Best winter gloves?

Does anyone have any good recommendations for winter gloves? I have bought a few and they are too bulky or not warm enough.

thanks

Gloves, even thick ones, don't work that well in really cold temperatures. Mittens used with thin liner gloves work well. You can remove the mittens and adjust your camera, or whatever, with the liner gloves on.

I had great luck using the Manzella Cascade Convertible Gloves on my recent trip to Antarctica. These are fingerless gloves that have a mitten that goes over the fingers. I wore a thin layer of fleece gloves under the Manzella gloves. This combination kept my hands warm and gave me the dexterity I needed to work my camera controls. I highly recommend this combination.

I am a big fan of wearing convertible mittens with thinner gloves underneath. Used them successfully in Yellowstone, Bosque and Hokkaido/Japan at temperatures into the teens. After trying several models for the convertible mittens in past years I finally found and used the following model last winter:

http://marmot.com/products/details/wind ... ible-glove

What makes them great is that they are available in XXL which is good if you normally wear XL but now wear thinner gloves in addition underneath. But even more important, they have a magnetic closure instead of the more typical velcro to hold back the mitten part. That's good because the mittens with the exposed velcro tend to stick to all sort of stuff, e.g. when reaching inside a camera bag or in your jackets outside pockets etc.

They are actually still thin/flexible enough that even with the mitten part "closed", and liner gloves underneath, I can still operate most of my camera's functions. Obviously, they are no good if things get wet...

Joerg

Joerg Rockenberger wrote:I am a big fan of wearing convertible mittens with thinner gloves underneath. Used them successfully in Yellowstone, Bosque and Hokkaido/Japan at temperatures into the teens. After trying several models for the convertible mittens in past years I finally found and used the following model last winter:

http://marmot.com/products/details/wind ... ible-glove

What makes them great is that they are available in XXL which is good if you normally wear XL but now wear thinner gloves in addition underneath. But even more important, they have a magnetic closure instead of the more typical velcro to hold back the mitten part. That's good because the mittens with the exposed velcro tend to stick to all sort of stuff, e.g. when reaching inside a camera bag or in your jackets outside pockets etc.

They are actually still thin/flexible enough that even with the mitten part "closed", and liner gloves underneath, I can still operate most of my camera's functions. Obviously, they are no good if things get wet...

Joerg

Joerg, I would be concerned about any magnetic devices around digital memory devices like memory cards etc.  Are there any reports of issues?

Ed Cordes wrote:

Joerg Rockenberger wrote:I am a big fan of wearing convertible mittens with thinner gloves underneath. Used them successfully in Yellowstone, Bosque and Hokkaido/Japan at temperatures into the teens. After trying several models for the convertible mittens in past years I finally found and used the following model last winter:

http://marmot.com/products/details/wind ... ible-glove

What makes them great is that they are available in XXL which is good if you normally wear XL but now wear thinner gloves in addition underneath. But even more important, they have a magnetic closure instead of the more typical velcro to hold back the mitten part. That's good because the mittens with the exposed velcro tend to stick to all sort of stuff, e.g. when reaching inside a camera bag or in your jackets outside pockets etc.

They are actually still thin/flexible enough that even with the mitten part "closed", and liner gloves underneath, I can still operate most of my camera's functions. Obviously, they are no good if things get wet...

Joerg

Joerg, I would be concerned about any magnetic devices around digital memory devices like memory cards etc.  Are there any reports of issues?

Maybe around hard drives which are magnetic but definitely NOT around flash memory cards of any type which are completely unaffected.  Note that Apple's iPad and the Apple iPad cover uses relatively strong rare earth magnets to hold the cover in place and also to keep it closed and these use flash memory for storage.  The device actually has strong magnets built into it's case.

Thanks E.J. for the clarification.

In the mittens a feature I look for is a pocket that you can insert hand warmer packets on the back side of your fingers. Also I've used the mittens with magnets & never had any problem. I shop for gloves & mittens in the hunting stores, big selection & hunters typically have the same needs as photogs.

Here's something about magnets from Sandisk, but it only talks about SD cards:

http://kb.sandisk.com/app/answers/detai ... kw/Magnets

Regarding the gloves or mittens, I recommend Thinsulate insulation because it is thin and warm. The thinness makes it more flexible with more control. Goretex is also nice to have for waterproofing.

Joe

What EJ said. Also, those magnets in the gloves are pretty weak.

I personally prefer the manzella convertible mitt over the marmot simply because it allows you to expose the thumb. Cabelas at one time made a convertible mitt that had more thinsulate stuffing but I'm not sure if they do anymore. They really had a nice one that was a shooters mitt gortex hard shell leather palms thinsulate where the trigger finger was separated from the other three fingers (not convertible at all). I was able to operate the camera fully with that mitt but it is no longer made. I've yet to find one currently made that is nearly as good. I started with polypro liners and thermax liners but have moved to Mountain hardware's power stretch glove. It is warmer with roughly the same dexterity. I also continue to use the fingerless climbing gloves made of a windblocker type polartec material. These still do in reasonable weather (plenty for Antarctica) shoving my hands in my coat pockets (Northern Lights in Fairbanks at -5 or so where most people would probably have preferred the convertible mitts and my finger tips did get cold) when there is slack in the action. I've also added a outdoor research alti mitten. I substituted the fingerless climbing gloves for the liner than comes with the alti mitt, the shell of which is insulated but this is frankly overkill (use the Eskimo mitt leases so when you remove the shell they stay with you). With a convertible mitt, I've done Yellowstone with a park service licensed snowmobile guide in winter in the single digits to mid teens talk about windchill. The key to all this is the chemical heat packs that you put inside the glove. This cannot be over emphasized. It make all the difference in the world.

