13 Best Winter Gloves to Keep Your Hands Warm Until Spring

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As winter rolls in, life's demands don't take a frosty break. The dog still needs his walk, kids must be fetched from school, groceries beg to be gathered, and that relentless driveway insists on shoveling, regardless of the chill in the air. But let's face it: Our fingers (and toes) aren't always the biggest fans of cold-weather multitasking. That's precisely why you need a trusty pair of gloves in your winter arsenal, and hey, smartphone compatibility is an absolute must for staying connected.

Winter gloves, with their nifty insulation that keeps your hands warm without sacrificing all your finger flexibility, are your winter heroes. Plus, they often sport grip-friendly materials that ensure you won't drop your morning coffee, your cell phone, or that stubborn tool. So, while warmth tops the list, there's more to these gloves than meets the eye. Stay tuned to discover the key factors in finding your perfect pair!

What to Consider

Winter gloves come in hundreds of styles, so it's best to know what you're looking for. We consider insulation, dexterity, and smartphone compatibility the most important factors.

• Insulation: Glove insulation ranges from lightweight, barely-there liners to bulky and oversized layers. For this list, we focused mainly on gloves with lighter amounts of insulation that won't feel like you're prepping for a journey to the frozen tundra, which allows you to carry bags, use your keys, and open car doors without removing them.

• Waterproof: This is pretty simple — thermal gloves are either waterproof or they are not. Some have a water-resistant DWR treatment, which helps if they get slightly wet. But to be truly waterproof requires quite a heavy barrier material.

• Dexterity: Lighter gloves allow for better dexterity in most cases. But some thicker thermal gloves have strategically placed insulation to reduce bulk in your fingertips, specifically to allow for better use of your fingers for turning dials on your car, putting coins in a meter, or adjusting your beanie.

• Touchscreen Compatibility: Many gloves have touchscreen-capable pads on the fingers, eliminating the need to remove your gloves every time you use your smartphone. It's a feature you'll be happy you shopped for when trying to meet up with friends or searching for the nearest subway stop in a New York City winter, all while keeping your fingers warm and toasty.

How We Chose

Selecting the best thermal gloves was no small feat. Our team of experts dove into the world of cold-weather gear, evaluating things like insulation, dexterity, and quality to find the best options available.

We scoured reviews and ratings to assess whether or not these gloves kept hands toasty in even the harshest conditions. Dexterity while maintaining warmth is also important, as it allows you to drive, shovel, and more while wearing them. And since quality was a non-negotiable factor in our research, we only included thermal gloves that provide optimal thermal performance as well as durability.

Check out our recommendations for the best thermal gloves that will keep you toasty and make you that much more likely to brave the storm, whether you're out and about on the town, working in the garage, or just need something for your commute.

Waterproof Extreme Cold Weather Glove

It's rare to find a thermal glove that is truly waterproof despite so many claims. And when you're out gallivanting in the cold this fall and winter, wet hands can ruin the fun real quick.

Sealskinz makes high-performance gloves such as these for the avid outdoors person. These gloves have a three-layer construction that is waterproof and durable enough for daily use, a goat-leather palm for improved grip and control, and are just the right thickness to help you maintain dexterity.

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Lightweight Touchscreen Running Gloves

These gloves have a little bit of everything that we look for in a solid, midweight pair of gloves — and for a price so low and quality so high, these gloves are hard to beat. They have a light layer of fleece insulation that keeps your hands warm but also sheds excess heat when you're active, and they are water-resistant to keep you moving in light rain or a snowball fight.

We love the fit, which is tailored to minimize bulk. They fit snugly against your skin so you can tie knots, pull zippers, and fasten buttons without removing them. Meanwhile, a faux-leather patch in the palm and fingers and a conductive silicone index finger are touchscreen-compatible, so you can stay connected no matter how cold.

Osito Etip Glove

Looking for a soft daily pair of thermal gloves that are just the right thickness?

This option from The North Face is a medium weight of high-loft fleece, so they're not too thin like running gloves and not as chunky as heavier options. Meanwhile, the silicone pattern in the palm helps you keep a grip on your coffee, cell phone, or shovel.

For anyone who can't be bothered to remove gloves to send a text, these are for you. They don't just have a touchscreen-compatible index finger — all five fingers are conductive — so smartphone use is seamless. Now that's some technology we can get behind.

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Flex Tough II High Dexterity Glove

When you work with your hands, a snug-fitting glove is a must. Our personal favorite thermal gloves for chilly days of hard outdoor work are these Carhartts. They're ideal for chopping wood, cleaning up the shed, and even for daily wear at the job site.

The Flex Tough II is made of a stretchy, breathable spandex material that fits snugly and keeps you from sweating, with a synthetic material on the palm side that improves grip and dexterity.

Foam padding in the palm protects your hands when you're swinging an axe or sledgehammer, neoprene reinforcement in the knuckles improves durability, and there's even a brow wipe on the backside of the thumb to keep sweat out of your safety glasses.

