Keep the frostbite at bay: we test the best winter gloves 2026

Choosing the best winter gloves for you is crucial for our safety and comfort during the most challenging season of the year. Our gloves are a core item in our equipment in the winter and are one of the most important pieces of gear you will take onto the hill. A glove that is well-suited to the harsh demands of the Cairngorm plateau will be overkill for use elsewhere much of the time.

Main image: Kirsty Pallas awarded the Gabbro her best value accolade | Credit: Alpkit

Conditions often change very quickly however, and it is possible to experience extremely cold conditions anywhere in the UK whilst hiking. In the wettest conditions, even the gloves with the best possible waterproofing will wet-through. As such, it is common practice to take more than one pair of gloves for winter hillwalking.

Some people feel the cold in their extremities far more than others. If that’s you, look for a glove with more insulation. If you are more likely to be moving fast, look for breathability as a priority.

Winter hiking gloves should include a waterproof membrane and DWR coating, as keeping moisture out is even more important in winter than the rest of the year. If you are a regular hiker, prioritise durability, and look for gloves with reinforced palms, taped seams and high-quality materials.

Make sure you choose gloves that fit properly. A glove which is too big will feel clumsy and make simple tasks difficult. Too tight a glove will reduce movement and allow the cold to creep in more quickly. Take time to try and balance all of these factors when choosing a glove, as it will have a huge effect on your overall comfort on the winter hills.

The best winter gloves we’ve tested

We’ve tested the best winter gloves designed for the harshest conditions. Each item has been extensively tested and reviewed by our expert gear team and rated for its performance, value, durability, feature set and the balance between weight and warmth. If you’re looking for something more versatile across seasons, check out out guide to the best three-season hiking gloves.

Quick List
Best overall: Trekmates Chamonix GTX (available from Blacks)
Best dexterity: Salewa Ortles Powertex Tirolwool Responsive (available from Salewa)
Best breathability: Black Diamond Glissade (available from Black Diamond)
Most durable: Hestra Ergo Grip Active Wool Terry 5-finger (available from Hestra)
Best value: Alpkit Gabbro (available from Decathlon)
Best insulation for extreme cold: Extremities Capitol Peak (available from LD Mountain Centre)
Best mitt: Rab Xenon Mitt (available from Rab)

Trekmates Chamonix GTX

Quick specs
Price: no US shipping | £55 (available from Blacks)
Weight: 122g (pair size M)
Materials: Gore-Tex Active outer shell, 80gm/m2 insulation, PU palm and thumb
Features: elasticated wrist strap, cuff drawstring, PU palm and thumb, clip together, touchscreen compatible finger
Sizes: S-XXL
Men’s version: Yes
www.trekmates.co.uk

The Gore-Tex outer shell does a fantastic job of keeping out the wet stuff, whether liquid or frozen, and operates as a windproof layer when the windchill is more the issue. The simple elastic straps that pop around the wrist may not be sophisticated but they do just what is needed – stop you dropping the glove if you take it off for whatever reason. The drawstring at the cuff cinches in easily with a single-handed pull, working well to prevent rain entering the glove from a jacket sleeve. The insulation throughout – unbranded – isn’t up there with the likes of Primaloft in terms of performance, but these gloves are a fraction of the price that they would be with branded insulation and it works well enough. I’ve found them to be warm for all but the very coldest days.

One of their best features is how easy they are to get on and off even when hands are damp – there’s very little sticking. The faux leather palms are grippy and thanks to their lack of bulk, the gloves are dextrous enough for manipulating straps, buckles and zips and there’s an effective touchscreen patch on one finger for those call/text/photo moments. Excellent value.

Read more: Lara’s full Trekmates Chamonix GTX review

Salewa Ortles Powertex Tirolwool Responsive

Quick specs
Price: £110 (available from Salewa)
Weight: 140g for Women’s S/glove size 6
Materials: Nylon outer, merino wool and polyamide lining, goat leather palm
Insulation: Polyester and wool
Waterproof: PTX Performance Insert
Features: Wrist elastic, velcro cuff, carabiner loop, pull on loop
Sizes: XS – L
Men’s version: Yes
salewa.com

The Salewa Ortles Powertex Tirolwool Responsive Gloves are warm but light and have kept me warm and mostly dry over many winter days. The insulation is a mix of wool and polyester, which is very cosy, while also being fairly low volume.

A few very handy features like elasticated wrist loops so you don’t lose them, and a pull-on loop which is a good size make these an almost perfect winter glove. Adding a connecting clip would make it easier to find both in the depths of a dark rucksack!

