2 Types of Hand Gear to Buy Winter Wear Online

Gloves and mittens are as important as your other winter wear. You’ll understand the value when you face some chilly winter conditions. But you should consider them when you buy winter wear online. It applies, especially if you experience peak winters.

I’ll take you through this handwear and the essential aspects to focus on. You won’t have to rub your hands for warmth if you have this handwear.

Features of Gloves and Mittens to Buy Winter Wear Online

Gloves and mittens are pretty functional options for your cold-weather wardrobe. But you should know what you’re looking for. If you’re aware, it will ease your job when you buy winter wear online.

Here are some of the features to consider while you browse online:

1. Functionality

Your gloves might be the most fashionable ones on the market. But it won’t matter if they aren’t functioning as well. With that in mind, glove dexterity is essential in low temperatures.

Below certain temperatures, your fingers lose part of their sensitivity. It can impair their ability to perform fine tasks.

For instance, below 19°C (66°F), fingers start losing tactile sensitivity. It means that they lose their ability to feel surfaces. As a result, it could lead to an increase in the accident rate.

Dexterity correlates to the thickness of the materials used. Thick materials usually harm their ability to manipulate small objects. Hence you lose out on glove dexterity.

Dexterity is also correlated to stiffness and fit. The stiffness of our fingers will increase at lower temperatures. Also, tighter gloves restrict blood circulation, and they’re also less flexible.

But, loose gloves are not suitable for activities that need high performance. For the best performance, your gloves need the right fit.

As for mittens, they’re meant for warmth and not dexterity. So you can’t rely on your mittens for a task that requires fine motor skills. You’ll rarely find mitts ideal for belaying while ice climbing.

2. Comfort

Along with the fit, comfort also matters. You should consider comfort among the essential characteristics of gloves and mittens. It’s a challenging aspect to assess online. You need to trust what you see and read. If it doesn’t work out, return it.

3. Thermal insulation

Warmth and insulation depend on the fabric’s ability to trap air within its structure. Glove lining made with such material will keep your hands and fingers warm. But, it’ll also make the glove bulky. As a result, it will hamper dexterity.

As you know, mobility is pretty limited with mittens. But they’re meant to keep fingers warm at below-freezing temperatures.

And thermal insulation is vital for warmth in freezing temperatures. Your usual fabrics used for gloves and mittens are wool, fleece and synthetics.

Many fabrics ensure excellent thermal insulation without sacrificing comfort and dexterity. Though lining materials are essential for insulation, the weather also plays a role. Wind and low temperatures have a massive impact on hand protection in winter.

4. Water and Wind Resistance

Gloves and mittens made for high performance must be water and wind-resistant. It applies both on or off the trail.

Some gloves and mittens contain waterproof and breathable membranes. It makes them partially or fully waterproof. If you wear waterproof gloves or mittens, it has a benefit. They can shield off the rain and snow.

But it may not be enough to keep your hands warm and dry. If the material isn’t breathable enough, moisture builds up inside the gloves. It will reduce their thermal insulation capacity and produce an unpleasant feeling.

You could choose to wear gloves with semipermeable membranes. They should provide protection against water coming from the outside. But they should also contain water-vapour permeability. It helps in dealing with the moisture on the gloves.

By applying a hydrophobic coating, waterproofing of the glove’s outer surface can increase.

5. Breathability

Along with water resistance, your gloves and mittens also need breathability. It involves a material’s ability to permeate air and transport moisture out of the glove. This procedure prevents overheating and keeps your hands dry.

A good pair of gloves have the right balance between air permeability and limited cooling effects of cold air entry.

6. Touchscreen Compatibility

Touchscreen-friendly gloves have been pretty popular in recent years. Such gloves and mittens have touchscreen-compatible fingers and palms. They allow you to use your gadgets and devices with ease.

Additional Features for Gloves

Apart from the essentials, your gloves and mittens should have some more features. It always enhances the functionality and the look.

• 1. Leather Palms

This feature will provide an excellent grip. It also handles abrasion better than synthetic palms.

• 2. Long Gauntlet Cuffs

This feature extends over your jacket’s sleeves. They also can be cinch closed to keep snow and cold air from getting in.

• 3. Wrist Cinches

As the name suggests, snug the gloves at the wrists. It gives you a comfortable, secure fit on your hands.

• 4. Zippered Pockets

You often find this feature on the back of the hand. They’re sized to fit disposable hand warmer packets in those pockets. They can double up as vents on warmer winter days.

• 5. Thumb Wipes

A thumb wipe is another feature found on many gloves. It’s a soft material on the thumbs to wipe your nose. It will be helpful when your nose begins to drip.

• 6. Leashes or wrist cords

They secure your gloves or mittens to your wrists. It prevents you from dropping one from the chairlift while in the mountains.

Types of Gloves and Mittens to Buy Winter Wear Online

There’s good variety in the gloves and mittens you would like to wear. So it’s good to be aware abou them when you buy winter wear online. Let’s have a look at gloves and then mittens.

Types of Gloves

1. Liner Gloves

The liner type of gloves are thin, lightweight, versatile and moisture-wicking. Along with that, they’re also quick-drying and comfortable.

