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How to choose your winter hiking gloves
Do you enjoy hiking in cold weather and want to know which gloves are most suitable?
Do you need to find hiking gloves offering a good combination of warmth, waterproofing and dexterity?
We'll provide you with all the information you need to help you decide.
Do you need warm gloves for hiking but don't really know the advantages and disadvantages of each type of glove? Glove liners, gloves, over-gloves, mittens, fingerless gloves etc. We'll tell you everything there is to know about the different hiking gloves.
Summary
Different types of gloves offering protection against the cold
Nearly all our gloves feature touch screen technology which means you can operate your touch screen phone using your index finger and thumb, without taking off your gloves.
Glove liners
Just as you wear several layers of clothing when hiking, you can also wear several layers of gloves for better protection again cold and wind. Glove liners, as the name suggests, are meant to be worn under hiking gloves. When worn under your gloves they can provide up to 3°C of additional warmth. It's the equivalent of the 1st layer of clothing you wear when trekking or the sleeping bag lining you use when bivouacking.
Gloves
Hiking and trekking gloves offer good protection against the cold. Some offer additional wind-proof protection, in other words, they have a membrane that offers protection against the wind. Similarly, if you are walking in the rain, waterproof gloves will offer the protection you need.
Hiking gloves have the advantage of offering good dexterity and are also particularly hard-wearing.
If the outside temperature is above zero, you can opt for mid-season gloves.
Mittens and fingerless gloves
Mittens are designed to offer protection against extreme cold. The advantage of mittens is that your fingers help keep each other warm.
Mittens/fingerless gloves offer a certain versatility. They help protect against the wind and cold while providing good dexterity so you can manipulate objects when walking or bivouacking.
What are the warmest gloves?
When hiking in cold weather, we recommend that you use our mittens/fingerless gloves and our warmest gloves.
In extreme cold - temperatures below -15°C - we recommend choosing our Arctic 900 gloves and mittens.
How do you choose the size of your winter gloves?
All our hiking gloves are unisex and are suitable for both men and women. It's important to choose the right size.
Remember to choose a pair that is big enough so that your fingers don't get squashed particularly if you're thinking of wearing a pair of glove liners. In fact, compression slows the blood circulation in the fingers and increases the sensation of cold since the blood supply is impaired.
To find your size, go to the product sheets and open the size guide where you'll find tips and advice to help you choose the right size.
During activity, you should not be cold because, usually, physical effort stimulates the blood circulation and sends blood to the extremities. Remember to remove some layers so that you don't get cold when you stop.
How to keep your hands warm with the right clothing
When active, the body generates heat which is preserved thanks to the thermal insulation of your clothing. If your clothing is inadequate, your body cools down and the blood flow to the hands and feet is reduced in order to keep your upper body warm. Your clothing can therefore play a role in keeping your hands warm.
Do you need to warm your hands up when out hiking?
You've arrived at your bivouac but your hands are frozen stiff? There are several solutions: hand-warmers, obviously, ideally reusable ones. You can also heat up some water and pour it carefully into your water bottle, wrapped in a cloth, so you don't burn yourself.
If you're lucky enough to be staying in a refuge with hot tap water, washing your hands in hot water works better than putting them on a radiator.
To avoid frostbite due to cold, there's only one solution: keeping your skin hydrated. Frostbite is a small injury that can cause the skin to crack as a result of exposure to the cold. To reduce the risk, it's important to moisturize your skin as much as possible. Ideally, always have a tube of cream on you to moisturise your hands after each wash.
Note: gloves to protect you from the sun
To prevent sunburn or avoid developing brown spots on your hands, we recommend wearing anti-UV gloves when hiking or trekking in the desert or in strong sun. They are light and breathable and ensure optimum protection against UV rays.
