The 9 Best Ski Gloves and Mittens of 2026, Tested and Reviewed

Frozen hands can end your ski day early, whether you’re ripping frontside groomers or skinning for untracked lines. The best ski gloves and mittens keep your hands warm but not sweaty, they’re cozy but not clunky, and they don’t require extensive (or any) break-in. Not every great winter glove is meant for all types of skiing adventures. The best gloves for spring skiing will be different from the best for sub-zero chair lift laps. We put more than three dozen pairs of ski gloves and mitts to the test, taking them from Vermont to Wyoming, and from Chamonix to Japan. These are the nine best ski gloves and mittens, no matter the weather.

Best Ski Gloves and Mittens: At a Glance

• Best Overall: Helly Hansen Odin ($155)
• Most Versatile: Swany Bocco Mitten ($160)
• Best Value: Columbia PowBound Gloves ($75)
• Most Rugged: Hestra Fall Line ($170)
• Best for Cold Temps: Burton Gondy ($120)
• Best for Hot Hands: Minus 33 Heavyweight ($170)
• Most Low-Profile: Flylow Wolverine Lobster Glove ($125)
• Best for Spring Skiing: Ortovox Tour Pro Cover Glove ($145)
• Most Stylish: Astis Soldierwolf Long-Cuff Mitten ($295)

More Ski Gloves and Mittens We Recommend

• Gordini Cirque 3-Finger Glove ($150)
• Vermont Gloves x Skida Country Mitt ($110)
• Black Diamond Spark Mittens ($130)
• Oyuki Arashi Guide GTX Glove ($190)

Best Overall

Helly Hansen Odin Winter Glove

$155 at Backcountry

$155 at Helly Hansen

Sizes: XS-XL (unisex)
Shell: Leather
Insulation: PrimaLoft Black Eco 200g

Pros and Cons
+ Waterproof leather
+ Supple, with superb fit and feel out of the box
+ No break in required
– Not warm enough for negative temps fahrenheit

When testers refuse to return the test gloves because they just want to wear them for one more storm cycle, that glove is clearly a winner. This year it was Helly Hansen’s fully waterproof Odin Winter Glove. Developed with ski patrollers, this glove is built like a leather work glove. The Odin has reinforcements in the pole contact zone and around the pointer finger. But despite the utilitarian design, this glove impressed us with its supple feel right out of the packaging (no break in required!). Polyester fabric at the wrist easily slides under jacket cuffs, and low-profile pull tabs made getting these on and off quick and seamless. The reverse grain nose wipe came in handy on, well, basically every run.

These gloves saw us through most of a deep season frontside and backside in Vermont’s Green Mountains. And they occasionally doubled as work gloves for sawing a tree out of a line. Hang loops on the middle finger let us clip these to a harness in the Chamnonix backcountry, and also kept gloves out of the snow when we took them off. These gloves were perfect for skiers who run average to warm. The PrimaLoft Black Eco insulation paired with fleece lining was toasty and supple. It helped make these gloves versatile and so comfy to wear. But on the coldest days we added a liner or a heater pack, or chose another glove.

Most Versatile

Swany Bocco Mitten

$160 at Swany (Men’s)

$160 at Swany (Women’s)

Sizes: S-XL (men’s); S-L (women’s)
Shell: Waterproof leather
Insulation: 120g of Insuloft

Pros and Cons
+ Exceptional temperature control
+ Supple leather
+ Removable fleece inner glove
– Wets out faster than other waterproof options

These “mitts with pit zips” were a favorite of both resort and backcountry skiers, and allowed all skiers to fine tune their hand temperature wherever they pointed their tips. In the backcountry, mittens can be too warm on the uphill. But these mitts with removable liners were a fave thanks to the generous finger-to-wrist zipper that let us vent when hiking and add a disposable hand warmer packet inside on super cold days. “The zippered opening on the mitt is meant to be used for easy access to your phone, but it was an ideal feature for cold-weather skinning,” said a Vermont tester. “When I began to warm up, I unzipped to let my hands cool. Since my hands go from hot to cold while I’m on the up, I don’t like removing my mitts, so this feature was a game changer and got the attention of my ski buddies.”

