The 10 Best Ski Gloves

Looking for the best ski gloves? We’ve got you covered.

Ski gloves are one of the most important parts of your ski equipment kit, and it’s not a case of ‘any old gloves will do’.

We’ve compiled this complete guide to buying the best pair of ski gloves for you.

Let’s get right into it…

What are Ski Gloves?

Ski gloves are gloves specially designed to keep your hands warm, dry and protected during your time on the slopes.

Unlike regular gloves, they are made from insulating materials to prevent numb fingers when you’re out all day in the snow and cold weather.

They’re also designed to ensure that you can have all the necessary movement you need so as not to limit your dexterity.

Features of the Best Ski Gloves

Insulation

Perhaps the most crucial factor when it comes to choosing the best ski gloves is warmth.

Internal padding inside the ski gloves acts as an insulator to keep your fingers and hands warm even in the coldest temperatures.

Padding is usually either natural down or synthetic.

Natural down is very effective, but loses most of its insulating capabilities if it gets wet, so it’s important that ski gloves with down as the insulator are waterproof.

Synthetic materials are usually made up of breathable microfibers that are water resistant and provide good insulation even when wet.

If you’re looking for an easy hack to make your ski gloves even more insulated, take a look at this video:

Main Material

The best ski gloves have a robust external shell which benefit from a water resistant breathable material.

Most gloves are constructed from tough nylon or leather, and benefit from a water resistant coating like Gore-Tex.

This material needs to be breathable to prevent moisture from your hands remaining inside the glove and getting sweaty.

Equally, the gloves should be water resistant in order to keep your hands dry from the outside. Hands that are dry are far less likely to get cold.

Lining

Soft and cozy fleece is commonly used as a ski glove lining, but any material that is comfortable and warm and that wicks moisture away from the skin is a good choice.

Liners can be fixed or removable, but it’s important that the lining doesn’t slip around inside the gloves as this could affect your grip.

Protection

Ski gloves should always be made from a robust material that is going to be durable, and that will also protect your hands and fingers from abrasions and injury due to any impact should you take a tumble.

A good pair of ski gloves with have reinforcing in those areas that are most likely to take more abuse, such as the tips of the fingers, palms and knuckles.

Some styles of ski gloves feature a hard outer shell for added protection.

Cuff Style

How do you like to wear your ski gloves — tucked inside your sleeves or over the top?

This is something to consider when choosing between short cuffs, or long, gauntlet style cuffs.

Short cuffs are designed to be worn under the sleeves of a ski jacket to retain warmth better, whilst gauntlet style cuffs are designed to be worn over the top of the jacket sleeves.

Short cuffs are generally warmer, especially if they come with an added inner cuff which is close fitting.

Gauntlet ski gloves are bulkier but do offer a bit of extra protection against any snow getting in.

Cinches

Like mini belts for your gloves, a cinch on the wrist of a good pair of ski gloves means that you can tighten them to fit, preventing any air gaps or any snow making it inside.

Wrist Loops

Another very useful feature that the best ski gloves have is a wrist loop or leash that attach the gloves to your wrist to prevent you dropping them when you need to take them off should you need to.

Articulation

Gloves with articulated fingers already have the form of a hand, which makes them fit better to your natural hand shape, giving you more dexterity.

This also keeps hands warmer as it means blood flow is not restricted to your fingers, as well as giving you better grip.

Ski Glove Sizes

It’s crucial to have ski gloves that fit as perfectly as possible, and the best way to do that is by measuring your hand.

Measure the circumference of your palm just about your thumb, and then the length of your hand from the tip of your middle finger to the bottom of the palm.

These measurements can then be compared to the maker’s size charts to get the size that is right for you.

Style and colors aside, there is no difference between men and womens ski gloves, although ski gloves for women may not be available in the largest sizes.

The Best Ski Gloves

Want to stay warm and look good on the slopes no matter what your budget?

