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Jul 01, 2023

6 Best Heated Gloves for Winter Adventures: Tested

We tested the top battery powered heated gloves in the frigid wilds

We tested the top battery powered heated gloves in the frigid wilds of Maine to find out which pairs work the best

Author

Katherine Englishman

No matter how much fun you're having, cold hands and frozen fingers that cannot be thawed no matter how many disposable hand warmers you use are a fast way to ruin a good day. Maybe you’ve experienced this icy discomfort while riding a slow chair lift in subzero temps, felt the cold sting on your knuckles during a windy bike ride, or experienced a lingering numbness during a winter camping trip. In cold environments, our hands are among the first to lose blood and become cold, but in any chilly situation, a pair of electric-heated gloves can provide a little boost of heat that helps increase warmth and circulation throughout your extremities.

Today, most heated gloves are a hybrid of high-performance winter gloves with an attached battery that heats up your glove without any connecting wires. Not only do they provide the same top-notch protection as ski gloves and work gloves, they also offer lasting comfort so you can extend your time outside. However, many if not most are expensive, costing hundreds of dollars, but they can still be a worthwhile investment if you struggle to stay warm in the cold.

Rather than leave it up to chance, we tested the most popular battery-powered pairs of gloves in the middle of a Maine winter to find out which are the best based on the quality of their technology, comfort, and durability.

When deciding what pair of heated gloves to buy, seek out ones that are windproof and waterproof, well-insulated to seal in warmth, and durable enough to withstand wear and tear. Depending on what you’re doing—snowboarding or just walking the dog in the morning—you should take into consideration the battery life and how long you need the heat to last.

Since some batteries can interfere with avalanche beacon signals, leave your heated gloves at home when heading out on backcountry adventures

Always make sure to charge the batteries in your heated gloves the day before you plan to use them—most require 5-6 hours to get a full charge

If you plan to use your heated gloves later in the day, store them in a warm place like an internal jacket pocket or a backpack that's close to the body. Not only will they remain easily accessible, but they’ll also be warmer from the start

Charge your batteries every six months to extend battery life

Ok, so it's a mitten not a glove. But still, for extreme coziness and enduring warmth when you’re outside, Black Diamond's high-tech heated mittens are our go-to. Surprisingly lightweight, the battery-powered gloves heat up fast and stay warm, with three heat settings, a redesigned heating element that covers the fingers, and back of the hand, and even wraps around the wrist to increase overall warmth. To keep out moisture, there's a durable, waterproof Gore-Tex exterior working in tandem with breathable PrimaLoft insulation that ensured my hands were always perfectly toasty and never sweaty, even as I moved. A grippy palm makes for decent dexterity, as it's fairly easy to hold onto a ski or trekking pole, but these substantial goat leather mitts do need some breaking in!

Battery and Heat Settings: Low, 100° F, 8 hrs; Medium, 113° F, 4.5-4.8 hrs; High, 131° F 1.5-1.8 hrsPrice: $400

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With this hefty price tag comes a whole lot of warmth, performance, and long-lasting heating technology that is effective and easy to use. Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries enable OR's burly but well-fitting heated gloves to deliver warmth throughout the entire hand in what feels like seconds and lasts up to eight hours on the lowest setting. You only need to push a button on the cuff to adjust the temperature settings, and both the index finger and thumb are touchscreen compatible so you don't have to expose your hands to the cold. Between the long, cinchable gauntlet and a supple outer layer of water and windproof Gore-Tex, these heated gloves do an excellent job of keeping out the cold, wind, snow, and sleet (all of which we encountered testing them during winter in New England). They’re versatile enough when you want warmth and a good grip whether you’re riding a freezing chair lift, traversing a wind-whipped ridgeline, or shoveling snow.

Want warm gloves that are a little less intense? Check out softshell Outdoor Research's SureShot Heated Gloves for men and women.

Battery and Heat Settings: Low, 8hrs; Medium, 5hrs; High, 2.5hrsPrice: $329

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Arguably the most intuitive heated gloves on the market, the Guide Pro Heated Gloves connect to an app called clim8 that uses AI technology to calibrate the heat according to your temperature, location, cold sensitivity, and activity. PrimaLoft Gold insulation and soft fleece on the inside pairs with a supple Pittards leather palm and waterproof shell to provide excellent coverage when you’re out in the elements for a long period of time. At first glance, these battery-powered heated gloves appear big and bulky but the pro guide tested & approved gloves are surprisingly dexterous and lightweight with a cinchable gauntlet that extends nearly halfway up the forearm. The back of the entire thumb sports an ultra-soft nose wipe too—snifflers and snot rocket-ers, rejoice!

Battery and Heat Settings: Run time depends on heat settings, use, and range of wearPrice: $299

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The North Face's heated glove is ideal for cold morning commutes, walking the dog, or a little boost of warmth for winter sports without too much heat. The built-in battery packs only provide up to an hour of heat—far less than a typical disposable hand warmer—but the DWR finish and windproof backer shield you from the biting winter weather, along with a soft, fleece liner that keeps those hands toasty warm. I found that these heated gloves were great for a mellow hike in colder temps and appreciated the silicone grip which made it easy to grab keys or a phone without taking my gloves off. They're also by far the most affordable heated gloves on this list.

Want a more style-forward heated glove for everyday use? The North Face also offers the refined women's Etip Quilted Heated Gloves.

Battery and Heat Settings: One setting, up to one hourPrice: $110

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Heritage Swedish glove brand Hestra is beloved for making stylish and functional winter gloves for cold-weather outdoor sports and adventures, and have just turned up the heat with their new innovative heated liners designed to turn any glove into a heated glove. Made with a super soft and stretchy tricot textile for dexterity, these heated liners have laminated panels with heating wires woven into the fabric so they stretch and move with your hands to prevent wear and tear. "The number one thing that breaks down in a heated glove is the wiring from the battery," says Steven Binns, Hestra's marketing manager. "The woven panels allow it to be much thinner, flexible, and move with you. The panels also create a zone of heat between the liner and glove, so there isn't direct heat on your hand and you can remove the glove to dump heat if you need." Aside from the superior comfort, the design helps regulate temperature with the Inuheat heating system that can be controlled manually or with a smartphone app where you can set it to sense your movement so you won't overheat. The price is high, but these premium heated liners are made to last (and they're machine washable), so you can enjoy every chilly lap or early morning winter hike just the same.

If you're a mittens person, check out Hestra's Heated Liner Mitt.

Battery and Heat Settings: Low, 6+hrs; Medium, 3.5hrs; Low, 2hrsPrice: $320

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These heated gloves are a standout not just for the flexible 3-in-1 design, but for how much warmth they provide on the front and back of the hands, as well as each finger within the glove liners. Powered by rechargeable batteries (charger included) with three temperature settings, the inner fleece glove liners are made from a lightweight yet warm Thinsulate material, and you can wear them without the outer shell. Although the liners aren't waterproof, they’re excellent for keeping hands warm during outdoor activities, with great dexterity, lasting heat, touchscreen-compatible fabric that's super responsive, and wonderful breathability. Wear the outer shell over the glove liners for a water-resistant layer to block out wind, snow, and freezing rain, or just on their own. As a winter lover who struggles with poor circulation and Raynaud's Disease, these heated gloves gave me the maximum amount of warmth throughout my whole hand, and even after several hours there was not a single frozen finger left out in the cold.

Battery and Heat Settings: Low, 8hrs; Medium, 5hrs; High, 3hrsPrice: $210 $129

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Speaking of cold adventures, check out photos from a harrowing climb up Alaska's Mt. Huntington.

Published 01-20-2023