When it comes to this also crucial item, it helps to have a sense of what you’ll be doing, where, and how low the temps are likely to drop in the places you’ll be visiting. Basically it boils down to two choices. Mittens keep your finger together; typically providing more warmth but less dexterity; and come in a variety of materials, from wool to leather to synthetics. We certainly found them preferable while snowmobiling in Kirkenes, for eaxmple. In addition to various of the other manufacturers I´ve mentioned above, other mitten-makers to particularly look out for include Backcountry, Black Diamond, and Give´R.
If being able to use your digits is especially important to you, there are also fingered gloves which are extra warm and insulated, from many of the companies listed above plus others such as Carhartt, which specializes in heavy-duty work and outdoor wear, and Outdoor Research, a British company whose thing is in lightweight outerwear. Other specialized versions of these include gloves designed for skiing/snowboarding and even winter cycling.
Finally, there are also a couple of further twists. One is heated gloves – powered by rechargable batteries and obviously a bit pricier – from heated-outerwear specialists such as Savoir Heat; if you don´t want to go that route all the way, you can opt for chemical or rechargeable-battery powered heat packs that slip into regular gloves or mittens. The other final twist is gloves designed to be warm yet unlike most others to be usable with smartphone screens, from brands like Moshi, The North Face and Outdoor Research.
Read more in my post 8 Essential Items for Winter Travel.
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