Keep Your Hands Warm With These Best Ski Gloves For Women

Ski gloves are an important part of ski gear. They protect the hands from cold weather and injuries. Plus they also provide grip on the ski poles. If you’re going on a ski trip or practicing to be a ski master, you should get yourself a pair of trustworthy ski gloves.

But, choosing a pair of ski gloves that would fit your style and needs is not as easy as it looks, and that’s why we are here to help you out! In this article, we are going to give you some pointers on how to choose the perfect pair of ski gloves and listed some amazing picks on the market. Check them out!

What to Look for on a Ski Glove

As I said, picking out ski gloves is not that easy and there are a lot of things you should consider. If you are new to shopping for ski gloves, here are some helpful tips.

Cuffs

There are two types of ski gloves, the ones with short cuffs and the long ones. When it comes to choosing between these two, it really comes down to personal preference and of course the weather.

Short cuffs gloves are smaller, less bulky, easy to pack, and more modern looking. When worn, you can hide the cuffs under the sleeve of your jacket. It’s also easier to move your wrist with short-cuff gloves since it doesn’t cover the wrist area. Keep in mind that short-cuff ski gloves have less insulation. This is good if you’re skiing in mild conditions.

Long cuffs on the other hand are bulkier since they are longer and have thicker insulation. Ski gloves with long cuffs are mostly worn in harsh cold conditions. You can put the cuff over your jacket sleeve and cinch it tightly to keep the cold out. And if gets hot, you can just open the cuffs to allow airflow. Depending on your style, long cuff gloves can be quite fashionable too.

Insulation

Different brands use different types of insulations like sheep’s wool, cotton, fiber pile, goose down feathers, and some synthetic fibers like Thinsulate®, Thermolite®, Qualofill®, PrimaLoft®, or Breathefil™. If you’re confused about which one is better, here are some tips.

Gloves with synthetic fibers as insulation are much cheaper. It insulates when wet and dries down quickly. Natural fibers on the other hand are pricey, but when it comes to insulation it’s top tier. Although you might want to avoid cotton as it easily gets wet and absorbs water which makes it cold.

The amount of insulation on gloves is measured by their weight in grams (per square meter). The thicker the insulation, the warmer the glove is.

Insulation under 100g is preferable for warmer days (estimate: 20 to 30 degrees). If it’s below 20 degrees you should wear a glove that has more than 100g of insulation. For harsh cold conditions or sub-zero climates, 200g of insulation is recommended. At this point, you get a glove that will protect your hands from frostbite.

Grip

This is one of the most important things, although not all brands offer great traction on their gloves. The grip and traction will depend on the material on the palm of the gloves.

Leather is the most common material used on glove palms. This type of material is soft yet offers the best grip. Goatskin is also a great option, it’s very soft and waterproof. Apart from these two, some great options are Quartz Pittards Leather, Dragon Pittards, Sheep Skin, and Hairsheep Pittards Leather.

In addition, find something that has reinforcements to areas such as the palm, thumbs, and fingertips. These are strong points of your hands where force is applied, reinforcements can make your grip sturdy while skiing.

If you’re a beginner, choose a pair that can help you grip tighter. You might get overwhelmed and a slippery glove cannot help.

Waterproof

When you’re out skiing, you will have to deal with sweaty hands, rain, and melting snow. Thus having waterproof ski gloves is important.

Rain and melting snow can be quite a challenge when skiing, and if that happens, water will penetrate into your hands. Buy something that has a durable waterproofing system on the outside part of the gloves. Leather and Goatskin are some good options.

Another thing, if the glove is made with non-breathable materials, your hands will sweat, which will then get the glove and may affect the sturdiness of your grip. When buying a glove make sure to pick something that is breathable.

Don’t be fooled by some brands that say they keep the water out of the gloves, you should also check if the gloves can also prevent moisture from within the gloves. Gore-Tex® is a good material when it comes to this issue. It’s a waterproof membrane that keeps the water out and is breathable enough to keep out moisture.

Top 3 Best Long-Cuff Ski Gloves for Women

There are a lot of great options for long-cuffed ski gloves. Brands like Hestra, Outdoor Research, and Dakine, offer great quality gloves with amazing features. Check them out.

Best for Tough Weathers: DAKINE Phoenix GORE-TEX 3-in-1 Gloves

First on the list is the ever-reliable DAKINE Phoenix ski glove for women. This glove has been through innovations and improvements and this one is the latest.

If you’re skiing in tough weather conditions, this is the glove you should have. It has 360g of insulation to keep you warm. It uses GORE-TEX Active technology that ensures utmost weather protection and breathability. There’s no need to worry about sweaty hands because this glove got you covered.

