Best Gloves for Cold Weather
What are the warmest gloves?
The warmest gloves might not even be designed for the activity you want to use them for so it is definitely worth thinking about sports or activities that are normally conducted in the cold, such as warm winter gloves for Skiing or activities that require dexterity to be maintained such as cycling, if you just want the best warm gloves to keep your hands warm then it doesn't matter too much what they were designed for as long as they work!
The best gloves for cold weather will depend on the environment, man made insulation such as primaloft is cheaper and in damp conditions performs better than natural down filling, but on really cold days down is the number one choice.
Image from Flickr - Struma River in Winter by Klearchos Kapoutsis
So what is the warmest glove?
Simply speaking Down is the warmest insulator available, however it is not effective if wet and so requires a good waterproof outer and inner (your hands will sweat in down gloves if it's even remotely above freezing), but when it's very cold it's normally also very dry and so when the temperatures drop to below 20 degrees fahrenheit it is time to consider these as an option.
Canada Goose Glove - Image from Amazon
Synthetic insulators, such as Primaloft, are not far behind down in terms of insulation, plus they continue to work well when wet, therefore you'll often find this material in gloves that will be used in harsh or physical environments such as skiing, cycling and motorcycling.
Glove wearing tip
Try buying a size larger than normal and wearing your gloves with a thin warm glove liner made from silk, you will not only improve the overall insulation, but you also can keep the liner on for tasks where bulkier gloves might prove cumbersome.
Natural Down Insulation
The warmest gloves will have a filling made from goose or sometimes duck down, down is the highest insulating material available but it does come in different grades or "fill power", this relates to how effective the down is at lofting, or expanding to fill the space available, this in turn traps lots of air which is what creates the insulating layer.
Remember not to get down wet or it loses it's insulating properties, in damp climates it might be better to look at man made fillings...
Insulated Military Gloves
Designed for use in hostile environments, these need to be tough and also retain some dexterity in the fingers, the gloves pictured are the highest rated with positive comments from those serving in theater right now.
Black Insulated Military Waterproof Cold Weather Gloves - Image from Amazon
The best cold weather gloves for skiing should also be considered....
Skiing gloves can be fantastic for cold weather, afterall you don't get to do much skiing when it's too warm to wear gloves! Most are not really designed as extreme cold weather gloves, simply because skiing is quite a high intensity activity, however they are generally waterproof and windproof. Because bulk doesn't matter a huge amount these gloves may not be the best for tasks such as driving, cycling or fishing, but for general walking about in the cold they could well be perfect.
Heated Gloves
Heat Factory Pop-Top Mittens - Image from Amazon
Heated Gloves come in two types, either chemical handwarmer or battery powered. Reviewing heated glove reviews it is very quickly clear that battery powered ones are poorly executed and generally only heat the palm and back of hand rather than the fingers (which is not very helpful if you have Reynauds Disease. Personally I wouldn't bother!
Gloves that have a pouch to hold Grabber Hand Warmers work much better, particularly mitten designs that convert to gloves or fingerless gloves such as the Heat Factory Pop-Top Mittens
Are Cycling Gloves just for Cycling?
Definately not! Cycling Gloves can be a very good choice for cold weather, cyclists fingers can get very cold very quickly due to the windchill, they also cannot be as bulky as cold weather motorcycle gloves or warm ski gloves as the wearer normally needs to be able to shift gears and grab the brake easily.
The Planet Bike Borealis Fall/Winter Full Finger (Large) - Image From Amazon Glove as pictured above is a clever design which provides increased protection for your extermities, while leaving your index and fore fingers free to carry out quite delicate tasks.
USB Heated Gloves
USB powered heated gloves are great if you need to work on a laptop or computer in cool or cold environments, especially if you suffer from Reynaud's Disease. They aren't expensive either and the heating element is easily removed for washing which as the bonus of meaning you can transfer the element to another pair of gloves if you so wish.
Black with Stripes USB Heating Warmer Hand Gloves - Image from Amazon
