For many, cold fingers are a big concern. Particularly harsh winters are not only uncomfortable, but they can also lead to serious complications like frostnip or frostbite. While ski gloves do a good job at helping people retain heat, for those with poor circulation, sometimes more is needed.
Thankfully, there are heated ski gloves. The best-heated ski gloves help keep your fingers warm in extreme weather. With one of the best-heated ski gloves, you can enjoy cold smoke powder days while keeping your hands warm and happy.
My Review Process
I’ve spent the last quarter century skiing in a variety of places. Despite decent circulation and warm gear, some days on the slopes are just uncomfortably cold. In these situations, I’ve found that a heated ski glove can be the difference between enjoying an epic powder day and ending the day early because of frozen fingers.
There are many heated ski gloves out there, and I’ve tried dozens of them. I’m here to help you find one that will keep your cold hands warm during those frigid winter months.
Alternatives To Heated Ski Gloves
Heated ski gloves aren’t the only ways to deal with harsh conditions. If you’re looking for alternatives, you can pick up a set of hand warmers. Hand warmers are chemically activated and last for a full day of skiing. The downside is that they are one-time-use items, which creates a lot of waste.
If you have a flexible schedule, you can choose to avoid days with frigid temperatures. This is a bit harder if you’ve already planned a destination ski trip. In this case, take breaks often and map out where warming huts are on the ski hill. You can also buy heated glove liners, which still provide heat without the bulk of ski gloves.
Another strategy is to use mittens, which you can find at cheaper prices than heated gloves. Mittens don’t offer much dexterity or touchscreen compatibility. However, instead of individual fingers, you have all four fingers touching. This setup provides extra warmth by increasing heat retention between your digits.
Heated Ski Glove Buying Guide
When considering whether or not to buy heated ski gloves, keep the following points in mind to help you find the best options.
Material/Insulation
Heated ski gloves use different materials to keep your hands warm in frigid temperatures. Look for non-slip grips in the palms for better ski pole holding and 3M Thinsulate or 100-200g of Enduraloft Primaloft synthetic insulation. Everything should be wrapped in one or multiple waterproof layers to keep your hands warm and dry.
Battery Life
Battery duration and efficiency are important points to consider when selecting a pair of heated gloves. These gloves usually rely on rechargeable batteries to diffuse heat. Some come with multiple heat settings or modes.
If a company says their gloves last 7-8 hours, that estimation refers to the lower power modes. If you set your gloves' heating levels at the highest option, the battery will drain much faster. If possible, buy and carry extra battery packs with you, especially for frigid days.
Warm-up Time/Heating Power
While most heated gloves warm up quickly, it's worth spending a little time checking individual models to see how long the warm-up takes. For those with cold hands, poor circulation, or Raynaud’s, the faster the glove heats up, the less discomfort you'll feel.
How the glove heats up is important too. Look for models that heat up the entire glove, instead of only heating up the back of the hand, for example.
Many heated ski gloves will also come with multiple temperature settings. This is a great feature for very cold days, but, again, the hotter settings will drain the battery faster.
Waterproofing
Most ski gloves are waterproof gloves. They're usually made with a waterproof membrane or are at least weather resistant. Given the wet and cold conditions common in winter, it wouldn't make sense to buy a glove without these elements.
A non-waterproof glove can accelerate circulatory issues by hanging on to moisture and freezing your fingers. The best waterproof ski gloves can handle cold and wet conditions while keeping your hands dry.
Budget
As with most purchases, there is a price element to consider. Several budget options exist, allowing you to buy heated gloves relatively cheaply. However, there are downsides to the less-expensive options.
While affordable gloves are great, you may experience battery issues over time, like inefficient charging or subpar battery life. Budget gloves can also rip or wear down faster than others, which creates problems in wet conditions.
Expensive gloves are usually made by companies that use better materials and often have a more flexible return policy. In cases of poor circulation or Raynaud's, it's probably worth getting expensive gloves that heat up faster. If you just want the assurance of having a heating element in a pair of ski gloves, a cheaper option will work.
Summary
My choice for the best overall heated ski glove is the very capable Savior Heat Heated Gloves. If you’re worried about price, the EEIEER Heated Gloves are my budget pick. They can keep your hands warm for a fraction of the price of more expensive models.
For those suffering from poor circulation or Raynaud’s disease, the Outdoor Research Lucent is the warmest model and heats up very quickly. If battery life is the biggest concern, the Ororo Heated Gloves can last a whole ski day.
