We buy all the products we test — no freebies from companies. If you purchase through our links, we may earn a commission, which helps support our testing.
If you need a pair of tried-and-true women's ski gloves, look no further. With more than a decade-long history of testing winter gear, our team of female snow professionals uses their experience to evaluate 15 new gloves, putting them head-to-head — or rather, hand-to-hand, to find the best available today. We wore each pair through a series of real-life conditions, such as sub-zero chairlift rides and exceptionally wet winter storms. We also performed measurable tests like a timed, full water submersion to rate water resistance.
The Outdoor Research Revolution II earned it's spot as the top glove in our lineup, first, for keeping us warm, but also for its above-average performance in all other testing metrics, making it a good all 'rounder glove. If you prefer mittens, whether for their style or for the added warmth, the Black Diamond Mercury Mitt is our pick thanks to its competitive warmth and water resistance ratings.
Keeping your hands cozy on the slopes is a top priority, but a quality pair of gloves or mittens is only one step in building a reliable cold weather kit. Keeping your core temperature stable with a women's ski jacket or a lighter-weight down jacket will go a long way toward keeping you comfortable on the slopes. You can fine-tune your perfect layering system with a solid baselayer top and long underwear.
Editor's Note: We updated and expanded this review on February 28, 2025, to showcase more of the best options and the latest and greatest gloves and mittens.
For a variety of ski and alpine pursuits, we are always excited to pull on the women's specific Outdoor Research Revolution II. These gloves have versatile warmth that works for most days on the mountain. They also perform well for a wide variety of outdoor winter tasks, from resort skiing to snow study in the backcountry to climbing cold multi-pitch ice routes and simply shoveling the driveway. They have premium features without the premium price tag of many higher-end ski glove options. We were comfortable wearing these gloves for ski days where temperatures barely reached single digits but found that they weren't stiflingly hot on days in the 30s either. Touchscreen-compatible fingertips kept us from removing the gloves to take pictures, too. “I skied in these through a two-week long mid-winter cold snap, and they handled most cold that I threw at them while also being dextrous enough that I didn't need to take my gloves off. I used them for everything from resort skiing to multi-pitch ice climbing,” noted our lear teaser. For a leather alternative that also has great dexterity and improved durability, check out the Hestra Women's Fall Line Glove.
While we found the finger tailoring to be perfect for most women's thinner fingers on the Revolution II, some testers remarked that they fit a little slim and wanted to size up. The Gore-Tex insert helps protect your hands from moisture; however, the waterproofing on the backside of these gloves did degrade with heavy use, and we found that they absorbed more water at the end of the testing period than at the beginning. “The waterproofing seemed to degrade a bit in tests, but the Revolutions still kept moisture out in the field,” testers noted. For most conditions in the snow, their waterproofing was wholly sufficient. If you're willing to give up dexterity but need even more warmth, we also love the Black Diamond Mercury Mitt. However, many skiers prefer a glove over a mitten, and in this case, it's hard to go wrong with the Revolution II.
Wrist gauntlet is long and can be uncomfortable with some jackets
Overkill for mild conditions
If a well-insulated mitt is your preference, check out the Black Diamond Mercury Mitt. Built for both resort skiing and technical use, these lofty mittens offer superb durability and warmth all season long. The fluffy Primaloft Gold insulation bundles your fingers together, keeping them toasty until the lifts stop spinning. The BD.Dry shell keeps your hands dry, and dry = warm. The fluffy mitten liner is removable, allowing for rapid drying after long days or on extended trips. It also offers more versatility, essentially giving you two mittens in one. Our lead tester said: “These lofty mitts have an über-cozy high-pile fleece on the inside that can keep your hands warm on a cold day or work in a pinch to quickly rewarm freezing fingers.”
While we couldn't find any cold days that the Mercury Mitt couldn't handle, we also found that not having free fingers greatly impedes dexterity (no surprise there). But, for happy and warm digits, it might be worth the tradeoff, especially for resort use. Additionally, since you need to remove these mittens for most tasks, we think it's unfortunate that they don't have wrist leashes to help you keep track of them. “I was worried to drop them off of the lift when I needed to use my phone or adjust zippers,” our lead tester mentioned. For many days and in many conditions, they will also be overkill with their supreme warmth. While they are far from being the most expensive model in our lineup, if you can't quite swing the price, check out the Burton Gore-Tex Mitten or the North Face Montana Mitten. Beyond that, the Mercury Mitt is one of the most functional and high-quality mittens we've ever tested, making it a good option for any winter excursion where extra warmth is a must.
