Okay, show of hands.
Who else is still searching for that perfect glove that’ll keep your hands warm in the freezing cold?
Yeah, most of us are.
The fact is, there are so many opinions on what is best that it is hard to know who to trust.
I went on a search to find the best cold weather hunting gloves and I was surprised by what I found.
Let me explain.
Quick Summary of My Findings
Before I get into what surprised me, here is a summary of how I ended up ranking the gloves.
If you are in a hurry, here is the bottom line:
- First Lite Grizzly Cold Weather Glove is my favorite glove if you hunt in temperatures below 20°F.
- Badlands Convection Gloves are my top recommendation for those hunting 20°F and above.
- If you are looking for a budget option, get some good merino liner gloves, the Carhartt Mitts, and some hand warmers.
How cold is “cold”?
One issue I came across was that everyone has a different definition of what cold is.
Some think cold is below freezing (32F). Others don’t consider it cold until the temperature is sub-zero.
For this reason, I broke up my recommendations into two groups.
The first group is for those hunting in the coldest temperatures. I considered this anything under 20F.
If you are interested in learning more about how I decided which gloves are best, read the buyer’s guide at the end of the article.
The Best Extreme Weather Hunting Gloves
(20°F and below)
1. First Lite Grizzly Cold Weather Glove
Score: 4.5/5
Key Features and Specs:
- First Lite’s attempt at the ultimate cold weather glove.
- Hunting mittens combined with articulating trigger finger
- Lots of leather reinforcement for durability
- Includes removable liner.
- The reviews for these gloves are phenomenal.
My take: These are the best cold weather hunting gloves money can buy. I love the trigger finger design combined with the mitten for the other fingers. You will be thrilled with your purchase.
2. Sitka Incinerator Flip Mitt
Score: 4.3/5
Key Features and Specs:
- Sitka is one of the most popular high performance hunting clothing brands on the market today.
- focus on form-fitting, high performance materials.
- These gloves feature a flip open mitt to capture the dexterity of gloves and the warmth of mittens.
- The outershell is a special windstopping material.
My take: I like everything about these gloves. In my opinion they could easily be considered the best cold weather hunting gloves made. The only reason I ranked them below the First Lite’s is because these require the mitt to be flipped up to use the trigger. Any design that pairs hunting mittens with trigger finger is guaranteed to be popular if made well. If you plan on hunting in very cold climates, consider investing in these high performance gloves.
3. Carhartt W.P Waterproof Mitt
Score: 4.1/5
Key Features and Specs:
- Durable, high quality design you would expect from Carhartt
- They feature a special synthetic material for wicking moisture from the hands.
- A waterproof and windproof polytex shell.
- The price point is great especially considering the cost of the other gloves on this list.
My take: These Carhartt mittens were the be surprise in my search. These are highly rated. I think they will be an excellent combination when paired with a merino wool liner. This will be the setup I will be trying next hunting season. My biggest issues with them are that there isn’t a camo option and that they require you to take the mitt off to use the trigger.
4. Sitka Blizzard GTX Mitten
Score: 4.1/5
Key Features and Specs:
- Waterproof Gore-Tex Shell
- Removable PrimaLoft insulated liner for warmth.
- Designed for all climates.
My take: These mittens by Sitka are another great cold weather hunting glove. I like them for all the same reasons as I like the Flip-Mitts. My only gripe with them is that they are the same price as the Flip-Mitts but they do not flip open.
5. Hot Shot Huntsman Pop-Top
Score: 3.8/5
Key Features and Specs:
- Affordable gloves for someone who prefers the flip-top style glove but can’t afford the Sitka Flip-Mitts.
- 80g of Thinsulate insulation as well as a anti-microbial lining so they don’t start to smell.
- ProText finger tip so you can operate your cell phone without taking the glove off.
My take: For the price I think they are great gloves. They don’t seem to be quite as durable as the others and some owners say they could be warmer. Adding hand warmers (discussed below) can help overcome the few shortcomings.
6. Heatmax Heated Fleece Mittens
Score: 3.7/5
Key Features and Specs:
- Integrated “pockets” to place hand warmers inside.
My take: If you plan to hunt from a sheltered blind I think they could work well. I personally prefer the gloves discussed above. These gloves should keep you warm under the right conditions but I have a few concerns:
- Some say the warmers fall out easily.
- They will not help much if they get wet.
Best Hunting Gloves for Cold Weather
(Above 20°F)
If you hunt in 20-40°F weather, look at the gloves in the second group. These gloves will not perform as well in the most extreme conditions but do offer better dexterity.
1. Badlands Convection Gloves
Score: 4.3/5
Key Features and Specs:
- 100% Polyester
- Waterproof
- These gloves are much more flexible than they look.
- Warm despite a slimmer profile.
My take: Badlands did a good job of making these warm without them being too bulky. I love Badlands products. They make exceptional gear at a modest price. I have been using their backpacks for a few years now and couldn’t be happier. Given that, I am considering purchasing these for next hunting season. I will post a complete review if I do.
2. Sitka Coldfront
Score: 4.2/5
Key Features and Specs:
- Waterproof but breathable with GORE-TEX
- Leather palms
- Designed for use in any element
My take: If you have the money to spend and you want the best cold weather gloves money can by, the Sitka Coldfronts are the best you can get. The offer the best combination of comfort, durability, dexterity, and warmth.
3. Under Armour Men’s SC
Score: 3.7/5
Key Features and Specs:
- Feature Tech Touch on thumbs and fingers so you can use your phone.
- Under Armour’s Scent Control technology.
