If you’re in a rush and want to find out what the best women’s winter gloves are, we recommend the Tough Outdoors Women’s Gloves.
No one likes to deal with the discomfort of cold hands. And ladies, unfortunately you’re more prone to having this condition on a regular basis compared to your male counterparts.
While it’s difficult to cure this problem altogether, there are a few steps that you can take to relieve the severity. Keep your core body temperature high, try to stay active so the blood flow can warm you, and of course, make sure you’re got a good pair of winter gloves. To help you out in that department, we’ve listed some of our top picks below.
In this article, we’ll be reviewing the following women’s winter gloves:
- Tough Outdoors Women’s Gloves
- Koxly Women’s Winter Gloves
- The North Face Etip Women’s Winter Gloves
- Marmot Women’s Fleece Gloves
- Isotoner Women’s Winter Gloves
Special Considerations for Women
Any man who finds himself in a romantic relationship will quickly discover that women are prone to having ice cold hands. And hey, what better way to warm up than by placing them right on their significant other’s neck? (Or back, chest, sides, legs…yeah, you know how it goes.)
It’s a scientific fact that women’s hands are colder than men’s – by about 2.8 degrees Fahrenheit according to the University of Utah. But why is this? And what can women do to help them stay warm?
Blood circulation
Your body works hard to maintain a consistent internal temperature, allowing your organs to function normally so you can stay alive and healthy. Thermoregulation is achieved by sweating to help you cool off, and shivering to help you warm up. However, when exposed to a cold environment, the blood vessels in your extremities start to shrink so that priority can be given to keeping your heart and other vital organs warm.
This is a process that happens to both genders, but for some unknown reason, it occurs faster in women. Body size and hormones are thought to play a role in this phenomenon, but it’s still mostly conjecture at this point in time. Whatever the reason, women may find mittens are more effective at keeping their extremities warm, because fingered gloves are more likely to cut off blood circulation.
Body Size and Metabolism
Body size is another significant factor when it comes to understanding why women run colder than men. Due to the larger surface area to volume ratio, more heat is lost throughout the day for a smaller woman than for a bigger man.
But a more pertinent answer to this question may lie in our metabolism, which is essentially the way that we create heat in the first place. Metabolism refers to how we burn calories into energy, and by nature, this process releases a lot of “wasted” energy in the form of heat. The higher your metabolism, the more calories you burn, creating more heat to keep you warm throughout the day.
So, want to guess how higher a man’s metabolism is on average compared to a woman? I’ll give you a hint…it’s not a small number.
Generally speaking, a man’s metabolism is going to be 23% higher than a woman’s. As you might have guessed, that’s a pretty significant variation that likely accounts for much of the difference in temperature we perceive between the genders.
Women’s Winter Gloves Features
Since women have a harder time keeping their extremities warm, it’s even more important that they find gloves that actually do their job properly. When making your decision, here are a few points to keep in mind:
Waterproof
As we all know, snow is just a very cold version of water. So what happens if your gloves let this cold water soak inside and come in contact with your skin? You guessed it.
Freezing hands.
Having cold and soggy fingers is pretty miserable, even if you don’t have a hard time staying warm. That’s why it’s really important to get a pair that’s waterproof, especially if you expect your hands to come in contact with snow, like if you’re skiing, making a snowman, or enjoying a weekend of winter camping.
Breathable
On the other hand, gloves that aren’t breathable don’t allow for moisture to escape either. While you might not have to worry about snow coming in from the outside, you will have to worry about perspiration accumulating on the inside. This is just as problematic, and will only hurt you in your endeavor to keep your hands at a reasonable temperature.
Touchscreen Compatibility
Aside from keeping your hands warm, you probably want a pair of thermal gloves that are functional as well. After all, no one wants to give up the chance to snap a photo just because they’re trying to keep their hands warm!
Nowadays, most gloves are designed to be touchscreen compatible, meaning you can still use your phone like normal, even when you’re wearing your winter protection. Sure, it might be a little bulky, and you’ll probably have to push down harder on the screen than usual, but it beats taking your gloves off when you want to send a text.