The removable touchscreen-compatible fleece liners, paired with the fleece-lined outer mitts, are rated to negative 10 degrees. And because mitts are warmer than gloves, we’d give these a 4 out of 5 warmth rating. They’re waterproof, but if you’re gearing up for a mid-day snowball fight or expect to spend a lot of time with your hands in the snow, choose a different mitt or glove.

Best Value

Columbia PowBound Gloves

$75 at Columbia (Men’s)

$75 at Columbia (Women’s)

Sizes: S-XL (men’s); XS-XL (women’s)
Shell: polyester with goat skin leather palm
Insulation: 200g recycled and virgin polyester

Pros and Cons
+ Great value
+ Men’s and women’s sizes
+ Articulated fit
– Run small

For price-conscious skiers and riders, there is no better glove. Columbia’s PowBound, which comes in both men’s and women’s sizes, is made from a durable polyester shell with a supple goat leather palm that made it easy to hold onto a pole from bell to bell when combined with the articulated fingers. The polyester insulation made these gloves warm enough for skiers and riders on most days. And while this glove has minimal frills, they’re fully waterproof, elastic at the wrists kept snow out, and we loved the handy clip that kept the right and left hands together in our ski bag.

While these gloves won’t be the longest wearing, they should last for multiple seasons and keep your hands warm and dry. Both men and women get two colors each to choose from. They run a tad small, so we recommend sizing up.

Most Rugged

Hestra Fall Line Glove

$190 at REI

$190 at Backcountry

Sizes: 6-11 (unisex)
Shell: Cowhide, neoprene cuff
Insulation: Foam

Pros and Cons
+ Removable liners
+ Ultra burly
+ Comes with leashes and wrist grommets with carabiner for easy clipping
– Requires break-in period

“Ski day after ski day this winter in the Tetons, sliding my hands into Hestra’s Fall Line 5 Finger was a warm and delicious experience,” wrote one Wyoming-based tester. And the rest of the test team couldn’t agree more. The tough cowhide outer is treated with a durable water-resistant wax that keeps the gloves from wetting out even in soggy conditions and even though they’re technically not waterproof. Insulated with brushed polyester and foam, with a warm and soft removable fleecy inner glove that stayed lofted even when testers’ hands got sweaty, this glove was a great everyday glove with a wide temperature range. Skiers and riders who run cold wore these gloves into the teens. Testers who run hot wore them in all conditions. The gloves’ fingers are sewn seams-out to reduce pressure points–a thoughtful design feature that made a difference. A broad Velcro strap cinches the neoprene cuff to help it slide smoothly under jacket sleeves.

We’re big fans of removable liner gloves that add a little extra warmth on cold days, and can be taken out on warmer days and washed throughout the season to keep them in good shape. An included carabiner let us clip the gloves to a pack, harness, or jacket so we didn’t lose them during aprés. These gloves are made to last with tough leather on the outside. That also meant that they required some break in. The more we wore them, the better they got and conformed to our hands to, well, fit like a glove.

Best for Cold Temps

Burton Gondy Gore-Tex Leather Mitten

$120 at Backcountry (Men’s)

$120 at Backcountry (Women’s)

Sizes: XS-XL (men’s and women’s)
Shell: Goat leather
Insulation: ThermacoreECO contains 95 percent recycled materials

Pros and Cons
+ Simple design
+ Velcro tab on top of cuff for easy on and off
– Runs small

Sometimes simple is best, and that’s exactly what testers loved about these Burton mitts, whether they were skiing Utah champagne powder or carving Vermont’s Green Mountain groomers. Pre-curved and finger-free inside, the Gondy mitts are made from soft-to-the-touch goat leather with a suede snot wipe. A waterproof, breathable Gore-Tex liner paired with thin and warm synthetic high warmth-to-weight insulation and a cozy brushed fleece lining meant that we reached for these on really cold days, and they were the mitt of choice for testers with cold hands on any day. Bonus: The recycled insulation and responsibly sourced leather tread lightly on the planet. But the warmth isn’t without bulk: Testers said these were somewhat less dextrous than other mitts we loved. Low profile cuffs made them easy to slide under any jacket to keep the blower powder out during a trip to Japan, and the removable wrist leash and wrist clip helped us keep track of these in our gear room and packs.