They have a bulk-free fit and compact design. It helps with ease of movement. But it also fits under outer gloves while using a two-glove system.

An effective liner should be durable, abrasion-resistant, and provide warmth. It should also allow dexterity to:

• Tie Shoes
• adjust a zipper
• use a phone
• do chores in camp.

Apart from these activities, remember that synthetics can melt in the heat from a stove.

Merino wool and many of its blends are among the popular choices of materials. But don’t rule out synthetic fibres such as acrylic, nylon, and polyester. They, too, are fit for liner gloves.

Most liners are worn under another set of gloves in cold or wet weather. You won’t get the warmth of thick gloves in freezing temperatures by wearing gloves alone.

Liners fit well as stand-alone gloves. But you could couple it with other gloves for outdoor work. It includes cycling, fishing, skiing, running, and hiking.

2. Heated Gloves

Heated gloves are battery-powered. They provide more heat to the entire hand in cold weather. They should be windproof and water-resistant too. If they aren’t waterproof, you won’t get to use them in wet weather for long.

Each glove has a zippered compartment assigned for batteries. The palms come with leather or hard-wearing material for durability and weather resistance.

Thinner and lighter models have better dexterity and grip for boots or zippers. Thicker designs are difficult to work with. But they will keep your hands warmer in bitter cold weather. Good models are well-designed and easy to use.

You can use heated gloves while working, bike riding, skiing or snowboarding. It also works for your mountain climbing expeditions.

These gloves may not be as popular as other types. But they have their benefits and features.

3. Fingerless Gloves

Fingerless gloves increase your skin temperature compared to bare hands. But, they might restrict finger flexibility.

Fingerless gloves provide increased fingertip sensitivity and functionality compared to normal gloves. The materials used are the same ones used for gloves.

These gloves suit outdoor activities like rock climbing, operating cameras or mobile phones.

Types of mittens

1. Classic Winter Mittens

Classic mittens are thick and warm. They will provide excellent protection on the coolest winter days. They’re supposed to keep your hands warm while protecting you from the elements. Good mitts are roomy, so you can use liner gloves.

The common mitt fabrics are synthetics. The list consists of nylon, polyester, polyurethane, polyamide, and spandex. Leather and faux leather are also used for the shell and reinforcement of palms and fingers.

2. Shell Mittens

Here’s another popular type of mitten to buy winter wear online. It’s the shell mitt. It aims to provide waterproof and breathable protection in snowy/wet environments.

Hence, a shell mitt should be lightweight, flexible and durable. Along with that it should be quick-drying, and compressible for storage purposes.

In short, shell mitts should be functional. They’re built to excel in stormy and damp conditions. They’re often layered with medium-weight and liner gloves and thicker mittens.

The main fabrics for this mitt include synthetics. It could be of polyester, nylon, or spandex.

Its features include elasticized wrists, pull-on loops, and hook-and-loop or velcro straps.

Again shell mitts are ideal for outdoor activities. It includes hiking, backpacking, trail running or skiing.

3. Heated Mittens

Like heated gloves, Battery-powered mittens are getting more popular. As the name suggests, they’re designed to keep your hands warm in cold climates.

These mittens have different levels of heat. It allows you to adjust as per your needs and surroundings.

Each of them has a zippered compartment for rechargeable batteries. Well-heated mittens are well-made with quality constructions.

The heating elements cover essential parts of the hand. It consists of the back of the hand, the fingers, and the thumb.

In this way, you get an even distribution of heat. They also have leather palms and fingers. It allows for better grip, durability and weather resistance.

Some of them are touch-screen-compatible too. The leather thumb tips allow you to use your smartphones and tablets.

Heated mittens work well for skiing, and hiking, as well as at your workplace. Buy an extra set of batteries to enjoy a full day out during winter.

Gloves or Mittens to Buy Winter Wear Online for Skiing

Many skiers like to wear gloves when they’re grasping ski poles. They are grippy and agile. Also, they make buckling and unbuckling your boots easier.

Cross-country skiers often prefer wearing lightweight gloves. The material helps to wick away moisture as much as possible. It helps them when they sweat.

If skiing or snowboarding excites you, suitable gloves are a must.

Gloves or Mittens to Buy Winter Wear Online for Snowboarding

Whether you choose gloves or mittens while snowboarding is your choice. It depends on personal preferences. Some snowboarders prefer to use their fingers while adjusting bindings or using tools. Others like to focus on staying warm.

There are some features that you need to look for. It applies to any glove or mitten when you buy winter wear online.

First, snowboarding gloves need reinforced palms. It’s a must to withstand dragging your hands on the snow. It’s also an excellent idea to have wrist loops.

As mentioned earlier, this feature prevents losing your gloves on the chairlift. And it also keeps you and your gloves together if you fall.

Snowboarding mitts and gloves are reinforced around the tips of the fingers. They come with wrap-around cuffs.

Conclusion

So I hope you’ve got some idea about winter gloves by now. When you buy winter wear online, they should be on your list. Mittens should be on your list too. They’re an excellent alternative to your gloves in winter.

If you wear the right pair and wear them well,m you’ll reap the rewards.

This post was written by Kosha team member – Shawn Mathias