Read more: Kirsty Pallas’ full Salewa Ortles Powertex Tirolwool Responsive gloves review

Black Diamond Glissade

Quick specs
Price: $89.95 | £75 (available from Black Diamond)
Weight: 172g (Size M pair)
Materials: Outer 100% recycled Polyester, goat leather palm
Insulation: Thinsulate
Waterproof: Pertex Shield and BD.Dry insert
Features: Drawcord cuff, nose wipe, pairing clip, carabiner loop
Sizes: XS – XL
Men’s version: Unisex
blackdiamondequipment.com

The Black Diamond Glissade is an impressive glove, which I found very well-suited to the rigours of harsh Scottish winter conditions. A size Medium pair weighs 172g – marginally less than other gloves providing similar levels of insulation. Warmth is excellent for a glove which feels relatively low bulk and dexterous. Black Diamond emphasise the ability of these gloves to remain breathable when you are working hard. I was surprised with how well they performed whilst moving fast up some Grade I winter gullies.

At £75 RRP, the overall performance of this glove matches similar products I have tried that almost cost twice as much. After using a pair for a couple of weeks at the start of the winter, I found myself reaching for them whenever I was heading out in the most challenging weather.

Read more: James Roddie’s full Black Diamond Glissade review

Hestra Ergo Grip Active Wool Terry 5-finger

Quick Specs
RRP: $150 / £100 (available from Hestra Gloves) Weight: 139g (pair, size 9) Materials: Neoprene, wool terry, goat leather, Ventrus 3- layer Polyester/Nylon/Polyurethane 4 way stretch fabric Features: Velcro and neoprene cuff, wool terry liner, pre shaped goatleather palm, weatherproof and breathable fabric on back of hand Sizes: 6-11 (Hestra size guide) Unisex hestragloves.uk

The Ergo Grip come pre-shaped in the fingers and further moulded to my own hands after only a couple of outings. I think the range of sizes on offer, and the goat leather palm both contribute to a close-fitting and dextrous glove. Now they are broken in a little I can even get a thin liner glove underneath; still, I’d say that online fitting guide is true to size. The Velcro and neoprene cuff is easily adjustable and sits deftly under a shell jacket, keeping wind, snow and drizzle at bay. There’s a small clip inside each cuff to allow the gloves to be looped together for safekeeping. The leather palm and fingers become more supple with each outing, and the seams are carefully positioned so as not to get in the way of fiddly tasks – adjusting a zip, or handling a camera or a map and compass. I generally found I needed to take these off a lot less that normal.

I’ve been pleasantly surprised by just how weather-resistant and multi-purpose the Ergo Grips are. They are as comfortable holding an axe or two as they are a pair of bike bars, walking poles or a bulky full frame camera. Hestra doesn’t claim waterproofness, but I spent a full day in wintry showers practising navigation legs and the Ergo Grips kept my hands warm and dry throughout. At higher altitudes and in colder winds, I was glad to have the second pair of Hestras to hand.

Read more: David’s full Hestra Ergo Grip review

Alpkit Gabbro

Quick specs
Price: £64.99 (available from Decathlon)
Weight: 153g for XS/glove size 6
Materials: Polyester and spandex shell, polyester pile lining, goat leather palm
Insulation: Primaloft Gold
Waterproof: PorelleDry insert
Features: Drawcord cuff, nose wipe, carabiner loop
Sizes: XS – XL
Men’s version: Unisex
alpkit.com

The Gabbro is Alpkit’s top end glove and a fair match with others in this test, but at a very competitive price. A generous amount of Primaloft Gold makes them a warm choice, but not too bulky. The shell is a stretchy softshell making them flexible for climbing or mountaineering, and this also runs between the fingers. On my samples, the fabric has started pilling a little here, but this is after digging in snow and clearing cracks in rock. Overall, I think they should stand up well to a reasonable level of abuse.

Other than not having a pull-on loop, I can’t really fault these gloves. They are a workhorse that will deal with any weather thrown at them, and really are a steal at this price. I’ve had them walking, climbing, mountaineering, and just standing around, and they’ve kept me warm each time.

