Waterproof gloves are usually made of a breathable waterproof material like Gore-Tex (made of nylon or polyester and treated with polyurethane), TPU (Thermoplastic polyurethane), or Nanotex (“a type of textile finishing that uses nanotechnology, the manipulation of matter on an atomic and molecular scale, to alter the properties of a textile to increase resistance to spills and stains”). Of course, a ski or snowboard glove can have crossover uses (they would be great for shoveling out that driveway!), but they’re primarily used for the sport of skiing or snowboarding. For example, warm gloves are a huge necessity for Raynaud’s sufferers whose fingers are perpetually cold. Since snow gloves are designed to keep you warm, dry, and mobile, they are great options for someone with restricted blood flow to their fingers. This should ensure they last you many ski trips, without being destroyed. While the mittens are water-resistant to a point and should do well with a bit of water here and there, they aren’t the best for environments where the snow is incredibly wet. Also, it is important to remember that the palm isn’t water-proof, so be sure to add some sort of treatment to the leather a couple of times a year. Value and Extra Features For a glove to make it onto our contender list, it had to meet the following criteria. We chose our 7 award-winners from the 100+ gloves that made our contender list. WARMTH Editor’s Note: We updated our winter mittens buyer’s guide on September 21, 2023, adding 14 sections and 5 FAQs and reworking several additional sections in the buyer’s guide to support buyer education. The Best Winter Mittens of 2023-2024

While assessing the quality of a pair of gloves or mittens, we consider warmth, waterproofing, durability, comfort, fit, versatility, style, and overall value. We make an effort to test every pair of gloves in a variety of conditions over many days of field testing. Once a year, the whole team gets together to ski for a week and compare notes on our favorite products. This roundup is a living document — whenever a new pair of mittens earns a spot, we’ll update the list. With attentive care, good mittens like the Burton Women’s GORE-TEX Under Mittens can last many seasons; (photo/Eric Phillips) Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose Winter Mittens Types of Mittens Out of the 100+ gloves we researched, we looked for gloves with premium insulation (think PrimaLoft Silver and Primaloft Gold Insulation) designed to keep cold out and warmth in. Insulation in ski gloves varies. Carhartt Waterproof Insulated Mitt– This simple and well-made option is incredibly budget friendly and offers a lot of warmth and protection. It is outfitted with a durable shell, has fast-dry technology, a waterproof insert and is made of 100% polyester. These mittens come in a variety of different color choices, as well.

Favourite items

It goes without saying, but snow gloves should be warm. While wool was the go-to for decades, the best ski gloves these days use a synthetic material (or several) between the outer shell and glove liner as insulation. While the liner is very soft to the touch and able to keep you warm, they are not compatible with smartphones. If you want to use a touch-screen device, you will need to take the mittens off. Also, while they can be worn without the outer shell, it is generally recommended to also wear the outer shell for best results and durability. Why Trust Me

These gauntlet cuffs fit snugly over (or under) coat sleeves. Unlike other winter gloves that we considered, there’s also a cinching wrist to keep snow from blowing down into your hand should you, say, yard sale all over the ski hill. Cold fingers won’t be an issue with the BD Mercury Mitt for those blower powder runs or polar vortexes.You can pair a liner with your mittens for additional warmth. A glove liner also allows you to pull the mitten off and use your fingers for tasks that require a fine touch, all without directly exposing your skin to the cold air and risking dropping your heat too low. In our experience, mittens don’t change our ability to grip a ski pole; (photo/Jason Hummel) How We Tested Winter Mittens What we liked: Liner and shell separate to make a versatile glove. The warmest non-heated glove we tested