The birth of this ingenious product all started when designer Josh Rubin decided to answer a call on his iPhone with his cold nose instead of his glove-clad fingers, which wouldn’t do the job even if he tried. Lucky for Rubin, who came up with the idea, a family connection to glove manufacturing made the design and production of Freehands Gloves possible. They may not be appealing to those of you who live in Florida or Southern California, but for the rest of us who live in places that dip below freezing in the winter months, Freehands Gloves are a cozy way to stay more connected and actually be able to answer your phone while still wearing gloves.
If you wear gloves at all in the winter you’ve likely encountered the problem that you can’t use your touch-screen smartphone with gloves on, but your hands get too cold if you take off the gloves. Well, affordable Freehands Gloves ($18-$80) provide a reasonable solution to the problem by giving users finger flaps on only the thumb and index fingers. The rest of your fingers stay toasty warm but your important digits are free to text, browse, and answer phone calls. What’s even better is that the brand has styles for both men and women for every possible situation and aesthetic, including ski-friendly gloves, classic wool patterns, cozy fleece styles, and even a sophisticated leather and cashmere model (above right, $80). Whatever your personal style, a pair of these cozy gloves will keep your hands warm and would make a great gift for any techie on your holiday shopping list.