Would you trust your gloves enough to put them under ice-cold running water in the backcountry on a -10 degree morning? We would with the Mercury Mitt.
North Face Montana Mitten lived up to its name and kept our hands warm even in the sub-zero winter temperatures of the northern Big Sky state. For an affordable price, you can get great warmth and protection from these mittens. They include a touchscreen-compatible liner glove and wrist leashes for when you need to ditch them for a bit more dexterity. The durable and grippy palm also helps to surmount some of the dexterity challenges that come with having your fingers all bundled in one package. Perhaps the best feature of these mittens is the supremely soft and cozy fleece liner, which helps keep your fingers happy throughout cold ski days. “They definitely had the softest fleece interior of any glove or mitten in the lineup, which is a nice touch to make you look forward to wearing them,” said our lead tester.
These affordable mittens leave little to complain about, but they do have a handful of shortcomings. The most notable of which is their propensity to absorb water. They are not particularly waterproof, especially when immersed, and thus wouldn't be our top pick for maritime snow climates. “The exterior immediately wets when it touches running liquid water and absorbs a fair amount during full submersion,” said our lead tester. The Heatseeker Eco insulation is also not as warm as loftier models like the Black Diamond Mercury Mitt, and they're not quite as dextrous as the Burton Gore-Tex Mitten. But for most ski area riders – and especially snowboarders – the Montana Mitten is a cozy and affordable pick.
Insulation: 350-g/150-g high loft polyester | Shell: Nylon/leather
REASONS TO BUY
Highly featured
Decent performance across the board
REASONS TO AVOID
Fit could be better
Prints are over the top
The Dakine Camino ski glove offers good value for the price, with a long list of features and decent warmth. Constructed with a nylon shell and leather palm, the insulation is packed strategically towards the back of the hand to improve dexterity. It also comes with a removable fleece liner that is touchscreen-compatible. This can be used to enhance its warmth on super cold days or used on its own as a light running glove. When choosing a gear for more moderate temperatures, we often reached for this glove. You also can't go wrong with the price. “For the vast majority of ski days, especially in a more continental winter climate, these gloves are totally sufficient, and with the features and included liners, they're a great deal for the price,” our lead tester mentioned.
The lower price comes with its tradeoffs. For instance, although Dakine claims a DWR coating, these gloves are not the best in super wet conditions, as the exterior tends to absorb moisture. After completing the submersion test, one member of our test team noted: “I didn't feel moisture directly on my fingers, but the outer fabric soaks up water right away.” If you want something in a similar price range with more water resistance, check out the Burton Deluxe Gore-Tex. Both gloves rate in the middle of the pack for warmth. The Camino's fit with the included liner feels rather snug, so if you're on the fence, we recommend sizing up. These gloves are best for those who run warm or live in slightly warmer climates and are seeking low-priced gloves for versatile use. If you frequently find yourself with cold hands, we recommend a warm mitten like the Black Diamond Mercury Mitt or the North Face Montana Mitten.
Insulation: Enduraloft and Electric Heat | Shell Material: Water-resistant Goat Leather
REASONS TO BUY
Intuitive use
Long battery life
Very water and weatherproof
REASONS TO AVOID
Bulky unisex sizing is not dextrous
Too warm for most climates
The Outdoor Research Prevail Heated Gore-Tex Glove is a unisex model that we tested for both our women's and men's ski glove review, and in two separate evaluations, with two different wearers, these gloves impressed. With battery-powered warmth, they are understandably the warmest gloves we tested and are great for those with chronically cold hands or for below-zero powder days on the mountain. The three heat settings offer a nice range of added warmth to fight off the cold, and the Enduraloft insulation is warm even without the electric heating elements. “They're pretty bomber – I can't imagine weather conditions they couldn't withstand, and the heat is very consistent over my entire hand,” said our tester, noting that she didn't feel any hotspots. The water-resistant goat leather and nylon shell ward off the elements, backed up by mid-sized gauntlets and a Gore-Tex membrane that keeps water from entering the glove and aids in breathability. Considering all of the insulation and heating elements, the dexterity proved to be a little better than we expected. They are also less expensive than other heated models we tested.