Best for Hot Hands

Minus 33 Heavyweight Winter Ski Glove

$170 at Minus33 (Glove)

$170 at Minus33 (Mitten)

Sizes: S-XL (unisex); mitten and three-finger are also available
Shell: Polyester
Insulation: 82 percent virgin wool, 18 percent Polylactide

Pros and Cons
+ Stink-free
+ Double-layer palm is durable
+ Gauntlets kept the snow out
– Touchscreen fingertips didn’t always work

Gauntlet gloves can get too hot, but Minus 33’s lavalan wool  helped these gloves adapt to our body temperature. Testers’ digits always stayed the right temperature, even while ski touring. The waterproof leather shell and polyester shell—made from renewable, biodegradable material–proved more breathable than most other gloves thanks to the merino wool. It wicked sweat efficiently out of the gauntlet, and the reinforced palm means these gloves should last a long time.

Testers appreciated the clip that locks these gloves together and made it easy to sling over a pack’s chest strap when they needed bare hands, and the touch screen fingertips when they needed to protect their digits. One Utah tester praised that, on storm days, a cinch-to-pull bungie on the skirted cuff sealed out the blustery weather. All told, testers wore these gloves in Vermont, Idaho, Utah, Colorado, and Wyoming, and on most days our fingers were perfectly warm. On the coldest Vermont and Utah days, we added Minus 33’s Lightweight Fingerless Gloves ($20, S-XL) for extra warmth, which we also loved for taking off boots and for driving.

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Swany X-Cell Glove

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Looking for your new favorite pair of gloves? Swany’s X-Cell Glove is engineered for all-mountain versatility, featuring performance leather construction for superior durability and grip. A waterproof and breathable insert keeps hands completely dry, while the Volcotek Heat Shield reflects body heat back to your fingers for warmth. Plus, you won’t need to worry about losing one off the lift—a secure leash system always keeps these gloves within reach.

Most Low-Profile

Flylow Wolverine Lobster Glove

$125 at Backcountry

$125 at Flylow

Sizes: XS-XXL (unisex)
Shell: Goatskin leather
Insulation: 60g Greenloft insulation with brushed tricot polyester lining

Pros and Cons
+ Wicking
+ Eco-friendly
+ Adjustable, low-profile neoprene cuff
– Lobster design not for everyone

Flylow upped its glove game last year, releasing a line of burly, feature-filled gloves and mittens that carry the same down-to-earth energy as the classic work gloves from their early years—but better engineered and designed. This leather-and-synthetic lobster mitt features a neat under-the-sleeve cuff for colder temperatures, catering to skiers who prefer to keep things low-profile at their wrists. One tester who works in excavation liked them so much he started wearing them as his winter work glove. The three-finger design struck a nice balance between dexterity and warmth, and a brushed-tricot polyester lining kept us warm even when our palms started sweating at the top of a line. Those who prefer a long gauntlet should check out Flylow’s Super D Lobster mitt ($125).

Best for Ski Touring

Ortovox Tour Pro Cover Glove

$145 at Ortovox (Men’s)

$145 at Ortovox (Women’s)

Sizes: XS-XXL (men’s); XS-L (women’s)
Shell: Pertex Quantum Pro
Insulation: 50 percent recycled merino wool with a 100 percent merino lining

Pros and Cons
+ Versatile
+ Merino next to skin
+ Easy access vent on back of hand
– Not super warm

It’s hard to get an uphill glove right: Breathability and warmth are often at odds, leaving you with either sweaty paws or chilly fingers. That’s why the Tour Pro is so ingenious. A stowable wind-mitt stays rigged and ready at your wrist, so when you’re taking a breather on the uphill—or you’re making a rapid transition to ski downhill—you can quickly and easily add warmth. They became one tester’s go-to on chilly morning ski tours, and performed well on a trip to Alaska in the early spring. The merino wool liner stays warm even when wet, and the durable outer with extra reinforcement on the thumb and forefinger holds up well to heavy use throughout the winter.