One of the many things we like about this glove is the removable liner. Unlike other brands that use cheap materials for their liners, the Phoenix glove’s liner is made with high-quality nylon fabric. The removable liner can be used as an extra glove or as additional insulation (85g). It has good grip and dexterity which you can’t find on most liners.

The outside shell is made of Polyester and is also waterproof. It has a stretchable string you can pull to sinch the glove close, and to open it, you just pull the same string. It also has an adjustable tab on the wrists if you want to make the glove more secure.

The palm side and the top of the fingers feature goatskin leather which is known to be waterproof and gives excellent grip. When worn, you will notice that the sides of the fingers don’t have leather, this is to help with dexterity.

Now, let’s talk about the things that we don’t like. First is fit, my usual glove size is 8 and I bought a Phoenix women’s Large. I thought that the glove would be a little tight since I have chubby fingers, turns out it was a bit big for me. Although it was manageable when I adjusted the wrist tabs. But I would suggest that you get suggest next size down.

Their liners are great, but if you move around a lot like picking up things, it feels stuffy. This is maybe because of the thick liner which indeed brings warmth, the brand can definitely do some adjustments to make it less thick but with the same effect.

Best Waterproof Ski Glove: Most Outdoor Research Carbide Sensor Gloves

I personally love to share my skiing adventures to my friends and followers on Instagram, but there’s a problem. Whenever I do a POV video I have to take off the glove to press record, put it back, take it off to stop the recording and wear the glove again. It’s a hassle.

So I looked around and found these sensor ski gloves from Outdoor Research. I just bought it because it has a touch screen feature which is average if you ask me. The screen doesn’t respond in one touch and you really have to put pressure on your finger when tapping or swiping the screen. It’s not the best-performing touchscreen glove I tried, but it does the job. Besides that, the other features are also interesting and worth trying.

Let’s start with the insulation. It is 330g of synthetic insulation which keeps you warm even in extremely cold conditions. It uses Gor-Tex technology that promotes waterproofing and makes the glove breathable. Speaking of making your hands warm, these gloves use a SuperCinch™ gauntlet that locks in warmth and seals out the cold. It also has pull-on loops so you can wear and take off the gloves with ease.

We also liked that this glove used water-resistant goat leather on the palm. The leather is soft, but upon testing, we noticed that it feels a bit stuffy and that kind of affects the dexterity. Although this depends if you like tight-feeling gloves or not. The outer shell is made with waterproof leather and fabric which I can say is good.

Most Handy: Hestra Army Leather Heli Ski 5-finger

Next on the list is a pair of gloves that has a little interesting history. The Hestra Army Leather Heli glove was originally created for the ski guides of western Canada. They needed a durable and reliable gloves to keep them warm while they do their job. We noticed that features promote convenience and ease which is really great since skiing is a bit technical and a handy glove can be a great help.

First is the replaceable and washable liner. It’s made with soft fleece fabric that is safe for machine washing. These liners will keep your hands warm and comfy. You may also buy liner replacements in the same store in case it gets damaged or you need a spare one. Although I’m not a big fan of how the liner looks, some brands offer gloves with a liner that can be used a as second a second glove.

The long collar gauntlet has a snow lock loop on the bottom and a velcro strap on the wrist, this also helps keep the cold out of the glove. The function of these two doesn’t end there. The snow lock loop can be wrapped around your arm and if ever you want to take off the glove to use your phone, you can simply remove the strap and take off the glove. The glove won’t drop because it’s still attached to your arm. How great is that?

The outer shell of the glove is made with Army goat leather (palm and finger area) and Hestra triton polyamide fabric (outer shell/back of the hands). Now, these two are a combination of durability and function. Goat leather and polyamide are known to be long-lasting and heavy-duty materials.

Now for the insulation, the brand uses G-Loft which is a thin polyester fabric. Although the amount of insulation is not specified, we noticed that it gives warmth even in extremely cold conditions. The thin insulation also provides dexterity and comfort.

My final thought on this glove? Most of the features are found on much cheaper brands, but the quality of the product is top tier.

Top 3 Best Short Cuff Ski Gloves for Women

There are a lot of short-cuff ski gloves in the market, but brands like Kinco and Hestra make one of the best gloves. Check them out!

Most Affordable: Kinco Ski Gloves for Women

I can be a cheapskate sometimes, and when I saw the price tag and the reviews on these Kinco ski gloves, I was intrigued and decided to give it a shot. It’s not as well performing as high-end gloves, they are not the warmest or the plushest, but they’re dirt cheap and as tough as any leather-bodied alternatives out there.

First, let’s talk about the material. The other shell is made with Pig skin leather and cotton blend canvas. Pig skin leather is known for its durable qualities, compared with cow leather, it is much tougher and can withstand rough usage. It has a great grip, that’s why it’s also a good working glove.