“I'm super cozy in these, but would definitely buy a smaller size if it was offered,” our main tester wrote. While we found the dexterity of the Prevail be acceptable, they can't compete with some of the non-heated models when it comes time to use your fingers for certain tasks. To add to this problem, as a unisex model, the Prevail's fit may not be as dialed for the female hand. “The extra small is still too large for my average-sized female hands,” noted one tester. We'd definitely recommend referencing the size chart before buying or even trying on a pair if you have access. The higher price may also be a factor in your decision; despite the fact that they are less expensive than other heated models, they are still far more expensive than non-heated gloves, like the Arc'teryx Fission SV Glove. That said, if you ski where it's super cold or have constantly cold hands, they could be the solution you've been looking for.
The Tough Outfitters Xplore is a no-frills ski glove sufficient for those who only need to use their ski glove a few times per year or only ski on more moderate winter days. While it didn't knock our socks (rather, gloves) off in any one metric, the price alone makes these gloves a decent option for keeping warm on a ski trip without breaking the bank. These gloves are flexible and lofty with SummitLoft polyester insulation and a soft fleece interior, making them cozy and comfortable. While the features are minimal, these gloves still come with a wrist leash and wrist adjustment strap, which helps provide a better fit. Our main tester said: “Of course, they aren't going to match the performance of a premium glove or mitten – but they're pretty cozy and a good value for the low price.” In fact, the only other glove that even comes close to offering this much of a bargain is the Kinco Pigskin Leather, which is essentially a work glove that can double as a ski glove in a pinch.
While we found the Xplore gloves sufficiently warm for most conditions, they fell short in terms of dexterity and waterproofing. They absorbed more water into their nylon exterior than most other gloves in the lineup, despite having a DWR coating, and wouldn't be our go-to for wet snow climates. The unisex sizing also runs a bit large, and the dexterity suffers with extra space at the end of the fingers. Obviously, since these gloves are a bargain, they are not made of the highest quality materials and likely wouldn't hold up as well over time as a more premium option like the Outdoor Research Revolution II. “I would suspect the fingertips especially to see some wear and tear,” our tester said. Minor complaints aside, we'd still opt for the friendly price tag of the Xplore for light-duty use. For something a bit warmer with a women's specific fit and more features for just a bit more, take a look at the Dakine Camino. For another budget-friendly option with more dexterity but a bit less warmth, you might appreciate the MCTi Waterproof Touch Screen gloves.
Combine the Xplore gloves with a community ski area and you have yourself a downright affordable day of skiing!
Credit: Kaylee Walden
Compare Products
Testing women's ski gloves and mittens side by side required hauling lots of pairs out into the snow all winter.
Credit: Kaylee Walden
How We Test Women's Ski Gloves
The first step in our process is to take a deep dive into the ski glove and mitten market to decide which models to include in our selection for hands-on testing. After an initial cut of over 80 models was thoroughly researched, we chose the most compelling options to use in the field and test in the lab. We wore them in real-world situations over a period of several months, skiing and snowboarding in both wet and dry climates, as well as hiking, riding chairlifts, and playing in the backcountry. Our controlled in-house tests are designed to measure warmth retention and water resistance. The warmth test involves putting the gloves in a freezer with a temperature sensor to measure heat loss over a period of 10 minutes. Our submersion test measures the percentage of water the glove materials absorb after a 2-minute submersion in a bucket of water. See more info in our dedicated How We Test article.
Our testing of women's ski gloves is divided into five rating metrics:
Warmth (25% of overall score weighting)
Water Resistance (25% weighting)
Dexterity (25% weighting)
Construction Quality (15% weighting)
Features (10% weighting)
Why Trust GearLab
This review is brought to you by three GearLab veterans and experienced testers. Kaylee Walden is an AMGA Certified Ski Guide and expedition guide, with lots of trips to cold northern latitudes under her belt, including a handful of summits of Denali (North America's highest and coldest at 20,310') and other big peaks. She lives in the often frigid high mountain town of Silverton, Colorado, where warm hands are essential to teaching avalanche courses, exploring the mountains, and everyday life. Amber King originally hails from cold northern Canada, but moved to the US in 2011, landing in the San Juan Mountains of southwest Colorado. She has a healthy appreciation for warm hands in cold conditions, and you can bet she's packing a good pair of ski gloves on her backcountry splitboard missions. Jackie Kearney is also no stranger to the challenges of warming hands in the mountains. She has skied all over North America and works professionally as a ski patroller at Telluride Ski Resort, where cold mornings are part of the job, and good gloves are an essential tool.
Warm gloves are essential for multi-pitch ice climbing.
Comparing gloves and mittens.
