable wrist leash, a soft nose wipe, and touchscreen-compatible fingertips. “If I could use only one pair of gloves for the entire ski season, these would be the ones,” declares our lead tester, and we think most people who try out the Freeride glove will feel the same.

Read more: Rab Khroma Freeride review

Best Ski Glove for Women

Outdoor Research Revolution II Gore-Tex - Women's

For a range of mountain adventures, we always look forward to slipping on the women's-specific Outdoor Research Revolution II. These gloves offer versatile warmth, making them a reliable choice for most days at the resort. They handled an impressive variety of winter activities, too, from resort skiing to climbing multi-pitch ice routes and, of course, the more mundane tasks like driveway shoveling. While not exactly packed with premium features they include some nice-to-have perks like a removable leash, wrist cinch, and touchscreen-compatible fingertips. With a lofty layer of polyester EnduraLoft insulation, we felt confident wearing these gloves in weather ranging from the 30s to chilly sub-zero temps, and a Gore-Tex insert keeps your hands protected from moisture. “As a snow professional, I put these to the test, digging snowpits, climbing ice, backcountry skiing, and below-zero resort mornings. I think they nailed the balance between warmth and dexterity, as well as cost,” noted our lead tester.

Insulation Type	EnduraLoft 100% polyester
Waterproof Material	2L recycled polyester with Gore-Tex insert
Palm Material	Synthetic Diamond PU grip
Inner Glove Material (if applicable)	n/a
Double or Single Construction?	Single

We didn't have many qualms with the Revolution II, but some of our female testers noted they fit on the small side, “The fingers run a little narrow for my taste,” said one of our test team. With this in mind, you may potentially want to size up. Over the course of testing with heavy use, the waterproofing on the back of the palm began to wear down, leading to increased water absorption compared to when they were new. That said, unless you are dunking your hands in a bucket of water like we did, their waterproofing will be more than adequate for most snowy conditions. If you care less about dexterity but want some serious warmth and water resistance, the Black Diamond Mercury Mitt is our top choice for a warm ski mitten. If you're after something more affordable with similar features, the Dakine Camino might also fit your needs. However, we were pleasantly surprised by the Revolution's performance, and considering its reasonable price, it is also a great value in our opinion.

Read more: Outdoor Research Revolution II review

Best Liner Glove

Achiou Touch Screen Thermal

A glove liner is a great piece of gear to have in your back pocket. It can be used on its own in mild weather and does a lot to improve the warmth rating when layered underneath a winter glove or mitten. Lightweight, soft, and impressively warm, the Achiou Touch Screen Thermal is our top pick for anyone who wants a versatile addition to their cold-weather layering system. They feature a great balance of breathability and insulation, keeping you warm while still letting moisture and sweat escape. Our tester mentions, “They block wind surprisingly well without getting clammy and sweaty on the inside.” They are not intended to be waterproof at all, but the good news is that if the Achiou does get wet, the synthetic blend material dries quickly. Touchscreen-compatible patches on the thumb, pointer, and middle fingers let you use your devices without exposing your fingers to the cold, another big pro of using liners under your main glove.

Touchscreen Compatibility	Yes - thumb, index, and middle finger
Intended Uses	Liner, light glove
Material	Outer - 86% acrylic, 13% polyester, 1% spandex; Inner - 100% polyester
Additional Insulation	None
Weatherproofing Features	None

On the downside, you have to wash these by hand. The knit construction and addition of spandex make these gloves more adaptable to different hand sizes and shapes, but somehow, we still don't love their fit. The cuffs are short and often disappear beneath your outer mitt when worn as a liner. The thumbs are unusually long, making their touchscreen patches less effective than those on your fingers, which work wonderfully. If superior fit and comfort are top of the list, check out the Smartwool Liner as an alternative. All told, if you're looking for durable, affordable liners, these are our picks.

Best Work Glove

Mechanix Wear Coldwork Original

The Mechanix Coldwork Originals are the best work options we tested. Meant for cool to cold weather, they have a lightweight fleece lining with a durable softshell exterior made from a mix of rubber and synthetic fabric panels. The palms are covered in a faux leather material that adds a fair amount of grip. They breathe well, which is great for warmer days, and our lead tester found them comfortable for small engine repair down into the twenties and even teens. They're machine washable and work well for a range of activities, from raking leaves to shoveling. All five fingers are touchscreen compatible, making it exceptionally easy to check the instructions on your phone for whatever YouTube project you have going. Perhaps most importantly, they don't impede dexterity. Our tester was pleased, saying, “They move with my fingers so well that I rarely need to pull them off, even to do detail work.”

Touchscreen Compatibility	Yes - all fingers
Intended Uses	Work including refined tasks, home and garden
Material	Rubber, fleece, softshell
Additional Insulation	40g 3M Thinsulate
Weatherproofing Features	Back of hand is water resistant softshell

Since they're insulated, these aren't the best for warm fall days when you need more protection than warmth. They're also not waterproof, are slow to dry, and aren't warm enough for extremely low temperatures. They are also sold in unisex sizing, and though the size small Mechanix fits our women testers with size small hands, the fingers are a touch long. If they are too big for you, we'd recommend checking out the Wells Lamont Hydrahide women's option. If they do fit you, though, we highly recommend the Mechanix for detailed tasks in mild to chilly weather.

