Photo-Illustration: Courtesy of the retailer
Warm gloves — whether they’re fleece-lined, insulated, or waterproof — are a nonnegotiable accessory for making it through the colder months, whether you’re just wearing them to run errands or shoveling driveways for five hours. But finding a good pair of gloves that fits your needs could take you all winter.
So to make sure you get your hands on a good pair of gloves before the frostbite sets in, we talked to gear experts and stylish people about their favorites. We also consulted our data to determine which gloves our readers have purchased the most over the past three years. The pair of gloves with the most reader purchases since 2019 was named the best overall — and everything else is either recommended by experts or among our ten most-bought gloves.
Best overall | Best less-expensive | Best leather | Best fleece | Best touchscreen | Best running | Best work | Best convertible
What we’re looking for
Material: The material of the glove will tell you a lot about the best use case and the level of warmth you can expect. Leather, for example, is windproof but not so good with damp conditions. Polyester or fleece will dry quickly and let your fingers breathe, but that also means it’s not the most wind-proof.
Thickness: If you’ll be using your hands a lot while wearing gloves and need to maintain dexterity, you’ll want a slim pair with a tight fit. If you’re not going to be using your fingers much and just want to keep your hands warm, a thick, bulky pair may be your best choice. If you need warmth and some dexterity, you’ll want a pair with medium thickness that packs in warmth but still gives you fingers some freedom. We’ve noted below whether each glove is thin (second skin), medium (warmer, but not so thick you lose dexterity), or bulky (minimal dexterity).
Price: There are three different price points we decided on, denoted as $, $$, or $$$: respectively, under $20, under $35, or under $50.
Carhartt Men’s W.P. Waterproof Insulated Glove
$30
Polyester | Medium | $$
When we rounded up the best gloves for women, Carhartt gloves and mittens took two of the top spots. When it comes to men’s gloves, the brand has four pairs on the list, including these insulated gloves, which we’re naming best overall. They’re our most-purchased pair since 2019, with more than 7,200 pairs bought by Strategist readers. And true to the Carhartt brand, these are designed to be durable — made of polytex and reinforced with a polyurethane palm for added durability and grip. Inside, they’re insulated with a FastDry lining that wicks sweat that keeps hands warm and dry and a waterproof insert that keeps the elements out. The fleece cuff has an adjustable wrist strap to further keep rain and snow away from your hands. These gloves are highly rated on Amazon, too; of their nearly 25,000 reviews, about 19,100 are five-star.
$30
at Amazon$27
at carharttOzero -20°F(-29℃) Coldproof Thermal Work Glove
now 32% off
$15
Fleece and Leather | Medium | $
Our second-most-purchased pair of gloves, these Ozeros have been bought nearly 4,300 times in the past three years. Lined with a patented Heatlok thermal layer, they can withstand temperatures of as low as negative 20 degrees Fahrenheit (though the company notes that’s the extreme temperature for the gloves — and 0 degrees Fahrenheit is the lowest comfortable temperature). The gloves’ exterior is made with a grippy deerskin-suede palm and a fluffy polar-fleece top, both of which add warmth and utility. That leather grip won’t harden in the cold, so you can wear these for everything from riding a motorcycle to shoveling the driveway. The polar fleece, meanwhile, is soft and flexible, making these gloves just as great for daily wear in the colder months. Amazon reviewers agree: Of the 8,000-plus reviews, more than 5,200 are five-star. And for less than $20, they’re a great value.
$15
at Amazon$15
at AmazonCarhartt Men’s Insulated System 5 Driver Work Glove
now 14% off
From $30
Faux Leather | Medium | $$
Although the leather used to make these gloves is synthetic, the blend of polyester and polyurethane is durable, functional, and comfortable. That look, combined with their utility, is why Strategist readers have bought these gloves 2,220 times since 2019. Amazon shoppers love them, too — more than 1,300 people have reviewed them, and nearly 900 of those gave them a five-star rating. The faux leather offers a good grip for everything from outdoor work to driving around to doing errands, and it holds up to heavy use. But these aren’t just work gloves. They’re winter gloves, and they live up to their name. With C100 3M Thinsulate insulation and a brushed-polyester lining, these hold warmth in well. In fact, they have a ventilated cuff to ensure your hands don’t get too warm. Their durability, together with their warmth, makes them great outdoor work gloves, but the simple style and smooth synthetic leather combine for a nice enough look to wear them as day-to-day gloves, too.