But I’m not a fan of the cotton blend, and I mentioned above that cotton easily gets wet and absorbs water making the hands cold. Although it provides breathability, I do not recommend using it in rainy winters. Plus the glove’s water resistance feature is not that impressive, so your hands will most likely get wet.

Next is the warmth, it’s not as warm as the gloves mentioned above, but it does perform well in certain conditions. It uses HeatKeep insulation combined with nylon padding layers and moisture-wicking polypropylene. When tested during a hike, I noticed that it did keep my hand warm and comfortable. Speaking of comfort, I also liked the stretchy wristband which provides great dexterity on my hands, and it feels light and comfortable.

Best Leather Ski Glove: Hestra Fall Line Gloves

Next on the list is the Hestra Fall Line Gloves. If you’re a fan of full leather gloves, this one is worth the try. The whole outer shell and palm area are made with premium Goat leather. This type of leather is known to be water-resistant and durable. We also tested the grip, and I can say it’s pretty good.

But keep in mind, in order to keep the quality of leather and its water resistance feature, you will have to treat it with leather care. Don’t worry, Hestra includes a small tube if you purchase one pair of gloves. I advise retreating them 1-2 times each season after using them for 50+ days or if you think the treatment is wearing off.

The glove feels secure when worn, thanks to the durable adjustable wrist strap. I also liked the fact that it has a string you can put on your wrist, and if you want to take off the glove, just remove the straps, take out your hand, and the glove will remain hanging on your arms. It is pretty convenient.

For the insulation, they used G-LOFT, this type of insulation traps the warmth inside the glove. When we used the glove on a skiing trip, we noticed that doesn’t give that much warmth compared to other Hestra gloves.

One of the things that I really liked about this glove is its dexterity. I tried to grab a coffee cup, open a car door, and even insert a coin into the vending machine and everything was fine. I feel pretty flexible. Although it might feel stuffy and stiff at first, just give it time to loosen up.

Lastly, the design. To be honest, it looks decent, but it’s not something I would wear if I’m going to a really nice ski resort. The function is great, but I don’t think it has that “wow” factor in terms of appearance. This is just my opinion, some of my friends like what the glove looks like. It will depend on personal preferences.

Most Stylish: Hestra Army Leather Couloir

Last on the list is another amazing Hestra glove. It is a heavy-duty glove that provides comfort, durability, dexterity, and style.

Like most gloves on this list, it’s made with goat leather, so you can expect that it will be durable, water resistant, and will provide a great grip. The outer shell is covered with leather and fabric which is a mix of Polyester and Elastine. These two material has abrasion resistance and excellent durability, making the glove more sturdy and withstand harsh climates.

As I was wearing the glove, it feels a bit hard to move the fingers at first, but as I continually used it, the glove became manageable and soft. I tried to use it on a ski trip with some friends, and I can say that the dexterity is good. It’s comfortable to wear and I can freely move my fingers. I also have no problem with the grip, I tried to hold into a metal pole while climbing up and the glove didn’t slip.

The insulation is pretty good too. Before I purchased this glove, I saw a lot of good reviews about it, especially about the insulation. Many customers said that it was the warmest glove they tried and because I’m easily swayed by good reviews I immediately got myself a pair. It worked wonders when I wore it in below-20-degree weather.

I also liked the fact that this glove is waterproof. When I tested it, the results were great, although I can say that it’s water resistant and not waterproof, it will eventually get wet if rains badly.

Pro Tip: Ski Gloves Maintenance

Some good quality ski gloves can be expensive, to save money, you have to try your best and take good care of it. Here are some pro tips that can help.

Tip #1: Cleaning

Do not wash leather gloves! Leather will get damaged if exposed to strong detergents and high temperatures. Hand washes the gloves with warm water and a soft detergent. Do not put them in the dryer, air drying is your best option. If you don’t have time for washing, you can simply wipe off the dirt using a wet soft cloth.

Tip #2: Storage

After washing and cleaning your gloves, make sure that it is fully dry before keeping them. And remember, the dryer is off the limits if you don’t want to destroy your gloves. If your gloves come with a pouch or a bag, make sure to use those. They will protect your gloves from getting scratched and bugs.

Tip #3: Re-Waterproofing

Leather gloves need to be treated in order to keep the quality and their waterproof feature. You can treat your gloves at least once every season.

Author’s Note

Choosing a pair of ski gloves for women should be taken seriously. It’s an essential part of your ski gear. Apart from the style and price, you should also consider the quality of the gloves. Will this glove last long? Will it cater to your needs? Before checking out, carefully assess the product. It may take time, but at least you know that you’re buying something that is worth your money.