Keeping warm while belaying.
We put these gloves through the paces with objective tests in the lab, and subjected them to the rigors of our lives in the mountains.
Analysis and Test Results
A good pair of ski gloves or mittens will help keep your hands warm during deep powder runs at the resort or in backcountry couloirs. We've tested each glove and mitt for warmth, water resistance, dexterity, and construction quality and evaluated special features to help you find the one that's the best fit for your needs.
The point of a good pair of ski gloves or mittens is to keep you warm in otherwise cold and austere environments.
Credit: Kaylee Walden
What's the Best Value?
Warm hands are important, but finding a glove that doesn't blow your gear budget for the season is a much-appreciated bonus. Our gloves and mittens take the brunt of wear and tear put on our ski gear, so finding a good value that doesn't break the bank is a priority. The most budget-friendly option of the lineup is the Tough Outfitters Xplore, which costs less than what you'll pay for a burger at most ski resorts. While its performance isn't the highest, its low price tag makes it a solid value for skiers who only use their gloves a few times per season. The Dakine Camino and North Face Montana Mitten both provide a step up in quality without adding too much to the budget. Each boasts a high performance-to-cost ratio, with decent warmth, features, and solid durability.
Our overall favorite glove in the lineup, the Outdoor Research Revolution II, is not exactly a bargain, but it costs less than many gloves on the market and provides good performance across the board with high-quality fit and materials. The REI Guide Mitten stands out as a lower-priced option, just a little more expensive than your standard work glove, and offers performance adequate for most days out. With diligent water resistance treatment at the start of each season, this model can keep your fingers happy. This said, this mitten isn't warm enough for absolutely frigid days, and its water resistance is not the most reliable, all of which is reflected in the price. The Burton Gore-Tex Mitten is another favorite. Though slightly pricier than the REI Guide, it's a noticeably higher-quality product. We think it's one of the more versatile mitts out there and is a great value.
When price and performance intersect, this is where we find a high value glove. The Tough Outfitters gloves come with a low price tag.
Credit: Kaylee Walden
Warmth
Exploring the ski resort requires a glove or mitt that will keep your hands warm, whether you're working up a sweat or hanging out on a chairlift. A warm glove will provide ample high-quality insulation that stays warm when wet and breathes well to wick away moisture when you sweat. The gauntlet vs. cuff debate has to do with the way the glove integrates with the rest of your winter gear to seal out cold air. Both are important factors in keeping you warm when the temperatures plummet.
Women's Ski Glove Warmth Features
Double or Single Construction
Gauntlet or Cuff
Insulation Type
Outdoor Research Prevail Heated
Single
Gauntlet
EnduraLoft 100% polyester
Arc'teryx Fission SV
Single
Cuff
200g PrimaLoft Silver and 133g Gold synthetic fibers
Black Diamond Mercury Mitt W
Double
Gauntlet
170g PrimaLoft Gold
Back of hand: 133g PrimaLoft Gold
The North Face Montana
Single
Gauntlet
Heatseeker Eco insulation
We skied with each pair of mittens and gloves at resorts and hiked uphill for hours on backcountry tours. When assessing warmth, we first looked at the glove's anatomy, noting insulating features. We also performed objective tests that involved sticking each pair into the freezer and measuring the temperature change after 5 minutes. We also measured the heat retained after fast downhill ski runs on cold days. These tests helped us assess which ski gloves and mittens were the warmest and which simply didn't hold the heat.
During a cold winter, when the temperatures drop and you're left sitting on a cold (and slow…) ski lift, consider going with a pair of mittens for the day. Mitts are far warmer than gloves because you keep your fingers together, generating and capturing collective heat. You'll see that, aside from battery-heated options, mittens consistently come out at the top of our warmth rating metric. We go into more detail below on the hows and whys.
To objectively assess warmth, we measured the internal temperature of each pair of gloves and mittens at the top and bottom of a ski run.
Credit: Kaylee Walden
Warmth: Mittens
If your hands run cold and you need something that'll keep them toasty all day long, a mitten is generally a better option than a glove. The big tradeoff is dexterity, but if you're sitting on a chairlift and just need to be able to hold your ski poles, a mitten will work fine. Those with a double construction, or glove liner, offer more dexterity than those with a single glove construction. Regardless of construction, virtually all of the mittens in this review are warmer than the ski gloves we tested.
The mittens in our test generally had a warmth edge over gloves in the field, since all of your fingers share warmth in a cozy, fleece lined pocket.