Yes, the elaborate Kevlar-threaded bead work, rabbit fur cuffs (a food byproduct), and statement-making fringe on the Astis Soldierwolf mitts are attention-grabbing on the slopes. But they’re more than a fashion accessory. The silicone injected suede leather is highly breathable and water resistant in winter conditions, while the soft and luxurious hi-loft Polartec fleece lining is long lasting–we’ve been wearing Astis’ Longcuff mitts for a decade–and can be replaced. The mid-forearm cuffs keep snow out, but they’re still easy to get on and off. On the coldest days, there’s room for a glove liner or heat pack inside. Out of the dozens of gorgeous bead designs, we like the mighty Soldierwolf for the strong graphics and because profits from this glove support an indigenous artist and the Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative.

While the price and style won’t work for everyone, testers who loved these gloves found them irresistible, and everyone agreed that because they don’t have a waterproof breathable liner, they seemed to regulate temperature better than most other gloves and mitts. They’re too hot for spring skiing and a tad heavy for carrying when skinning. But for most lift-served days in most locations, these gorgeous gloves were just what we wanted to be wearing.

More Ski Gloves and Mittens We Recommend

Gordini Cirque 3-Finger Glove

$150 at evo

Sizes: S-XXL (men’s)
Shell: Goatskin leather
Insulation: Bluesign-approved PrimaLoft with moisture-wicking lining

Pros and Cons
+ Good dexterity
+ Excellent range of motion
– Might be too warm for some

The lobster claw really is all it’s cracked up to be, offering the dexterity of a glove and the warmth of a mitten. These became a go-to for lift-accessed skiing with lots of hike-to terrain, striking the right balance of warmth for uphill and downhill movement. They’re all leather, with well-designed articulation across the back of the hand for a full range of motion and reinforced panels on the fingers for extra protection. A soft patch on the thumb makes for easy, comfortable nose- and goggle-wiping, and the low-profile cuff fits neatly inside your jacket sleeves. These gloves offered a nice balance of breathability and warmth while bootpacking lap after lap at Taos.

Vermont Gloves x Skida Country Mitt

$110 at Skida

Sizes: S-XL (women’s)
Shell: Goatskin leather
Insulation: 100 percent recycled polyester fleece

Pros and Cons
+ Great warmth-to-weight ratio
+ Stylish
+ Eco-friendly
– Wrist cuff is on the shorter side

Two beloved small companies collaborated to make this low-profile, stylish mitten. Skida, a woman-owned hat and accessories brand out of Vermont, is known for bright, fun patterns, which adorn simple, uphill-ready hats and neck gaiters. Vermont Glove has been making durable, functional gloves for over a century. Together they created a cozy mitten with a buttery goat leather outer that keeps you dry in wet conditions and a sewn-in shearling fleece liner that wicks sweat during hard use. A colorful paracord cinch strap adds a little Skida flair and a secure fit. It was a tester favorite for cold backcountry laps and resort skiing, offering remarkable warmth for its light weight on a blustery late-season storm day.

Black Diamond Spark Mittens

$130 at Backcountry (Men’s)

$130 at REI (Women’s)

Sizes: S-XL (men’s); XS-L (women’s)
Shell: Goatskin leather
Insulation: PrimaLoft Gold insulation with fleece lining

Pros and Cons
+ Stylish
+ Stretchy neoprene cuff with Velcro closure
+ Good dexterity for a mitten
– Some might not like the internal finger slots

Even skiers who prefer gloves or lobsters will like the Spark Mitts. It helps that they look good—a sleek, waterproof leather outer mitt, with a couple of colorblock options, as we’ve come to expect from Black Diamond. But the well-articulated construction, with reinforced padding on the back of the hand and internal finger slots, made these mittens feel almost as functional as gloves when unzipping bibs for a backcountry bathroom break or tightening ski boots at the top of a techy line. They were warm enough for most in-bounds ski days in the Rockies above 20-ish degrees Fahrenheit, and a low-profile cuff tucked neatly inside jacket sleeves.

