Whether you are skiing or snowboarding, choosing the right gloves is mandatory. Icy fingers or hands aren’t good, I mean what’s the use of gloves if it doesn’t keep your hands warm and safe? To keep hands warm in cold temperatures, you have two choices, one is gloves and the other is mitts or mittens. Both gloves and mitts are great for skiers and snowboarders. Gloves have pockets for each finger that help in gripping, handling gear and provide dexterity, etc. On the other hand, mittens consist of two pockets, one for the thumb and another big one is for the rest of the four fingers. This pocket arrangement helps the fingers stay warmer than the gloves, however, it doesn’t allow much dexterity compared to gloves. With that being said let’s talk take a look at the comparison between gloves and mittens.
As we have discussed earlier, mittens provide more warmth than gloves. This is due to the fact that your fingers can share heat between each other and warm air circulates in the pocket more easily. Gloves put more surface area in contact with cold air and hence won’t keep your hand much warm like mitts. But here’s the twist! Mittens can provide you with less heat depending on the construction and the materials that are being used to make it. And gloves these days can also provide more warmth just like mitts.
The quality is the most important aspect to look for when choosing gloves or mittens. Fleece linings like Thinsulate are very warm and lock your body warmth. If you prefer mitts but find yourself taking it on and off constantly that wouldn’t help to keep your hands all warm. So, wear glove liners inside your mittens will keep your hands dry and warm even if you take off your mittens.
Gloves or Mitts for Skiers
Most skiers wear gloves for better dexterity and easy handling of the gear. However, mittens can be worn as well if you don’t have problems handling or holding things. If you aren’t able to handle the poles with mittens, opt for lobster mittens. Lobster mittens are mittens that have three-finger pockets which means an extra pocket for the pointer finger along with the thumb and 4 finger pockets. Lobsters provide much more dexterity and flexibility. Gloves, however, are your best choice if you want full control over your hands and fingers. Yet, thick gloves are still difficult to work with.
Mittens or Gloves for Snowboarders
Many snowboarders opt for mittens during snowboarding because they don’t need to handle poles like skiing but only something that can keep their hands warm. Gloves can be worn for snowboarders as well which makes the taking off and putting on bindings at the start and end of each run much easier. It’s just a matter of preference, some people find mittens useful while some find gloves useful.
Conclusion
Good gloves, for example, Hestra gloves can provide extra warmth and help you with dexterity while mittens can provide extra warmth for your hands. Always remember to look for fully waterproof and breathable gloves and mittens. That said, everyone has a different preference and there is no right or wrong. However, a general answer in terms of glove vs mittens comparison would that gloves are best for skiing and mittens for snowboarding.