Boundary Pass Down Gloves

These Eddie Bauer gloves have dual insulation features: while the back of the hand is insulated with Premium Down, the palm has ThermaFill synthetic insulation.

Its polyester shell makes it repel water, while its nylon and polyurethane palm adds extra weather protection. A sueded thumb is perfect for skiers and snowboarders who need to wipe goggles on the slopes.

Men's Waterproof 650 Down Gloves

L.L.Bean is known for high-quality outdoor clothing and gear, so we knew they'd bring their A-game when it comes to thermal gloves.

Whether you're shoveling snow, traversing snowy places, or just commuting to and from work in the winter, these waterproof down gloves will give your hands utmost comfort. Slightly fitted, this pair is made from a blend of recycled polyester and spandex to give some stretch. Insulation and warmth will come from the goose down it's filled with.

Wakayama Gloves

If you don't want to sacrifice style for warmth, slip your hands into these Huckberry-curated gloves. They have a retro vibe, thanks to the fact that they're crafted by the Magnussen family, who have been designing gear since 1936.

These Hestra gloves, made of cowhide leather, wool terry lining, and neoprene, are ideal for hands that have to grip ski poles, shovel snow, and drive in bitter-cold weather. The stitching and color schemes make them unique and give them the vintage look you're looking for.

Sherpa Glove

There's just something special about how sherpa fabric in a blanket, jacket, or pair of slippers makes you feel all cozy and comfy. The fabric is super soft on your skin, and the synthetic suede palm helps you keep a grip on your cocoa or hot toddy.

These sherpa fleece gloves are perfect to slip on when you're lounging by the fire pit to keep your fingers toasty all night long. Its pre-curved construction with a synthetic suede palm and fingers provides excellent dexterity, too, so you can use your car keys, twist the dials and flick the knobs on the dash, all without pulling them off.

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Kenai Packable Glove

For long, late-season hunts or backpacking trips, you'll need a warm glove that doesn't take up too much space in your backpack. Enter Kuiu's new Kenai gloves — a pair that will surprise you with its warmth, given how lightweight (just 2.8 ounces) and packable they are.

These gloves have high-loft synthetic insulation that keeps you toasty when you're relaxing and glassing, breathes well to prevent moisture buildup when you're logging miles, and packs down incredibly small to take up minimal space (just 17x9 centimeters) in your pack when a glove liner is all you need.

When worn in the field, the Kenai is highly stretchable, has minimal bulk, and boasts non-slip silicone pads to maximize dexterity, grip, and functionality. Now, you can operate binoculars, unwrap snack bars, and even tie your shoelaces in cold, wet climates without exposing your fingers to the elements, so your trigger finger is ready when a legal buck wanders into your sight.

Impreza Gore-Tex Snow Glove

Dakine's Impreza thermal gloves are a functional, stylish, and affordable option for outdoor sports like skiing and snowboarding. For insulation, they have a soft fleece insulating layer and a GoreTex Active insert, delivering solid comfort, warmth, and waterproofing.

The two-piece palm and fingers blend silicone and synthetic suede to improve dexterity and grip on your poles, skis, or luggage, while the neoprene cuffs hold snug to keep the elements away.

As you'd expect from Dakine, these lightly insulated gloves are the ideal functional addition to any outfit, from the streets to the slopes.

BitterBlaze Aerogel Gloves

Outdoor Research's BitterBlaze thermal gloves are some of the warmest in this review, without the bulky feel that you'd expect — thus the steep price point. The Pittards Oiltac goat leather palm and fingers improve grip and control. The soft outer shell is water-resistant, breathable, and stretchy, making them ideal for days when you don't want below-freezing temps to keep you from being active.

The secret is in the Aerogel, which is a flexible, insulating, non-compressible material that was originally designed to keep astronauts warm in NASA's spacecrafts. Aerogel is significantly warmer than other insulation, so gone are the days of feeling like you're carrying around a pair of boxing gloves.

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Alpinite Gore-TEX Gloves

When you want gloves that are favorites of ski instructors, ski patrol, and professional guides, make Outdoor Research’s new pair a top contender. They are some high-performance hand protection for high-output activities in seriously cold weather.

The Alpinite offers some top-notch, bare-hand dexterity. With a two-way stretch woven shell, a moderate amount of VerticalX ECO insulation, and a goat leather palm, you can rifle around your backpack for your ChapStick without removing your gloves.

They are weatherproof, too, thanks to a Gore-Tex waterproof insert that repels moisture while remaining breathable. The low-bulk, elasticized wrist closure is simple to operate while keeping the elements out, so you won’t have snow infiltrating your gloves at the wrist.

Women's Thermarator Gloves

Ditch the hefty ski gloves when you need something for everyday use. The secret is in Columbia's patented Omni-Heat — a thermal layer of tiny silver dots that reflect your body heat for added warmth.

These micro-fleece thermal gloves have a warm and soft feel, an abrasion-resistant patch in the palm for a better grip on the steering wheel, and a touchscreen-compatible finger, so you can stay in touch without taking your gloves off. And at this price point, you really can't go wrong.

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