Read more: Kirsty Pallas’ full Alpkit Gabbro review

Hestra Army Leather Gore-Tex 5-finger

Quick specs
Price: $230 | £165 (available from Hestra)
Weight: 278g (pair, size 9)
Materials: polyamide shell, goatskin leather palm and fingers, fleece lining
Features: Gore-Tex lining, G-Loft insulation, wrist adjuster, snow lock cuff, karabiner, handcuff security attachment
Sizes: 6-11
Men’s version: Unisex
www.hestragloves.uk

The palm and fingers are made of goatskin leather which is strong and abrasion resistant. It’s also reasonably flexible when new and I could operate zips and buckles just fine, and with regular use the fit keeps improving as the leather molds to my hand shape. The grip from the leather on ices axe and poles is excellent with extra leather reinforcement at the high wear points from using either. The fingers are pre-curved, and the back of the hand and fingers are a lighter polyamide fabric which allows easy movement and a natural feeling at rest.

The long cuff (also polyamide) is tough and has a good DWR treatment. The glove is lined with Gore-Tex for breathable waterproofing and G-Loft insulation for warmth. The inner is a soft fleece, pleasant against the skin and wicks sweat away into the other layers well. The fit is useable for me both with bare hands and over a thin liner glove. The wrist is elasticated with an additional Velcro strap to cinch it in. The long cuff has a drawcord and the cuff fits under or over a shell jacket. There are external and internal loops to attach lanyards, ensuring you don’t drop and lose a glove when you take one off. The pinkies have hang loops and there’s an included mini carabiner to join the gloves for storage.

Read more: Peter’s full Hestra Army Leather Gore-Tex 5-finger gloves review

Rab Xenon Mitt

Quick specs
Price: $55 | £50 (available from Rab)
Weight: 61g with stuff sack for XS
Materials: 100% recycled Pertex Quantum shell, nylon lining, PU palm
Insulation: Primaloft Gold
Waterproof: No
Features: Double cuff, pull on loop, pack away into a stuffsack
Sizes: XS – XL
Men’s version: Unisex
rab.equipment/uk

Only just sneaking into the winter gloves category, the Xenon mitt is the lightest touch in the test, as well as being the lightest in weight. It’s only really a full winter option for folk moving fast and light, but Primaloft Gold insulation packs a lot of warmth for its bulk, and these gloves will ‘upgrade’ a wet liner glove to feeling very toasty quite quickly. The 100% recycled shell is Pertex Quantum, which is very light allowing the insulation to loft, and DWR treated to provide some water repellency. These mitts are not waterproof, and will wet out much quicker than anything else on this test.

For the weight and price, these gloves are impressive, but not as my only winter glove. I found myself using these for a walk off the hill, once my bigger gloves had wetted out, but I was moving fast and constantly. I’ve also used them ‘summer’ mountaineering as an on/off option between belaying and climbing when it’s been wet, and they’ve made a huge difference.

Read more: Kirsty Pallas’ full Rab Xenon Mitt review

Black Diamond Soloist

Quick specs
Price: £125 (available from Black Diamond)
Weight: 266g for XS
Materials: 100% recycled polyester shell, fleece lining, goat leather palms
Insulation: Primaloft Gold
Waterproof: BD.Dry insert
Features: Removable liner, double cuff, carabiner loop, nose wipe
Sizes: XS – XL
Men’s version: Unisex
www.blackdiamondequipment.com

The soloist is a big beefy glove with heaps of warmth. Primaloft Gold is the insulation, with more on the back of the hand where the weather will impact most, and slightly less on the palm to increase dexterity. The shell is 100% recycled with a DWR finish and a slight stretch which helps with dexterity. There’s a waterproof insert which held off the constant rain we ‘enjoyed’ last winter! The liner glove is removable, making drying them out easier, and has a lining of warm fleece.

A lovely soft nosewipe for the inevitable cold runny nose finishes off the features. I would find these too warm for actively walking, but they were great for belaying or if it was very cold and wet.

Read more: Kirsty Pallas’ full Black Diamond Soloist review

Mammut Norwand Pro

Quick specs
Price: £150
Weight: 145g for S/glove size 6
Materials: Polyester, goat skin leather, neoprene cuff
Insulation: Primaloft Gold
Waterproof: Goretex insert
Features: Velcro cuff, knuckle padding, carabiner loop, pull on loop
Sizes: 6 – 12
Men’s version: Unisex
www.mammut.com

Mammut have produced a really solid mountaineering glove with the Norwand Pro, it’s light, low volume and warm. The insulation is Primaloft Gold but at 60gsm, it’s at the lighter end of the scale – useful on the move, less so when stationary. The shell of the glove is stretchy, and there’s a Goretex waterproof insert. Due to the glove being thinner than the others, they do wet out slightly quicker, as there’s less insulation to absorb the water.