Credit: Kaylee Walden
When it came to warmth, the mittens topped the charts. The Black Diamond Mercury Mitt is filled with 323 grams of PrimaLoft Gold and is the warmest mitt that we tested. The Burton Gore-Tex Mitten is a lighter option that still provides enough warmth in its double-glove construction for most winter conditions in the lower 48. Warmth is often inversely related to breathability, and of all the mitts, the Burton Gore-Tex is the most breathable, followed by the Black Diamond Mercury Mitt. A stand-out difference between the Mercury Mitt and the rest is the puffy, removable full-mitten liner.
Warmth: Gloves
Gloves aren't as warm as mittens simply because the fingers are not bunched together. Most people who choose a glove probably do so for increased dexterity and feel it is worth the tradeoff of a slight reduction in warmth. Don't worry; there are definitely warm gloves out there; just don't expect them to score as high as mittens in this metric.
No other options could touch the battery-powered warmth of the Prevail Heated Gloves.
Credit: Kaylee Walden
The exception to this rule is an electrically heated glove. The warmest ski gloves that we've tested so far are the Outdoor Research Prevail Heated Gloves. Of course, nothing else in the lineup – even mittens – can match the battery-powered warmth that these gloves provide. The system is fairly intuitive to use and has three heat settings that can provide you with a quick warm-up blast of heat or all-day consistent low-grade warmth. Just be aware that these heated gloves will interfere with your avalanche transceiver] when skiing in the backcountry.
After the heated options, other warm gloves include Arc'teryx Fission SV and the Outdoor Research Revolution II. These both strike a good balance between loft and movement, keeping us warm while still allowing us to move our fingers well. The Dakine Camino gloves were also quite warm in most conditions, especially if you add a hand warmer to the exterior pocket over your hand for a boost in cold conditions. The Revolution II also has an exterior pocket that can be used to hold a hand warmer as well.
The Revolution II proved to be a sufficiently warm glove for most days, even this frigid, deep winter day in the backcountry with a high of -1.
Credit: Kaylee Walden
Make sure you get the fit of your gloves or mitts correct. If they fit too tight, circulation to the hands will be reduced, resulting in colder digits. Too loose, and you lose a significant amount of dexterity.
Water Resistance
Although evaluated as separate metrics in our tests, water resistance goes hand-in-hand with warmth. A product that gets wet after a few hours of exposure to the elements won't keep your hands warm. It's important to find a ski glove or mitten that protects from moisture, whether from perspiration or precipitation. When testing water resistance, we evaluate objectively with controlled tests in the lab. We measured before and after weights to assess how much water each glove absorbed after fully submerging our hands in water for two minutes. We tracked down potential weak points in the construction and timed how long it took each pair to dry. While you wouldn't normally put your hand underwater on cold days, this helps us objectively determine each glove and mitt's wet-weather limits. We supplemented these tests with a gut check on performance after extensively using each pair of gloves and mittens in the field. We took each pair out on wet and snowy days, dug snowpits, shoveled our driveways, and climbed ice routes.
If you buy a pair of gloves or mittens featuring a leather outer, make sure to treat the leather before use and continually throughout its life.
In our tests, the gloves and mitts that perform best are constructed from Gore-Tex fabric or use a Gore-Tex membrane inside. We consider leather to be waterproof, but it requires more upkeep to stay this way. Even when taken care of properly, the leather gloves tested eventually saturated after super wet days in the field. If your hands are going to be in the snow a lot, opt for Gore-Tex instead of leather. Likewise, nylon will eventually absorb and stretch, so be sure you know your materials before selecting a glove.
We put these gloves and mittens through the wringer, submerging and saturating them with water to see how they held up.
Credit: Kaylee Walden
Water Resistance: Mittens
The Black Diamond Mercury Mitt provides complete water protection on both the ski hill and in our lab tests, only absorbing 2.5 ounces of water after 2 minutes. The Pertex shell and Gore-tex are quite waterproof, offering all the water resistance you'd need on the hill. This mitten is much more water-resistant than the Hestra Heli-Mitt and just slightly more water-resistant than the Burton Gore-tex Mitten. The Hestra also provides great water resistance out of the package, but it breaks down after a few seasons of use and will benefit from a good at-home DWR (durable water repellant) treatment at the beginning of each season. It is constructed of a Triton three-layer fabric that does saturate eventually, and during our squeeze tests, it leaked water through the seams. In the field, though, it managed to stay relatively dry and offered great protection at the resort during both wet and dry days. It just needs upkeep.