- Foam padding over knuckles for protection.
My take: As most of you know, Under Armour is a major clothing retailer. Their hunting gear is typically high quality and focused on performance. Like their other clothing, they focus on pleasing customers who put their gear to the test. Owners say these are well made but run a bit small. The Under Armour scent control gloves are a solid choice for someone looking for a good quality glove. They are suitable for all but the most extreme conditions.
4. Hot Shot Defender
Score: 3.7/5
Key Features and Specs:
- They feature a waterproof liner to keep your hands dry.
- The price point is excellent. They are so cheap I will be buying a pair to throw in my truck for use even when not hunting.
- They are light enough that you are still able to feel the trigger while shooting.
My take: Another solid choice from Hot Shot. The Defender model has less insulation than the Huntsman model. At this price point, these are hard to beat. The Hot Shot Defenders are a great choice if on a tight budget.
Ranking Cold Weather Hunting Gloves
Instead of basing my conclusion purely on the reviews of others, I turned to science.
Keeping hands warm follows the same layering principles you should be using for the rest of your body.
For those of you that are not familiar here is the basic gist:
- Breathable base layer
- Insulating layer
- Outer layers that include a shell to protect from elements.
This scientist takes the same approach to keeping his hands warm in -40F temperatures.
While doing research, I learned the following:
- Water conducts heat much better than air so it is important to wear gloves with a material material touching the skin. This rules out any cotton options.
- Open, coarse knitting pattern does a poor job of protecting from wind.
- Outer layer must provide wind and water protection.
- In the layers between the outer shell and the layer touching the skin you want to trap warm air. This layer provides the insulation.
- Finger tips are a problematic area because they usually have less of this surrounding insulation layer.
- Mittens do a much better job of keeping your fingers warm because they keep their warmth together. When you have individual fingers they are all on their own. Not only are they on their own, but more surface area is exposed to the cold air. The result is they lose heat much faster.
Keys to keeping your hands warm in the cold:
- Use multiple layers
- Use mittens to keep finger heat trapped together
- Use wicking material for layer that touches skin
- Use an air trapping insulation layer
- Use an outer shell that protects from wind and water
- Use hand warmers for added warmth
Scoring System
Here is a breakdown of the scoring system I used to rank the gloves.
- Warmth: Combination of insulation, water protection, and wind protection. Mittens scored better than gloves. Max 2 points
- Durability: Here I considered the materials used, whether there seemed like any flaws, and the feedback of others. Max 1 point
- Comfort: For comfort, I looked at the fit and overall design. I considered finger fit, thumb fit, palm fit, and wrist fit. Max 1 point
- Dexterity: The ability to still use your hands for hunting related tasks is a benefit. Ideally you can still operate your weapons but that was not the case for all gloves. Max 1 point
Other Ways To Keep Your Hands Warm While Hunting
1. Use Glove Liners
- Keep phalanges from freezing over by slipping into the cozy Smartwool® glove.
Looking for more warmth?
Try a multi-layered approach.
By using a liner glove you will add extra insulation as well as a good wicking material against your skin.
I used a merino wool liner all last season. When it was warmer, I would only use the liner.
This worked great.
The liner glove is much thinner and lightweight so I hardly lost any dexterity by using it.
When the temperatures were cooler, I added a second pair of gloves for more insulation and protection.
2. Use Hand Warmers For Extra Warmth
- SAFE, NATURAL LONG-LASTING HEAT - Odorless, Disposable, Single-Use Item, Do Not Apply Directly to The Skin. TSA Approved. Made in the USA using domestic and imported materials.
- TO ACTIVATE - Remove warmer from outer package, shake to activate. Warmer heats up in 15-30 minutes. If heat decreases, expose warmer to air and shake. After use, dispose with regular garbage. Ingredients will not harm the environment.
- MULTIPURPOSE WARMERS - Single use air-activated heat packs that provide everyday warmth and are ideal for keeping your body warm when the temperature gets cold. They’re available in several styles designed for your hands, feet, and body.
They typically stay warm for 8-10 hours so you may want to carry extras in your backpack.
I personally use a Zippo hand warmer.
Owning the 12 hour version, I have confirmed that it does in fact stay warm for the full 12 hours.
The design is nice and slim so it fits well in your pockets or backpack when not in use.
I like the fact that it is reusable and I don’t have to throw something in the trash every time I use it.
- Includes easy fill technology
- Improved fill cup helps reduce spills
- Perfect for all cold weather activities
Gloves to Avoid When Hunting in the Cold
In my search I also came across some gloves that do not follow the principles in this article.
There seems to be some flaws for use in the cold. The Amazon reviews seem to support my suspicions.
Here are 3 pairs of gloves I would avoid using in cold weather.
What I Don’t Like:
- Little insulation
- Not waterproof
- Some owners have had issues with the durability after little use.
What I Don’t Like:
- While these gloves look like they might perform well in cold conditions, I question their durability.
- Others have complained the material is too loose and baggy, and thinner than they appear.
- The quality does not seem to be on par with the gloves I recommend above.
There is a lot to like about these, the fingerless mitten combo is great if you are looking for a combination of warmth and dexterity.
These are great gloves, but hear me out…
What I Don’t Like:
- The loose, course knitting is not going to do a great job of blocking any wind. My experience with this style of gloves confirms, they don’t work great in the wind.
- They are also not the most durable design, the rough knitting comes unstitched more easily and is prone to snagging.
If you are looking for a good general purpose glove for cold weather, these are great. But I would not wear them when hunting in the cold.