From $30
at Amazon$35
at carharttNorth Face Etip Recycled Gloves
$45
$45
Fleece | Thin | $$$
When our former columnist Chris Black went on the hunt for gloves that look cool, keep his “digits toasty,” and don’t cost a lot — because “I know I am probably going to lose whichever pair I buy” — he found these fleece gloves from the North Face. The fleece, which is made from 93 percent recycled polyester, is designed to keep hands warm for short periods or during movement, such as on winter runs or hikes. What Black likes most about these, being an avid Twitter user, is that they’re touchscreen-compatible. The fleece on the palm side of the glove is U|R Powered, which means you can use all five fingers on your touchscreen. Plus the palms have a gripper so you won’t lose hold of your phone. And while Black likes the all-black, “fully murdered out” style, the gloves are available in a light-gray color, too.
$45
at The North FaceOZERO -30℉ Waterproof Winter Gloves Touchscreen Fingers
$25
Polyester | Medium | $$
While other gloves on this list are touchscreen compatible, none are as warm and waterproof as this pair from Ozero, the brand that makes our best (less expensive) glove. These are our third-most-sold gloves, with readers purchasing them nearly 2,300 times in the past three years. The artificial deerskin-suede shell, made of polyester, is water resistant and windproof, and the inside is insulated with a soft velvet lining and a waterproof sheath. Thanks to the mix of materials, the gloves can withstand temperatures as low as -30°F, though the brand notes the comfortable temperature for the gloves is -15°F. But, of course, their touchscreen compatibility is what makes them shine. The thumb and forefingers each have two pieces of touchscreen-compatible goatskin leather, which means you can text from more angles with more accuracy. Nearly 1,600 Amazon reviewers have given these gloves five stars, with many noting that the touchscreen feature actually works well without the hands ever getting cold.
$25
at Amazon$25
at AmazonConcepts 3M Polartec Gloves
$40
$40
Polartec | Thin | $$$
When we asked Sid Baptista, the founder of Boston-based Pioneers Run Crew and PYNRS, about all the gear he wore on a February run earlier this year, the first items he told us about were these gloves. He wears them in below-freezing temperatures and stays plenty warm — and sometimes even too warm. When temperatures are in the 30s, Baptista says, he has to take these off after two or three miles. They’re made of Polartec Power Stretch fabric, which is warm but moisture wicking and plenty stretchy for physical activity. The gloves are touchscreen compatible, too, which Baptista appreciates, and the logo on the palm is made of silicone to offer extra grip. And because Baptista owns a streetwear-style running brand, style is important to him, which is another reason he likes these gloves. “I like to say that PYNRS is a streetwear-style running brand, so I’ve tried to find ways to incorporate streetwear style into my running style and my running-gear style,” he says. These gloves, he says, perfectly match his aesthetic.
$40
at ConceptsCarhartt Men’s Cold Snap Insulated Work Glove
now 40% off
From $29
Polyester | Medium | $$$
If you’re looking for a proper work glove to wear during the colder months, Carhartt’s Cold Snap glove is yet another favorite of our readers — they’ve purchased these gloves more than 1,400 times in the past three years, making them our eighth-most-sold pair. Although they look bulky, they allow for a surprising amount of movement. Amazon reviewers, more than 1,800 of whom gave these gloves a five-star rating, say they use them to do everything from snowblowing to chainsawing to collecting firewood. They’re filled with work-friendly features: a flexible and durable polytex shell, goatskin fingers and thumb for good grip, extra grip on the palm, waterproof Storm Defender technology that keeps water out, a Fast Dry lining that wicks sweat away, a reinforced index finger and thumb for added durability, and longer cuffs that extend to your arms and cinch with a cord for a secure close. So while these are the most expensive gloves on this list, they’re also potentially the most durable and feature packed, making them a great option for outdoor winter work.
From $29
at Amazon$48
at carharttCarhartt Men’s Flip-It
$26
$26
Polyester | Bulky | $$
Another Carhartt pick, these gloves aren’t actually among our top-ten most-sold products. But because other Carhartt gloves are so well liked by Strategist readers (three Carhartt gloves are in our top-ten most-sold products, including our best overall pick), and because this pair is highly rated on Amazon — of its 2,500 ratings, 72 percent are five-star — we’re including them here. The convertible style is great for anyone who wants more warmth but does still occasionally need to use their hands. The fleece shell, made of polyester, is incredibly soft and warm, and the polyester interior lining only adds to the warmth. The palm and finger have a synthetic polyurethane reinforcement for more durability and grip, so these gloves will hold up to light work. And because they’re made of flexible fleece, you’ll maintain full dexterity, so you can text, drive, tie your shoes, and do anything else without taking these off.
$26
at Amazon$22
at carharttOur experts
• Sid Baptista, founder of Pioneers Run Crew and PYNRS
• Chris Black, former Strategist columnist
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