Oyuki Arashi Guide GTX Glove

$190 at Oyuki

Sizes: XS-XL (unisex)
Shell: Goatskin leather with patches of four-way stretch softshell plus Gore-Tex waterproof membrane
Insulation: 140g PrimaLoft on the top of the hand, 80g PrimaLoft on the palm; tricot lining

Pros and Cons
+ Removable inner glove
+ Extremely waterproof
+ Long gauntlet
– Pricey

This Japanese brand’s gloves are, unsurprisingly, dialed for storm riding. The Arashi GTX glove was remarkably water-resistant, even on wet Pacific Northwest days. A removable fleece liner insulated with 60-gram PrimaLoft Gold keeps things cozy and reduces time on the drying rack after a big day. Soft, flexible goatskin leather through the hand and the palm offers great dexterity and durability, and an extended wrist cuff is ideal for skiers who like to pull their gloves over their sleeves. This heavy-duty glove is a great choice for skiers who run cold, guides who spend long days outside, and anyone venturing deep into the backcountry.

How to Choose Ski Gloves and Mittens

Choosing the right ski gloves or mittens comes down to your personal needs—whether your hands run cold, get sweaty, or you split time between the resort and the backcountry. The best pair for you will balance warmth, dexterity, durability, and fit.

Fit and Comfort

A glove or mitten should feel snug but not tight, with enough room to move your fingers. Try them on while holding a ski pole to make sure seams and stitching don’t pinch. If you don’t ski with poles, focus on overall comfort and wrist mobility instead.

Warmth and Insulation

• When it comes to warmth, mittens are generally warmer than gloves, since your fingers share body heat.
• Gauntlet cuffs (which extend over your jacket sleeves) seal out snow and wind.
• Heavier insulation and longer cuffs make for the warmest gloves—ideal for cold climates or skiers who always have chilly hands.
• For milder weather or spring skiing, look for lighter insulation or removable liners.

Durability

• Leather palms resist wear and improve grip over time.
• Reinforced stitching and waterproof membranes like Gore-Tex keep gloves lasting longer through storms, shoveling, or building jumps.

Type of Skiing

Different types of skiing demand different performance features:

• Resort skiing: Go for waterproof, insulated gloves or mitts that can handle cold chairlift rides.
• Backcountry touring: Choose breathable, lightweight options for uphill skinning, where dexterity matters more than insulation.
• Storm or powder days: Look for a Gore-Tex glove or mitten with strong construction to stand up to wet snow and constant use.

How We Test Ski Gloves and Mittens

• Number of products tested: 38
• Number of testers: 12
• Locations tested in: Wyoming, Colorado, Idaho, Utah, Vermont, Japan, France
• Range of temperatures during testing: -10 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit

When it comes to winter hand-wear, everyone has different preferences: Mittens or gloves? Down or synthetic? Lightweight or heavy duty? Waterproof or breathable? Over or under the cuff? Understated or attention-grabbing? For cold hands or hands that run hot? We tested pieces from every category in mountain ranges across North America as well as in Europe and Asia. At the end of the season, we tallied up notes and scores from our group of hard-charging testers, and these are the results.

Meet Our Testers

Lead tester Berne Broudy decided to ski 100 days this winter. She made it to about 80 thanks to deep conditions all winter in her home of Vermont, lots of backyard shreds with her snow-surfing mutt Sassafras, and a passion for winter’s beauty as well as creamy turns through the trees. Broudy was fortunate to hit the backcountry and frontcountry slopes at Jackson Hole, Powder Mountain, and in Chamonix. A huge highlight of her ski season was ski mountaineering with athlete Vivian Bruchez.

Utah-based Dustin Cook is a Canadian Olympian in Alpine Skiing, and World Champion Medallist who skied 80+ days this winter (but says tracking is for nerds). Many of Dustin’s days were on the slopes, but he mixed in a healthy dose of backcountry as well, eating more than 80 homemade sourdough PB&Js in the process. Cook’s favorite day of the season was backcountry snorkeling in the Jackson area, which he called “white room all day!”. Cook has been testing gear for most of his life. He says, “it’s always fun to take new gear out and put it through the paces… there is so much good stuff out there these days, and surprisingly a lot of crap too.”

More from the 2026 Winter Gear Guide

The Best All-Mountain Skis
The Best Frontside Skis
The Best Carving Skis