Why Trust GearLab

We've tested close to 200 pairs of the best gloves over the past 11 years, and before each iteration of this review, we carefully research the market more before deciding which ones to buy and test. From here, we sent our ski and snowboard testing teams out into the cold of winter and up into the mountains to hang out on the ski slopes. We handed our garden testers shovels and rakes to tackle yard maintenance and snow management around the house while wearing work gloves. We took detailed notes and photos along the way, documenting each model's performance in the real world before taking them back to the lab for repeatable tests.

We assess each product's performance in multiple metrics including:

• Fit and Dexterity

• Warmth

• Water Resistance

• Durability and Protection

• Breathability

• Features

Testing for our winter and work gloves takes place across North America in locations with brutal and varied winter conditions like Maine, Canada, and Alaska. Our team tackles everything from daily chores to winter runs, small engine repairs, and glacial research. Lead tester Clark Tate has lived in every major mountain range in the US and now resides in Maine. She likes warm hands and loves a pair of gloves that can help her enjoy the snowy peaks of New England through the winter season. Amber King, who moved from Canada to Colorado's San Juan Mountains, is an outdoor educator and winter enthusiast who spends days outside with students no matter the weather. Also contributing to this review is ski patroller Jackie Kearney, who considers a reliable pair of gloves to be an essential tool for her job. Rounding out the team is IFMGA Mountain and Exum Ski Guide Jeff Dobronyi, heading up the men's ski glove review. He spends over 120 days a year on skis and needs handwear that can keep up.

Types of Gloves

There are many varieties of gloves, but for the purpose of this review, we'll cover two main categories: winter gloves that are meant to keep your hands warm and garden/work gloves that protect your hands from dirt, abrasions, and blisters. The boom in outdoor recreation has led to the development of many specialized glove options over the years, and we lump these all together in a general category of “sport gloves.” We don't include these categories in this article, but if you're interested, you can check out our advice on climbing gloves and our favorite mountain biking gloves. The specialization is great for your hands but can be hard on your wallet, so we try to point out whenever a glove can work double time for you.

Winter Gloves

The most basic purpose of these is to protect your hands from the cold. However, cold is a relative feeling. Since winter temperatures vary widely across the globe and winter activities vary widely across individuals, this category can include everything from classic waterproof snow gloves to heavily insulated mittens to light and breathable liners.

Single vs. Double Gloves — This is pretty self-explanatory: single gloves have only one layer, and double gloves have two — an outer shell and an inner liner. You can pull off the shell to reveal the thinner, more flexible liner when you need to perform detailed tasks without completely exposing your hands to the elements. We generally prefer gloves and mittens with a double construction because they give you the benefit of a weather-protective layer without having to deal with the bulk of one when you need to check your phone or tie a shoe. Double gloves are nearly essential in seriously cold climates where frostbite is a frequent concern. It also allows you to tailor your warmth levels to your environment and activity, as you can use the two layers independently.

Liners — If you do opt for an unlined or single winter glove, you can always buy a liner separately. Often lightweight and stretchy, they can work wonderfully for high-output activities like running or cross-country skiing. You can use the liner on its own for more active winter pursuits or for shoulder season use, and then layer with your regular winter gloves for more sedentary cold days. Just make sure that the combination isn't so tight that it restricts blood flow, which is essential in allowing your fingers to generate their own heat.

Gloves vs. Mittens — Ahh, the great debate. It's likely that you already have a preference one way or the other, but we'll go over the differences anyway. The nice thing about mittens is that they keep all your fingers in the same compartment, allowing them to share heat. The obvious downside is that your fingers aren't available to use. If you want the warmth but also know you will need to use your fingers a lot, you can solve this problem by adding a gloved liner underneath your mittens in super cold weather. Keep your digits cozy in the mitten when you don't need to use them and deploy your liner-gloved hand when you do.

A third and less common option is the lobster claw glove. This style divides the mittens into three sections: one for your thumb, one for your pointer finger, and one for the rest. These really shine while biking in the winter months, when you need to keep a few fingers on the brake but can use all the warmth you can get.

Ski Gloves — Winter gloves can keep your hands warm while walking from the car to the office. Ski gloves are tasked with keeping your hands warm and dry for a full day, often while spending half of it sitting very still on a chair lift. They are typically more heavily insulated and more waterproof than regular winter gloves. They also often include additional features like nose wipe patches and large gauntlet cuffs meant to extend over your jacket sleeve to help keep the snow out. If you spend a lot of time in the backcountry, hiking your way up the mountain before skiing back down, it's a good idea to take two pairs with you for safety. One can be lighter weight and more breathable for the climb, and the other can be heavier for the way down. You can also simply wear a pair of liners for the sweatier part of your day.