Heat Packs and Battery Operated Gloves
If all else fails, and you still have trouble keeping your hands warm, you’re not out of luck just yet. Companies like Gobi Heat make gloves and other clothing items with heaters built into them, so if your hands start to get cold, just turn the heater on and you’re good to go.
If you’re looking for more of a disposable option, hand warmers may be the way to go. My fiancée suffers from Raynaud’s Syndrome, a condition that makes her hands overreact to cold temperatures, and she loves using these types of hand warmers. If you’re interested in checking them out, here are the ones that she uses:
Best Winter Gloves for Women Reviews
Tough Outdoors Women’s Gloves
Originally designed for folks taking part in cold weather sports, these winter gloves for women are built tough. The nylon outer shell is waterproof, but the palm area has been reinforced with synthetic leather to add another layer of protection. No cold air or water is capable of soaking through these gloves, even if you’re on the slopes all day shredding powder.
However, even though they’re waterproof gloves, the back of the hand still allows for some breathability to keep your hands from getting clammy with sweat. They’re not as breathable as the gloves that I typically like to wear, but as long as you’re not doing an hour of CrossFit, you shouldn’t have any issues with it.
The addition of the wrist strap is a bonus in my opinion as well. It was put on there as a way for users to feel comfortable on the ski lift (no need to worry about them falling off part way up the hill!), but it’s not a bad way to carry them either. In the event your hands get too warm, you can take them off and let them dangle from your wrists.
Pros:
– Waterproof
– Wrist straps
– Fitted design
– Does a good job of keeping hands warm
Cons:
– Not as breathable as I’d like to see
– Can be a bit bulky
Koxly Women’s Winter Gloves
Just because it’s a unisex pair of gloves doesn’t mean that women will be disappointed in the quality of Koxly’s hand gear. If you’re worried about getting the size right, they have a handy sizing chart on the website, but most women are fine with either a small or a medium.
Warmth isn’t an issue with these winter gloves – they’re made with a combination of polar fleece and cotton, which work well together to keep your hands toasty. As you can see from the image, there’s even a portion that extends up the wrist for added coverage.
My only hesitation with this one is the lack of waterproofing. The product itself is marketed as water and windproof, but cotton and fleece can only keep water out for so long. I actually have a pair of gloves just like these at home, and while they are some of the best winter gloves that I own (perfect for extremely cold temperatures), I wouldn’t use them if I wanted to play in the snow. Just a tradeoff that’s worth making note of before you go ahead and buy.
Pros:
– Very warm
– Incredibly comfortable
– Added wrist coverage
– Unisex
– Fits well for many sized hands
Cons:
– Not very waterproof
The North Face Etip Women’s Winter Gloves
The North Face is well known for making quality gear, and their Etip gloves for women are no exception. If you’re wondering what the name “Etip” is referring to, you may be pleasantly surprised to find out that these gloves are touchscreen compatible. The polyester and fleece materials will do a great job at keeping your hands warm on chilly days, without impeding your ability to use your electronics like normal. The palms are even covered with silicone to provide an extra grippy surface, so your days of dropping your phone are over.
Nearly all of the materials involved in the creation of these gloves are recycled. They may not be great for super chilly weather, but they’re so comfortable and form fitting that it’ll feel like you aren’t even wearing gloves at all! I’d mostly recommend these for women who want to use them as everyday wear, or for those who want a little extra protection on their morning run.
Pros:
– Very lightweight
– Touchscreen compatible
– Recycled materials
– Comfortable to wear
Cons:
– For cool weather, not cold weather
Marmot Women’s Fleece Gloves
Marmot has to be one of my favorite outdoor gear brands. I haven’t found anything made by them that I’ve been disappointed with, including their women’s fleece gloves.
For all the gals out there, if you have a hard time keeping your fingers warm, even in moderate, 60 degree weather, these are probably the gloves for you. As you probably know, fleece is a really warm and comfortable material, great at insulating and blocking cold temperatures. The downside, though, is that it’s a pretty absorbent material as well. As long as you’re careful about keeping them dry, they’ll do their job properly and keep your hands toasty warm.
