Frostbitten fingers are a major bummer. A perfect pair of gloves is essential for keeping your digits warm and toasty during your outdoor adventures, but with a million different styles on the market, finding the right pair for your needs can feel overwhelming.
Before tackling the mountain of winter running gloves in the accessories section of your local gear shop, take a minute to check out our list of seven different options. Whether you’re an icy-handed runner with Raynaud’s or a fiery furnace trying to balance weather protection with sweaty palms, this list is bound to have something for you.
Salomon XT Wings ($40)
The fingerless design, mesh material on the finger tops, and waterproof convertible mitt make the XT Wings a great choice for runners seeking weather protection with options for temperature regulation. Bare fingers stay protected from wind, rain, and snow beneath a thin mitt that can be tucked into a stash pocket when your hands get too warm. A separate thumb cover can also be removed without disturbing the rest of the mitt, which is nice for those times when you want to use a touchscreen device.
Let’s face it: no matter how well your gloves fit or how sensitive the touchscreen-compatible material on some glove tips may be, sometimes you just really need your fingers. Another unique feature of the XT Wings is the padded, synthetic-leather palm that adds comfort for runners who hold a dog leash or ride their bike to the trailhead.
Downsides: These gloves are not warm enough for temperatures below 25 degrees without an added liner. They’re a little bulky to pack and have no attachment points to keep the pair together. The nose wipe area is soft, but very small.
Outdoor Research Hot Pursuit Convertibles ($35)
The Hot Pursuit Convertibles are basically ninja shoes for your hands, ones outfitted with a neon exterior that is sure to draw attention. While it may seem like Outdoor Research named these gloves because wearing them tempts you to run after friends in Pac-Man-like fashion, the lightweight mitts mean serious business when it comes to blocking wind and keeping your fingers warm. The split design also provides a bit more dexterity than a traditional mitt, allowing you to pull zippers and make other minor adjustments without removing them.
The mitts stash into the wrist-cuff, too, which is extra long and provides full wrist coverage that extends beyond a jacket cuff. The wrist is slim enough to fit a running watch over, in which case the mitts can still be folded out of the way to reveal a soft, stretchy glove with a touchscreen-compatible thumb and pointer fingers. The gloves are lightweight, packable, breathable and include reflective accents on the backs of the hands.
Downside: They’re not waterproof.
The North Face Runners 2 Etip ($28)
The North Face’s Etip gloves have been coveted by runners for years, namely because of their touchscreen-compatible technology and midweight insulation. But sweaty palms need not worry because the Etip gloves are made with breathable, moisture-wicking material.
The fleece nose wipe is generously sized for when your schnozz inevitably begins to run during your cold-weather workout, and the webbing loops make pulling these gloves on and off easy as pie. A lightweight softshell on the back of the hand also stands up to wind and rain, while the reflective accents keep you visible at night.
Downsides: The wrists are a little short and don’t provide much coverage for extreme cold. The seams inside the glove are very noticeable and reduce overall comfort.
Smartwool Liner Gloves ($16-$45)
These soft, merino gloves can be worn alone as a super minimalist running glove or beneath another pair for added warmth on very cold days. The seamless construction makes your hands feel like they’re wrapped in heaven and the material is so delicate that the entire glove can function as a nose wipe. While not equipped with many bells and whistles, Smartwool’s liner gloves are touchscreen-compatible and offer the superior warmth to weight ratio merino wool is known for.
Downsides: No protection from wind or water. No visibility features. Not durable.
Marmot PreCip Shell Mitt/Gloves ($45)
Made with the same award-winning technology Marmot PreCip apparel is known for, these gloves protect against weather with a NanoPro shell, MemBrain insulating insert, and DriClime moisture-wicking lining. How’s that for branding?
Although the waterproof gloves can be worn alone, they’re specifically sized to fit over a liner glove, making the duo a top choice for extreme cold, precipitation, or athletes who blur the lines between trail running and mountaineering.
Downsides: No visibility features or touchscreen compatibility.
DeFeet Duraglove Reflector Hi-Vis ($25)
DeFeet knows that snow, wind, and low temperatures aren’t the only threats when running during the winter. Short days means you’ll probably be running at night, and, thankfully, these Duraglove Reflector Hi-Vis gloves will capture the attention of any oncoming motorists you may encounter on your run.
As the name implies, they’re constructed from ultra-durable Cordura, which provides breathable wind protection and keeps the gloves thin enough to pack easily. Their stretchy, touchscreen-friendly design adds increased comfort while providing enough dexterity that you can reach into your pockets, open snacks, and operate electronic devices.
Downsides: No weather protection. No nose wipe.
Freezy Freakies
Freezy Freakies are the best choice for the runner who prefers fashion over function but still wants a solid pair of gloves to stay warm when temps dip below 20 degrees. Everyone’s favorite winter gloves from the 80’s are back in adult sizes!
The gloves feature an ultra-warm Thinsulate midlayer and a weather-resistant outer shell that offers a magical surprise when the temperature drops. Robots, spaceships, and unicorns appear on the backs of the hands to alert you of cold weather, in case your layering skills are so on point that you didn’t already know.
Downsides: These gloves are bulky and not specifically designed for running.