We performed a number of field and lab tests to assess water resistance. Here, we watch how gloves and mittens fare with water poured over them.
Credit: Kaylee Walden
Water Resistance: Gloves
The Arc'teryx Fission SV and OR Couloir both offer awesome weather protection. The Couloir is constructed mostly of leather and polyester, finished with a Gore-tex insert, while the Fission is lighter, made with Arc'teryx's proprietary material Fortius 1.0 (nylon and elastane) along with a Gore-tex insert and a leather palm. When digging snow pits with both the Couloir and Fission SV, both provide sufficient protection. However, the nylon materials in both eventually became saturated in the snow after a few months of use, but neither glove let moisture penetrate the interior. Overall, we'd recommend either option for wet weather, with the Fission holding a little less water in its fabric than the Couloir.
The Fission SV had some of the best water and weather resistance in the lineup.
Credit: Kaylee Walden
Usually, synthetic materials treated with a DWR coating resist saturation better than leather, and we found this to be true; all-leather construction gloves like the Hestra Fall-Line and Kinco started to absorb water faster than their synthetic counterparts. The Burton Deluxe Gore-Tex has a synthetic fabric construction that fares well in wet weather; the nylon shell and Gore-Tex insert offer decent protection, and in our water tests, the Burton Deluxe didn't leak at all. Of the high-value options out there, we feel it offers the best protection for a low price. While the Outdoor Research Revolution II absorbed a fair amount of water in the submersion test, we found that the palm material kept our fingers dry even when digging around in the snow all day and during wet snowstorms.
For warmth when working in the snow, especially for snowpack assessment, a good pair of gloves is essential.
Credit: Kaylee Walden
Dexterity
It's convenient to have enough dexterity in a ski glove or mitten that you can perform simple tasks like zipping your jacket, transitioning to downhill mode on a ski tour, and assembling your avalanche rescue equipment without taking off your gloves. The less often you have to remove your gloves, the warmer your hands will be, and if you're a professional in the field, it's more than just convenient; it's necessary. To test this metric, we donned each pair of gloves and performed a set list of tasks while timing ourselves. We compared timed results (and frustrations) among different models to assess overall dexterity. No surprise, gloves won out over mittens almost 100% of the time. The higher-scoring gloves have a thinner design and more precise tailoring, which typically offers better mobility. However, occasionally thicker (read warmer) gloves surprised us with a high level of dextrous performance.
The fit of a glove or mitten is imperative to its dexterity. If it's too big, you're going to have extra space at the tips of the fingers, which results in less dexterity – this is a common challenge with women's gloves, especially those with unisex sizing. Conversely, a too-tight fit may also lead to reduced mobility, which also affects dexterity. Make sure you order according to the glove's measurements, or try them on to ensure they work for your hands.
While not among the most dextrous of the test, the Xplore gloves got the job done when it came to ski boot buckles, zippers and buttons.
Credit: Kaylee Walden
Dexterity: Gloves
The Outdoor Research Revolution II has slim-fitting fingers and tapered tips that make it easier to grasp zipper pulls and buckles. The Dakine Camino has less insulation in the fingers, which increases mobility, similar to the Burton Deluxe. These all offer suitable mobility for most actions you'll perform at a resort or in the backcountry. We could easily do backcountry transitions and perform fine tasks with ease. The Arc'teryx Fission SV would have been a top performer for dexterity if it wasn't for one caveat: it might not fit. The materials are soft, supple, and flexible, which adds to the mobility of this glove. However, sadly, this unisex glove runs extremely large and doesn't fit most of our female testers and friends who tried it on. In our men's glove review, our male testers rated the Fission SV highly in this metric, and we think it is primarily due to having larger hands and being able to get a better fit.
The tailored fingertips and women's specific fit allowed us to easily mess with small details in the Revolution II.
Credit: Kaylee Walden
Dexterity: Mittens
Mittens are less dexterous for obvious reasons, and they generally earn much lower scores in this category. With all fingers housed in one compartment, movement is inherently limited. We performed five different dexterity tests in the lab, and many mittens fell short when it came to grasping small zippers, unbuckling tiny buckles, and pushing buttons.
The North Face Montana's dexterity is boosted by the extra grippy palm material.