Here’s our hotlist of the 10 best ski gloves available right now…

MCTi Waterproof Mens Ski Gloves

It’s amazing what the MCTi Waterproof Mens Ski Gloves offer for the exceptionally low price.

Not only are they made from robust layered polyester that acts as a thermal barrier and is totally windproof, they also have a waterproof insert which keeps them totally dry in rain and snowy conditions.

Insulated with 3M thinsulate, they are very warm without being bulky, and there is a layer of warm cotton padding as well.

These are a gauntlet style ski glove which have a couple of handy little bonus features including reinforced rubber fingers for extra durability and added grip, and a pocket on the back of the hand which can be used to store small items such as loose change or a locker token.

The cinch strap around the wrist can be easily adjusted for a better fit.

Pros

• Excellent grip
• Low price
• Waterproof and windproof
• Warm and comfortable
• Provide protection against abrasions
• Pocket for storage
• Durable
• Very warm
• Good quality

Cons

• Sizing comes up a little big

Carhartt Men’s W.P. Waterproof Insulated Glove

These seriously affordable ski gloves from Carhartt have a lot of great features for the price.

Sturdy and made from durable polyester polytex, they have a waterproof insert and a special lining to wick moisture away from the skin, keeping hands warm and dry.

The palm on these gloves is reinforced, which gives them extra durability when skiing, and they feature a cinch strap around each wrist to get a good, tight fit.

Pros

• Waterproof
• 3 different sizes available
• 2 color choices
• Robust
• Comfortable fit
• Affordable price

Cons

• Bulky — not ideal when performing finer manipulations
• Not as warm as we’d ideally like for winter

The Slugger Ski & Snowboard Glove

When you’re out in the cold and you want to upload that new selfie to Facebook it can be a little tricky when the touchscreen doesn’t respond to your gloves.

Fortunately, these ski and snowboard gloves by Slugger are touchscreen compatible thanks to a handy little pad on the index finger and thumb.

Social media aside, these low price gloves have a high performance waterproof shell, and the palms are strengthened with synthetic leather for added durability.

The design also features removable wrist loops so your gloves don’t get lost, and a handy pocket with zipper on the back of the hand.

Pros

• Waterproof
• 1 year warranty
• Good value
• Keep hands warm and dry
• Wrist loops are very useful
• Stylish design
• Very durable

Cons

• Fingers are a bit stiff at first
• Sizes may be a little on the small side

SHARBAY Waterproof Windproof Skiing Gloves

These are definitely some of the warmest ski gloves we’ve ever tried.

Designed with curved fingers to help your dexterity and grip, these ski gloves from Sharbay are made from super tough polyester, and feature anti-slip silicone palm pads.

Three layers of thermal protection keeps hand warm, and the soft and breathable cotton lining wicks moisture away from the skin to keep it dry.

These gloves have a waterproof and windproof coating on the outer layer, and they can be cinched in at the wrist for an airtight fit.

Available in four different color options, these ski gloves also have a clip to fasten them together to stop one half of the pair getting lost.

Pros

• Waterproof and windproof
• Warm
• Good value for money
• Not too bulky
• Good quality
• Durable
• Good grip

Cons

• Sizes run small

MIGVELA Women’s Waterproof Ski Gloves

Colorful and stylish, these gloves by MIGVELA are some of our favorite women’s ski gloves.

They’re made from a sturdy woven polyester which is both water resistant and windproof, plus they also feature a waterproof insert to keep your hands moisture free. Warm without being sweaty!

They have an elasticated wrist and a Velcro cinch to keep them in place and ensure a good fit.

The palm and the underside of the fingers are made from a PU, non-slip material to improve grip, and the breathable thermal lining keeps hands warm and snug.

Pros

• Nice design
• Good quality and highly durable
• Thermal properties keep hands warm without being sweaty
• Adjustable fit
• Lightweight and not too bulky for maximum mobility
• Good grip

Cons

• We’re not convinced that these are 100% waterproof

OZERO Winter Gloves

Made from genuine soft deerskin and cozy fleece, these unisex ski gloves by Ozero are available in three different colors and are wind and water resistant.

