The Best Ski Gloves and Mittens

This 3-in-1 glove, liner, and mitten combo is designed to meet the needs of ski tourers and bootpackers who get hot on the ascents, but need protection from harsh conditions while resting or on the way down. It consists of a weatherproof insulated (100-g Primaloft) overmitt that’s attached to the softshell outer glove (60 grams Primaloft insulation) with goat leather palm. Next to the skin is a brushed softshell liner. Available in XS-XL and made using a good amount of recycled nylon, it’s an impressively versatile three-way for your fingers.

The liner is soft, warm, and well stitched (hardly ever the case with liners, sadly), and has a very useful pull tab to help layer up without bunching. It’s also great as a resort glove, or for spring conditions. The outer glove and mitt combo is fairly unique, as the mitt can be pulled back and tucked into the long cuff on the inside of your wrist. As a full mitt the gloves are warm and offer great cold weather protection, but once removed you can’t help but notice the lump of insulation and fabric on your wrist. It’s not uncomfortable, just … noticeable.

As someone who runs hot, I really liked the versatility of the softshell glove, which is brilliantly dexterous, with impressive amounts of soft leather and reliable touchscreen tips. My fingers had no issue at 20 degrees Fahrenheit when skiing and hiking, but once back on a lift I could just pull over the mitts for extra protection. Finally, thanks to the separate layers, these gloves dry extremely quickly, which is a bonus in wet conditions.

If friends complain of cold fingers, I lend them my trusty pair of Black Diamond MX Mittens. They're stuffed full of Primaloft Gold insulation (340 grams on the back, 170 grams on palm) and there's a Gore-Tex membrane for reliable waterproofing. The fleecy liner feels great too, and aside from the almost-double-the-price Arc'teryx Fission SV mitten, I've not found many options that are as warm for the money.

Made from a mix of rip-stop polyester and supple goat skin on the palms, my pair remains in good condition even after a few seasons' of general abuse. The gray coloring on the leather has rubbed off though, which looks a bit scruffy, but there's no drop in performance. The cuff is a little short for pulling over jacket sleeves, but it is nicely insulated to avoid cold spots, and they're also available in a women's-specific fit.

If it's cold and sunny, these classic leather gloves from Hestra offer an impressive warmth-to-bulk ratio. This has been achieved thanks to a removable 100 percent wool liner and super supple goatskin leather outer. Hestra also has an equally impressive mitten version for added warmth. The Army Leather Wool Terry glove is a short design with only a small cuff, so you will need to tuck it into your jacket on frozen days. During testing they were sensationally comfortable, and despite having notoriously hot hands, I was never clammy. I did remove the liners at one point, and the leather outer remains soft without any irritating seams.

The removable liner traps air around the hand and fingers, boosting warmth, and by removing them at the end of the day the two sections dried much quicker. The stitching on the gloves is flawless too, grip on poles is reliable, and they're dexterous enough for a host of tasks. Thanks to the classic design, I've even worn them a few times away from the mountain.

Before you buy, however, you need to remember these are not waterproof gloves. The leather is great at keeping snow off, but without a membrane they can't keep serious moisture (spring slush for instance) out. There's also no leash—worth remembering if you make a habit of losing gloves.

Despite being a Japanese-owned brand, Swany is the American version of the Swedish-based Hestra. Confused? Don’t be, just understand that the company only makes gloves and is really good at it. The new Calore Mitten is a perfect case in point. The shell is 100 percent full grain leather. It’s wonderfully supple, smells great, and looks luxurious, all without pushing $200. Inside, a fleece liner with finger channels—like you’re wearing a glove, with mitten warmth—is stuffed with three different layers of Thermolite insulation. It’s thicker on the back, more flexible on the fingers, and thinner on the palm.