While these gloves weren’t the best fit for me, I really liked the low volume and features as a winter climbing and mountaineering glove. If you run warm or are going to spend most of your day moving, then these will be plenty warm too.

Read more: Kirsty Pallas’ full Mammut Norwand Pro review

Extremities Capitol Peak

Quick specs
Price: £60 (available from LD Mountain Centre)
Weight: 215g (Size L pair)
Materials: Polyester outer and lining, PU palm
Insulation: Primaloft Gold Eco
Waterproof: Extremities X-Dry
Features: Drawcord cuff, compression strap around wrist, pairing clip.
Sizes: S – XL
Men’s version: Unisex
terra-nova.co.uk

This is an extremely warm glove. Part of my testing involved standing largely still for 1 hour in -8C air temperature on a Munro in the Fannichs, and these gloves kept my hands as warm as any glove I have ever tried. Similarly, they coped very well with extremely high windchill on the Cairngorm plateau in January. Many walkers will actually find these gloves too warm for winter hill walking much of the time. Therefore, these are an excellent option for the coldest Scottish winter conditions or if you suffer from especially cold hands.

Overall, these are an attractive option for using in the coldest conditions, and are perhaps best suited to cold and dry, rather than cold and damp days. You may find them too warm much of the time, but they will come into their own when other gloves just aren’t quite toasty enough.

Read more: James Roddie’s full Extremities Capitol Peak review

Keela Extreme

Quick specs
Price: $69 | £59.95 (available from Keela)
Weight: 140g (Size M pair)
Materials: Nylon shell, polyester lining
Insulation: Primaloft
Waterproof: Primaloft
Features: Drawcord cuff, nose wipe, pairing clip, textured palm
Sizes: S – XL
Men’s version: Unisex
keelaoutdoors.com

At 140g for a size Medium pair, these are noticeably lighter than some of the other gloves in this test. However, they offer respectable levels of insulation in cold conditions. I found the waterproofing to be a bit less effective than that found in some of the other gloves, but it still does a good job in moderate rain and wet snow. The lining is soft and cosy, and the materials feel high quality throughout.

Considering their relatively lightweight design and overall performance, these are ideal to take as a second pair of gloves on very wet days when you know you will need more than one pair. They offer good performance in winter conditions at an affordable price, at a relatively low weight.

Read more: James Roddie’s full Keela Extreme review

Sealskinz Southery

Quick specs
Price: £85
Weight: 202g (Size M pair)
Materials: 50% polyester, 40% leather, 5% elastane, 5% polyurethane outer; 100% polyester inner; goat leather palm
Insulation: Primaloft Gold
Waterproof: Aquasealz membrane
Features: Drawcord cuff, nose wipe
Sizes: S – XL
Men’s version: Unisex
sealskinz.com

The Sealskinz Southery is a good all-round winter glove. Sealskinz claim it to be suitable for ‘extreme cold weather’. Whilst not as warm as some other gloves in this test, I found the Primaloft Gold insulation to provide plenty of warmth in most winter conditions. The wind-proofing is superb and I was happy with breathability. The Aquasealz waterproof membrane is very effective in heavy rain and wet snow. Like all gloves however, they eventually wet through in the wettest conditions.

At £85 these are the most expensive gloves in this test, but they do not quite offer the performance and features provided by some of the alternatives. Overall, however, they work well as a winter hiking glove and cope admirably with a variety of situations.

Read more: James Roddie’s full Sealskinz Southery review

Outdoor Research Arete Modular Gore-Tex

Quick specs
Price: $120 | £130 (available from Outdoor Research)
Weight: 261g (pair size M)
Materials: Gore-Tex shell with Gore-Tex EnduraLoftÔ insulation, polyester fleece liners
Features: Waterproof shell with waterproof breathable insulation, removable fleece liner gloves with touchscreen finger, wrist adjustment, security lanyards, leather palm, clip together
Sizes: S-XL
Men’s version: Unisex
www.outdoorresearch.com

First impressions of the Arete Modular Gore-Tex Glove are that it’s impressively blessed in the insulation department, thanks to a combination of Gore-Tex EnduraLoftÔ insulation throughout the glove with a fleece liner glove. The liner simply pulls out and secures to the shell with a couple of Velcro tabs. Designed for cold variable conditions, they are fully featured and well made with adjustable tabs to cinch in the wrists, generous cuffs and lanyards to make sure they don’t get dropped when not on. They also clip together. These gloves do deliver on warmth, especially when both layers are worn together.