Credit: Kaylee Walden
Though not comparable to a pair of gloves, the North Face Montana Mittens have an extra-grippy palm material that helps you grasp smaller things easier than you'd expect. Thinner mittens like the Burton Gore-Tex Mitten and Hestra Heli-Mitt also offer a surprising amount of dexterity. The Heli Mitt has a thin leather shell and compressible liner that provides a bit more finger sensitivity. The Burton Gore-Tex Mitt stands out as it has a removable gloved liner so you can take off the shell when you need to perform fine motor tasks without exposing your bare skin to the cold air. As a result of its thinner design and versatility, it's one of the most dexterous mittens we've ever tested – though it still can't hold a candle to most gloves.
We put the Dakine Camino through the ultimate dexterity test: A fast, skimo-style transition. For a mitten, it performed pretty well!
Credit: Kaylee Walden
Construction Quality
It's a bummer to spend money on an expensive pair of ski gloves only to find that they are disintegrating after just one season. Each model we tested endures double-digit hours of intense use in different conditions throughout the winter to ensure that our scoring accurately reflects what a glove would look like after a full season. We assess the overall construction and materials, search for weak points, and check for wear throughout our testing period.
The models with goatskin leather outers, such as the Arc'teryx Fission SV, Hestra Fall-Line 5-finger, and Black Diamond Mercury Mitt, have the most durable shells as opposed to those made of nylon, like the Gordini GTX Storm Glove, or faux polyurethane (PU) leather like the Outdoor Research Revolution II. Gloves with leather palms are far more durable over time but require maintenance; wet leather wears out more quickly. Those that incorporate Gore-Tex into the external construction are typically quite durable as well. We did notice that the Diamond PU faux leather palm of the Revolution II seems high quality and we believe it will stand the test of time, even with heavy use.
If you see yellow stitching, you know there's kevlar in the construction. Here we see gloves with bomber palms. Varying amounts of reinforcement and the type of materials changes with durability. The Arc'teryx Fission looks to be the best constructed.
Credit: Amber King
Features
Our final metric considers features that some skiers and riders look for. Wrist leashes, nose wipes, and mini goggle wipers are all additions that might bring a little convenience to your life. Below, we outline our favorite handy features that increase overall utility and note which gloves have them and which don't.
Removable Liners
Removable liners make gloves and mittens more versatile and dextrous. Typically, skiers find this feature helpful in the backcountry or for aerobic or warmer weather skiing. Removable liners can be changed out for thicker or thinner options as needed. The products featuring a removable liner in this review include the Hestra Heli Mitt, Burton Gore-Tex Deluxe, and Burton Gore-Tex Mitten. The Black Diamond Mercury Mitt features fleece liners that can be used on their own as a secondary mitt.
The Mercury Mitt's removable water resistant liner is a cozy mitten in its own right, and allows for faster drying for warm hands every time.
Credit: Kaylee Walden
Nose Wipe
Spend enough time outside in the winter, and you know the nose drip is inevitable. The soft, absorbent material on the thumb is much nicer to use to wipe noses or goggles. Products with a nose wipe include the North Face Montana, Burton Gore-Tex Mitten, Burton Gore-Tex Deluxe Glove, the Outdoor Research Couloir and Revolution II, REI Guide Mitten, Gordini GTX Storm Glove, Black Diamond Mercury Mitt, and Dakine Camino. The Camino has a nose wipe on one thumb and a goggle wipe on the other. A nice touch –- literally!
The Burton Gore-Tex mittens have a whole handful of features: Handwarmer pockets, nose wipes, adjustable wrists, leashes and removable liners.
Credit: Kaylee Walden
Leashes
Leashes keep your glove attached to your wrist, which helps to prevent that dreaded fear of dropping one off the chairlift. Most are removable if you're not concerned. All gloves in this review featured this option except the Kinco Pigskin Leather Gloves, REI Guide Mitten, Black Diamond Mercury Mitt. If you're willing to get a bit crafty, it isn't that hard to fashion one's own leashes if the gloves you buy don't already have them. However, we appreciate when this feature is already included.
Removable leashes are always a helpful addition to any mitt or glove. You don't want to be the sorry sap that drops their glove or mitt off the lift. That's why the Burton Deluxe Gore-Tex is just wonderful for resort skiing.
Credit: Amber King
Hand Warmer Pocket
Hand warmer pockets provide a convenient spot to stash a handwarmer for those extra cold days. Models with a hand warmer pocket include the Outdoor Research Revolution II, Gordini GTX Storm Glove, Burton Gore-tex Mitten, Dakine Camino, and the Burton Gore-Tex Deluxe. On the flip side, this zippered pocket can also be opened up to double as a vent when your hands get too hot.