Unlike the North Face gloves discussed above, these fleece gloves are a bit heftier. But despite the added weight, there’s really no loss of dexterity – you’ll still be able to move your finger and grip tiny items with ease, making them some of the best winter gloves out there.
Pros:
– Warm material
– Comfortable to wear
– Hefty and durable
– Great price for the quality
Cons:
– Pretty useless when wet
Isotoner Women’s Winter Gloves
Many of the products I’ve reviewed so far have been pretty functional, but…they don’t exactly look very stylish. So, to end this list, I thought I would throw in an option that doesn’t look like you’re wearing a fuzzy animal or a black brick.
Isotoner developed a sleek pair of winter gloves for women, and instead of using the traditional nylon or polyester for the outer shell, they decided to go with spandex. Yes, you read that correctly.
The spandex has been covered with a water repellant coating, so snow, ice, and rain will roll right off. They’re not as waterproof as some of the other options we’ve mentioned in this review (I certainly wouldn’t use them as ski gloves), but for a chic looking pair of day-to-day gloves, they fit the bill nicely. And don’t worry, they aren’t made solely out of spandex – the inside of these women’s gloves has a fleece lining for added warmth and comfort. There’s even a bit of faux leather on the palm, thumb, middle, and pointer finger to add a bit of grip when you want to grab something or make use of your phone. Overall, they’re a versatile pair of affordable gloves that are great to keep in your back pocket for moderate use.
Pros:
– Stylish design
– Warm fleece liner
– Stretchy and comfortable
– Added water repellant coating
Cons:
– Not ideal for outdoor sports
– Not as warm as some other options
Final Pro Tips
Finding the best winter gloves is a necessity when the days start to turn cold. But sometimes a single pair of gloves isn’t enough to stave off the winter chill, especially for women who have a hard time staying warm anyway! To help you stay cozy, consider some of these pro tips that you can make use of to keep the cold at bay.
- Start Warm. Once you’ve gotten cold, it doesn’t matter if you put on a pair of fuzzy gloves on – you’re still going to be cold for awhile! Pre-empt the chill by warming yourself up in a car or building first, put your warm gloves on, and then step outside. You’ll be able to maintain that heat for longer than if you were already cold to begin with.
- Layer Properly. If you’re able to keep your core temperature high, your body won’t feel like it needs to constrict the blood vessels in your extremities to stay warm. Follow proper layering system guidelines to keep your chest and torso feeling toasty.
- Bring Backups. No matter how good your gloves are, they’ll start to get wet eventually, whether from the snow or your sweat. It never hurts to bring a pair of dry replacements to switch into when your initial pair doesn’t work anymore.
- Limit Breaks. If you’re moving around and being active, the exertion will help your body stay warm and comfortable. The moment you stop moving, though, you’ll find that it doesn’t take very long before you start to lose all of that heat you were building up. To avoid losing all of that hard earned warmth, keep your breaks to a minimum. It’s better to slow your pace than stop completely.
- Wear Gloves Suitable for the Activity. Perspiration is just as much of a problem as the snow. For activities where you’re going to work up a sweat, find a pair of low insulated, highly breathable gloves to allow moisture to escape from inside. On the other hand, if you’re just going for a gentle stroll, grab a pair of winter gloves that don’t allow for much wind or water to pass through the fabric.
The Winner
Cold hands are the bane of women all over the globe, but with proper layering and the right pair of gloves, it’s possible to relieve the discomfort they bring. While the type of hand coverings you should wear are fairly dependent on the activities you’re participating in, it’s hard to go wrong with a solid pair of waterproof, breathable gloves. Naturally, they should be well insulated as well.
It’s for these reasons that we believe the Tough Outdoors women’s winter gloves are the best option out of the ones listed. They may be a bit bulky, and not touchscreen compatible, but they’ll do a great job at keeping your hands warm in cold temperatures. And that’s ultimately what gloves are supposed to do in the first place.