The shells are superbly weatherproof, keeping out rain and snow admirably, but the elastic adjustment strap at the wrists does wet out, no biggy but surprising. An impressive looking pair of gloves that promise a lot at a high price, but with some design and performance still to be resolved.

Read more: Lara’s full OR Arete Modular Gore-Tex Glove review

Alpkit Sheil

Quick specs
Price: £32.99 (Shiel mitts available from Decathlon)
Weight: 64g (pair, size L)
Materials: nylon shell, polyester insulation, leather palm and thumb
Features: Primaloft Gold recycled insulation, lycra cuff, reflective logo
Sizes: XS – XL
Men’s version: Unisex
alpkit.com

The Alpkit Shiels are very light and pack down very small indeed, I can stuff them into any clothing or rucksack hipfin pocket to keep them handy. They’re nicely warm with a soft Primaloft insulation which lofts well when the gloves are worn. The inner surface is a soft fleece which is pleasant against the bare skin. The outer shell is a light nylon ripstop fabric which is windproof and it has an exceptionally good DWR treatment which reliably repels even heavy rain for long periods.

The overall fit is excellent with gentle pre-curving on the fingers and volume is perfect on my hands for wearing on their own or over a very light liner glove. There is an elasticated section on the inner wrist which helps hold the Shiel in position without any detectable pressure on my wrist. The cuff is short and low profile with lycra binding and it slips under shell jacket cuffs easily and I can fit it under over various midlayers depending on the weight of fabric. There’s a small buckle to attach the gloves to each other and the small loops at the cuff that the swing tag is attached to can be uses to add cords if you want to add a security element. The Shiels are excellent gloves and are always in my pack. Warm and reliable, they’re an excellent back up but just not tough enough for dedicated winter use.

Read more: Peter’s full Alpkit Shiel review

How we test

Lara used the gloves throughout winter and into a cold spring on a variety of walks and hikes in the Malvern Hills, Black Mountains and Brecon Beacons. She has medium sized hands with good circulation.

Kirsty has small hands with wider palms and short fingers. The gloves were tested in a wet winter and spring season of 2023/2024 working as an instructor, and winter climbing and mountaineering in the Scottish Highlands, both on snow and rock. Kirsty often wears liner gloves in winter under her main gloves, and these were tested both with and without. Weights are all from reviewers’ digital scales. 

James tested these gloves in a variety of conditions during winter 2023/24 in the Scottish Highlands. Weather included 40mph + winds, heavy rain, wet snow, dry snow and clear/frosty days. James usually wears size medium gloves.

Peter used these gloves regularly last winter and on colder days throughout the year. They’ve been tested with ices axes, crampon straps and walking poles as well as on tricky tasks such as deer fence repair with wire and tools as part of his ranger work.

Features to look for in the best winter gloves

Insulation

With cold temperatures, higher winds, and snow or ice, winter gloves need to be insulated to keep hands warm, and able to function. Looking for Primaloft or wool insulation, meaning it will retain some warmth even when wet. It’s worthwhile looking at how the insulation is distributed around the hand. Often, more insulation can be found across the back, to retain some dexterity in the fingers and across the palm.

Waterproofing

Given UK winters are often on the wetter side, having some waterproofing is really useful to keep the cold out. Most winter gloves have a waterproof insert, which might be a brand’s own waterproofing, or Goretex. But with all gloves, they will wet out eventually, mostly due to the number of seams, and the big hole where your hand goes in, it’s just a matter of which one will stay dry the longest.

Dexterity and fit

Choosing a winter glove is often a compromise between insulation and dexterity. Finding a glove that has enough insulation for you, while still being able to do intricate tasks like using zips or opening snacks, is the tricky bit. Fit also comes into this, because a glove can be as dexterous as possible, but it won’t matter if the fingers are too long for your hands. It’s worth reading both sets of reviews regardless of gender, as gloves are often a ’unisex’ fit.

Cuffs

The cuffs are where you can lose a lot of heat, and take on water, so having adjustable cuffs is crucial. This is usually either a drawcord or velcro, but whichever it is, you want to make sure you can adjust it with the other glove on. Most winter gloves have a secondary elasticated cuff at the wrist, which keeps the glove in place, and warmth in. The length and bulk of cuffs are also worth considering, as this can affect if you can tuck them into your jacket, or if they only go over the outside.

Palm material

A leather palm is waterproof, hard wearing, and grippy for things like ropes or axes, which is essential for mountaineering or climbing in winter. A PU palm will still be grippy, but wear a lot quicker. A reinforced leather palm has two layers of leather on the high wear areas, which lengthens the lifespan of the palm and glove overall.