Garden and Work Gloves

Garden and work options protect your hands from detritus and damage. Rough surfaces, rocks, and wood can abrade or splinter your hands, and tools can quickly cause blisters. A well-fitting pair of work gloves can protect you from this pain and keep you focused on your task at hand. You can buy insulated and non-insulated versions depending on the time of year you plan to use them.

Winter versions of work and garden gloves will have some insulation, and a few are also waterproof. The tradeoff is that insulation is bulky, making it harder to perform detailed work. Gloves meant for warmer weather will be lighter, thinner, and more dextrous. They will also provide protection from the sun and, hopefully, breathe well. Again, you can layer liners underneath these to extend their use into the colder months. (Can you tell we love a good liner?)

How Will You Need to Use Your Hands?

When considering the pros and cons of each style, you'll also need to realistically consider how you'll use your hands and whether the pair you're interested in is capable of the task. For example, winter mittens are warm but make it difficult to complete complex tasks like transitioning from skinning uphill to skiing down in the backcountry. A well-fitted, highly dexterous model will let your hands move more naturally, and you'll have to remove it less frequently throughout the day. Other aspects to consider are durability and convenience features like touchscreen compatibility or a wrist leash.

Dexterity and Fit

One of the first things you'll notice after pulling on your gloves is whether or not it's easy to use your hands while wearing them. How well they fit will be a factor, but the flexibility and tailoring of the material also dictate how well they are able to move with your fingers.

Insulated winter options are bulky by nature, but you can find models that balance warmth with flexibility according to your preferences. As we mentioned above, mittens are warmer but less dextrous. That's probably fine if you'll be skiing at a resort, riding the lift all day, and have easy access to a lodge for any major tasks or adjustments. If you're heading into the backcountry, though, you'll need a more dexterous option that will allow you to use buckles, zippers, and other tools without removing your gloves.

Dexterity should also be a top priority if you work with your hands outside during winter months. However, options that prioritize dexterity won't be as warm, so you'll have to plan accordingly. Hopefully, you're working hard enough to generate warmth. If you can try on a pair of gloves before you buy them, pay close attention to the flexibility and articulation of each pair. If not, we took notes for you.

Grip

A solid grip is always important, but perhaps most important for working. To work safely, you have to be able to hold tools without the risk of them slipping out of your hand. Some models offer leather palms to improve grip, while others employ tacky rubber or gripping patterns on the palm. Since basic winter mitts can be slippery, we don't recommend using them for handiwork. However, we still appreciate models with enough grip to complete simple tasks.

Common Important Features

Touchscreen compatibility is likely one of the most sought-after features in this modern day and age. Capacitive touchscreens like your smartphone are covered by a thin, transparent layer of conductive material. When you touch them with your bare finger, you interrupt the current, and the device recognizes this as touch. For gloves to work on these surfaces, they must include a conductive material as well. This often comes in the form of a thread pattern or patch of fabric on several of the fingertips.

This technology is increasingly common, especially since people often navigate trails and off-piste slopes using mapping features on their phones, not to mention documenting their epic adventures. Touchscreen compatibility is especially important in liners, which may be all that's left standing between you and a bitter winter breeze while you figure out where you are on the mountain.

The place where your glove meets your jacket on a glove can affect how effectively it blocks the wind and weather from reaching your sensitive wrist area. For winter and ski versions, you usually have the choice between a gauntlet style designed to extend over the sleeve of your jacket or a simple cuff that fits underneath your jacket. We usually prefer a gauntlet style, as it creates a double layer that's an effective seal against wicked winter weather. Some gloves also have a velcro or buckled strap around the wrist that helps hold it in place and creates a more snug fit. Small tweaks can really improve the function of any handwear.

Ski-specific options often have more bells and whistles than the rest, probably because they stand between you and frostbite when you're a long way from home. A leash, for example, can help you keep track of your gloves if you have to pull them off on the mountain. Keeping your clothing dry and out of the snow goes beyond comfort; it is a safety concern. A nose wipe patch certainly improves your comfort, and fun additions like a Tuskegee to clear the fog from your goggles can come in handy in a pitch.

How to Pick the Best Gloves for You

We've established that you need a pair of gloves, but when choosing the exact pair, the most important thing to consider is your intended purpose: i.e., what do you need them for? Make sure you consider all the tasks you'd like to tackle while wearing them and think about what type of weather and conditions you're likely to encounter. Another important factor to consider is your budget. It's important to decide how much you can afford upfront so you won't be wooed by the flashiest options available. There's often a sweet spot where you get nearly top-of-the-line performance without spending top dollar. We make it our mission to find those options and steer you to them.

Conclusion

Taking good care of your hands can keep you out on the ski hill, on the singletrack, or on the job longer. But with all the models on the market, it can be overwhelming to find your perfect fit. Luckily, our expert testing team has narrowed down the options for you, drawing from years of cold weather experience to find the best gloves worth considering. We hope we've helped you get a good start on your research.