The Gordini Gore-Tex Down gloves feature a pocket specially designed for a handwarmer.
Credit: Ross Robinson
Cinch and Release Cuff
We love a good cinch-and-release cuff and appreciate it even more if it has a large enough mechanism that it can be tightened and loosened with gloves on. All products we tested have this feature except the Kinco Pigskin Gloves and REI Guide Mittens. We find this feature especially useful for mittens, and a snug fit around the wrist can help improve overall dexterity.
The MCTi gloves have decent dexterity, especially with the wrists cinched, and sealing the cuff helps keep out ice, snow and wind.
Credit: Kaylee Walden
Carabiner Loops
These loops, typically located on the tip of the forefinger finger, allow you to hang gloves upside down. This is most useful for climbers who want to attach gloves to a harness with the glove opening hanging down so snow or ice doesn't fall inside. The models that have this feature are the Arc'teryx Fission Glove, Black Diamond Mercury Mitt, and Outdoor Research Couloir Sensor. These gloves work well for ice climbing or moving through alpine terrain while wearing a harness or for extra quick warmth at belay stations.
The carabiner loops on the Mercury mitt make them an even better option for emergency warmth, especially for technical pursuits.
Credit: Kaylee Walden
Touch Screen Compatibility
In this modern day and age, many of the gloves in our lineup have integrated touchscreen compatibility, even some of the bulkier options. Some products opt for a touchscreen-compatible liner, so you don't have to take off the entire glove. The effectiveness of this feature tends to vary, and on thicker gloves, is not always reliable. Products include the MCTi Touchscreen Gloves, Burton Gore-Tex Deluxe, Burton Gore-Tex Mitten, and Dakine Camino. Notably, the Outdoor Research Couloir Sensor's touchscreen compatibility did not function well during our tests. The Outdoor Research Revolution II and Prevail Heated touchscreen compatibility worked about half of the time. The MCTi gloves worked fairly well, but only if we pushed our fingers all the way to the end of the glove to eliminate extra space.
Features like touchscreen compatibility are becoming more common on ski gloves, although it doesn't always work reliably in the cold.
Credit: Jeff Dobronyi
Of all the products tested, the Dakine Camino and Burton Deluxe gloves have the most features. They are both stacked, offering touchscreen compatibility, handwarmer pockets, a double-glove construction, and more. They are meant to keep you prepared and happy on the slopes. The Camino features most of these and has an integrated miniature goggle wiper as a bonus.
How to Choose Women's Ski Gloves or Mittens?
Choosing the right women's ski gloves or mittens comes down to a few key considerations that will help you match your needs, preferences, climate, and budget. If you're primarily skiing at resorts, you'll want gloves or mittens with ample insulation and effective waterproofing to handle long lift rides and changing weather. For skiing in the backcountry, you'll likely want to prioritize breathability, dexterity, and durability. Gloves offer better dexterity for adjusting gear, zipping up jackets, or using your phone (if touchscreen-compatible), while mittens provide superior warmth by keeping your fingers together, making them ideal for colder conditions. Some models offer a split-finger design that provides a mix of warmth and dexterity. “I generally always go for gloves due to the dexterity, especially since I spend a lot of my time backcountry skiing,” said our lead tester. “But mittens are a great extra-cozy option for the resort, especially if you're a snowboarder.”
If possible, test out the gloves or mittens before purchasing to ensure they feel comfortable, fit well, and allow for enough mobility. Women-specific designs often have smaller, more contoured fits to accommodate narrower hands and fingers, and unisex options often run large.
Weather and climate are important factors as well. Those in wetter, maritime snow climates will want to prioritize waterproofing materials like Gore-Tex, treated leather, or other high-performing membranes. If you frequently experience extreme cold, look for heavily insulated gloves or mittens with fleece or synthetic liners. For mild winter conditions, lighter gloves or mittens with less insulation offer better breathability and are more comfortable in warmer temps.
Credit: Kaylee Walden
Conclusion
Keeping your hands warm is the final crucial element of comfortable and enjoyable winter recreation, but solid gloves and mittens are just one piece of a comprehensive winter layering system. We've tested it all, from women's base layers and women's long underwear to the best ski jackets and ski pants to keep you cozy from first chair to last. We hope that our comprehensive testing has helped you narrow down your search for the best ski gloves or mittens for you. And when you find them, give us a wave out on the slopes!