They use a special ‘Heatlok’ microfiber thermal layer to trap hot air inside the gloves keeping hands warm without adding bulky padding — these are honestly some of the warmest ski gloves we’ve used.

The supple yet strong deer leather palms are tough and durable, and breathable while allowing for additional grip and protection against abrasions.

The knitted cuff fits snugly against the skin to prevent heat loss and keep cold weather out, and the elasticated wrist ensures a good fit.

Pros

• Very comfortable
• Good grip
• Reasonably durable
• Lightweight and not too bulky
• Good price

Cons

• Fleece is not very waterproof

Leki Griffin S Skiing Glove

With the Leki Griffin S ski gloves, you can guarantee that you fingers will stay warm and comfortable all day.

Made from quality leather, these gloves are as tough as they come and the goatskin palm gives exceptional grip and comfort.

Insulated with a combination of Hyperloft synthetic fabric and Micro Bemberg fleece, these ski gloves will keep your hands warm and dry without adding any bulk to interfere with your movement.

The cuff and wrist feature waterproof neoprene to make a seal which keeps water out.

Pros

• Waterproof
• Very high quality
• Very durable
• Keep hands warm in very cold temperatures
• Excellent grip
• Protection from abrasions

Cons

• Expensive

COPOZZ Waterproof Ski Snowboard Gloves 

Available in sizes and colors to suit all the family, the COPOZZ Waterproof Ski Snowboard Gloves are made up from five different layers of high tech materials.

The outer layer is made from woven, windproof polyester fabric, and the inner layer from a soft and snug polar fleece.

Sandwiched in between are a sponge layer for padding, a waterproof layer, and an insulating cotton layer.

The shirred elastic wrist with cinch buckle provide extra protection against the elements, and there is a useful zippered pocket on the back of the hand.

Pros

• 3M Thinsulate thermal lining
• Waterproof
• Storage pocket
• Squared fingertips make it easy to pick things up
• Well sized for kids and adults, men and women
• Very comfortable

Cons

• Sizes run on the small side

Burton Gore-Tex Gloves

Highly reputed brand Burton uses Gore-Tex technology in these ski gloves to make them fully waterproof, as well as Thermacore insulation, which makes these some of the warmest ski gloves on the market.

These ski gloves feature a removable thermal lining which can either be worn on its own or together with the outer glove.

Durable PU fabric fingers and palm mean you can use your touchscreen whilst wearing these gloves, and it also means you get great grip.

A pocket with zipper on the back of the gloves is ideal for inserting hand warmers or venting your gloves if your hands get too hot.

These skiing gloves also feature removable wrist loops, an inner elasticated cuff, and a cinch around the wrist.

Pros

• Very weatherproof
• Affordable mid-range price
• Good grip
• Quality product
• 7 different sizes and 5 different colors available
• Very warm and dry

Cons

• We wish the cuffs were a little longer
• Aren’t always effective when using touchscreen on your smartphone

Gordini Men’s Promo Gauntlet Gore-Tex Gloves

Constructed from a combination of Gore-Tex and Polytex to be totally waterproof, the Gordini Men’s Promo Gauntlet Gore-Tex Gloves also have a wind proof insert which is fully breathable to protect your hands from the elements.

The palms and fingers of these ski gloves are reinforced with robust real leather allow for easy grip and good dexterity, and the polyester insulation has a good warmth to rate ratio so you know your hands are going to be warm even with the light weight of these gloves.

The wrists feature a drawstring at the cuff to ensure a tight seal, and an adjustable cinch at the wrist for the best, most snug fit possible.

Pros

• Very durable, good quality
• Very effective wind, rain and snow resistance
• Good balance of dexterity and warmth
• Keep hands dry and warm
• Very warm even in very low temperatures

Cons

• On the bulky side

Which do you think are the best ski gloves?