I guess I should comment on where to put the heat packs. I place them under the liner either on the back of my hand or palm. If using fingerless gloves, I put some more into the pockets of my coat to help warm up my fingers when I put them in the pockets during a pause in the action. You could also put them in the part of a convertible mitt that flips back. I've not done it but that might require a pocket to keep it in place. Under the liner it stays in place pretty well.

Typically I only have to deal with temps down into the 20's but as I get older I get less resistant to cold temps. I've fiddled with a number of gloves/mittens etc but have discovered that the several (5-6) pairs of Head gloves (thin, for walkers/runners)I bought at Costco ($10-12) and keep in packs/glove compartments/camera bags/etc when overlaid with heavy duty Ragg wool fingerless gloves that I originally bought years ago for winter steelheading works just fine, affording me enough warmth over most of my hands/fingers to keep the tips warm enough (or just flex them fast to stimulate circulation and warming). This affords me sufficient dexterity, even able to use a smartphone with sensi-touch finger tips! I do lots of multi-hour birding walks at slow, non-aerobic pace. I'm still working on a combo for pouring down winter rain conditions, but those are generally in the mid 30's or higher. Keeping your body's trunk and head warm has a lot to do with keeping toes and fingers warm.

i agree. If I can get away with it (temperature wise), I still prefer the fingerless gloves. The only thing I would caution, wool, particularly when it is new, is more likely to shed fibers than polartec.

It all depends on how cold?  Plus wind chill?  For long periods or short?  Coming from a warm climate or cold?   Good or weak circulation?  This all makes a difference.  

My solution is to think in terms of a hand layering system as there is "no one solution fits all" cold weather gloves.

Mild cold: Overland sheepskin gloves.  Also use for setting up and breaking down cold weather gear.

10 to minus 20F:  Seirus softshell or Rab Alpine gloves under Swany Arctic Toaster zippered mitts w/warmers inside and the liners cut out.  My gloved trigger finger is exposed through the zipper or I slip a remote control inside.

Minus 20 - 35F:  Seirus All Weather or Rab Alpine gloves under Rab Expedition down mitts (more tactile feel than TNF Himys or OR Altis, etc.)

Minus 35F and below:  Seirus All Weather or Rab Alpine gloves under custom-made gauntlet sheepskin mitts w/hand warmers and remote control inside.

See the whys and links on my blog under The Never Ending Quest for Warm Fingers.

Chris

I purchased a pair of Heat Smart 3 gloves and they are spectacular, very well made. They do take quite a while to arrive!
I will do a full review after Yellowstone this month. Check English US at top  left of site.
http://www.theheatcompany.com/en/gloves/heat-3-smart

Additionally, I have had good success with Black Diamond Mercury Mitts. Suggest a thin liner glove when exposing hand.
http://blackdiamondequipment.com/en/ski ... 6_cfg.html

Manzella Cascade Glove Mitts are very warm and inexpensive $19. Get a larger size and wear a thin liner glove underneath.
Get 2 pair, you will love these gloves. 

With all glove mitts you need only expose your thumb and index finger, keeping the other fingers inside the mitten when shooting.

In the coldest of sustained temps beaver mitten are the warmest above all others, with a wired cable release being placed inside the mitten.

In moderate cold a leather goat skin work glove blocks wind better than any other material, and offers excellent dexterity.

Best,  Chas

Funny thing. I went looking for a pair of warmer gloves today given our extreme cold temps this week. I tried on a pair of Canada Goose down filled,gloves and I found them extremely warm indoors (sure, indoors yeah).....I mean I can feel it heat up. Bit bulky feeling and I need more feel in the fingers to operate a camera. I just settled for a cheaper pair of gloves made by Auclair. I'll just use hand warmers when needed. Those things can get very hot after awhile.

Although not glove related, I find the Canada Goose brand Expedition parka extremely good even in close to -40*C windchill temps. I do not feel the cold at all and I use no layering underneath.

I had a Canada Goose Snow Mantra (top of the line) and the warmest coat made, as well as the heaviest. It was impossible to travel with needing its own duffle. I sold the Snow Mantra and purchased a North Face Himalayan Parka, and I have no regrets. The NFH parka is much lighter, and being 850 loft prime goose down I can use a compressor sack and get it down to the size of a small sleeping bag for travel. I am going to have a coyote ruff sewn onto the hood. I have used the coat with very little layering in-40F temps, and have never felt the least bit chilled. Updated versions have a bit less down and a different shell fabric. Better?


Chas

Thanks for the links, Chas. Bosque last week was cold enough to chase people into their cars with heaters blasting. Cold hands were a #1 issue.

I used Head thinsulate inner gloves ($13 US) with Marmot Expedition Mitts ($115 US).

One thing I llike about the Snow Mantra over the Expedition is the removable fur ruff. The Expedition will require special care when it comes time to dryclean. Instead of sewing a fur ruff onto the NF what about sewing a piece of Velcro onto the NF and then one onto the fur ruff? I haven't seen how they do it on the Snow Mantra and just assuming that's how their attachment system works?