The Calore also benefits from a Gore-Tex membrane, making it completely waterproof. I adore my all-leather Hestra Army gloves and mittens, but they’re susceptible to wet conditions. As such, these might be a better all-around choice. They are also the warmest new gloves I’ve tried this season, and they were far too hot for November; I look forward to testing the brand’s –20 degree Fahrenheit boast later. Just be warned that if you are hot, the liners can’t be removed, and if you’re sweaty they take a long time to dry out.

Swiss outdoor brand Mammut has been making fantastic mountain equipment since 1862. Their gear rarely disappoints, and while $100 is still an investment, for the quality and sustainability on offer the Stoney Glove represents brilliant value for money. Firstly, the generously sized gloves are 100 percent waterproof, benefiting from a Mammut DRY glove insert (similar to Gore-Tex) and a water-repelling DWR coating on the recycled polyester shell. The goat leather palm offers grip and durability too.

Mammut has used Primaloft Silver Insulation Eco here (170 g/m² on the back of the hand and 100 g/m² on the palm) which isn't quite as warm as Primaloft Gold (15 percent difference), but is still toasty warm and made using 70 percent recycled fibers that trap air impressively. Inside, a soft microfleece lining feels great against my skin, and there are all the features you need, including leash, individual adjustment straps, clips to store them together, and a nice snug-fitting cuff that happily sat over or under my jacket.

Regardless of whether your kids are skiing or snowboarding, mittens keep their hands warm and dry for longer. The warmer your kids are, the longer you get to be on the mountain having fun. These mid-priced Burton mittens (for ages 8 to 16) have so much going for them. They're waterproof, thanks to the Dryride membrane and a PFC-free DWR coating. There's a good amount of recycled polyester insulation too.

They're roomy, without swamping their hands—my 11-year-old daughter wore the large without issue, although she could have managed in the medium—and the super-long cuff is easier than most to wrestle over coat sleeves and keep out the snow. But my favorite feature with these mittens is the waterproof zipper on the back of the hand that can be used to dump excess heat (hence the Vent name). But it's equally good for stashing a teabag-style hand warmer on super cold days without any chance of bunching in the palm or falling out in the snow.

Classic leather work gloves from brand like Kinco have long been used by ski patrols and resort workers who appreciate the low-cost durability and natural insulation of leather. This trend has now trickled down to traditional ski brands and many now offer their own take on the work glove. But even Kinco has started to make specific winter ski gloves. While I have not yet tested these yet, I did try the Dakine Mack, which blends ski features and workwear usability, all in a vegan-friendly design.

Made from a polyester-based synthetic suede, these gloves are water-resistant (PFC-free DWR coating), warm and impressively nimble. Great for spring conditions, walking, hiking or just general mountain life, they have a lovely 180-gram synthetic fleece liner and a comfortable stretch knit cuff that sits really well under my jacket sleeve. Time will tell if they offer the same durability as leather, but so far they've been great, and have a responsive touchscreen-ready index finger for warm-handed phone action.

For anyone who suffers with circulatory issues such as Raynaud's disease or arthritis, or for those just really susceptible to the cold, these hi-tech battery powered heated gloves could be the answer. Before I get onto the tech, these Pittards leather and polyester gloves are extremely well made, completely waterproof and boast plenty of Primaloft Gold insulation. Even without battery power they're a very warm option. But, these gloves boast Clim8, a clever system with heated wires running across the palm and fingers that uses embedded sensors to check your body's temperature and adjust the glove's warmth based on your body temperature and activity level.

It's extremely effective, and once you get used to the heat levels (68 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit) available, you can tweak them via a smartphone app, where you can also check battery levels. The gloves also know when you're wearing them, and will power up and go into standby accordingly. I had no issues with battery life, but a cold-blooded friend on an icy day needed to recharge after 4.5 hours. He did, however, tell me it was the first time he had experienced warm hands while skiing. It's an expensive, but effective solution, but the battery pack, which zips into each cuff, adds to the weight of the glove, making them very heavy compared to traditional insulation. But for some people the pay off will be worth the extra bulk.