Late season hunts often mean braving freezing cold temperatures. Whether sitting in the stand waiting for that trophy whitetail or in a blind waiting for the ducks or geese to be attracted to the decoys, extreme cold has forced many a hunter to call it an early day. It’s definitely no fun if your ears, face or feet get too cold. However, the worst thing that can happen is to let your hands get too cold. If this happens you may find yourself clumsily fumbling with your rifle or shotgun and missing the shot.
In hunting, cold hands often mean missed shots. This is why it’s so important to bring along high quality gloves to ensure your hands stay warm. Still, finding the best hunting gloves for cold weather isn’t always the easiest thing to do. This article will help take you through the basics of what to look for in a good pair of gloves. We've also reviewed some of the best winter hunting gloves so you can stay warm and ready when it’s time to take the big shot.
*Updated 2018
GLOVES | OUR RATING | PRICE |
|---|---|---|
Under Armour ColdGear Infrared Scent Control 2.0 Primer Gloves
OUR RATING: 5 Stars
These incredible hunting gloves from Under Armour truly have it all, featuring the company’s GoldGear Infrared lining. This special printed lining uses a unique inner coating that helps to trap your body heat. The palm of the gloves is covered in a printed silicone pattern for a slip-free grip that ensures you always keep hold of your gun. To make sure your scent doesn’t give you away, the gloves also feature Under Armour’s Scent Control 2.0 technology to help contain and hide your smell. Six ounces of water-resistant PrimaLoft insulation line the gloves, offering breathable, lightweight warmth throughout the day. Available in five different Mossy Oak, Ridge Reaper and RealTree camo patterns, these gloves can’t be beat.
Like other top companies, Under Armour doesn’t just produce these gloves in a men’s version, Women’s and youth versions are also available, both of which still rank as one of the best and top rated products out there. In addition, the company also makes a similar style of liner gloves that can be used on warmer days or for an added layer of warmth on those extremely cold hunting trips.
Hot Shot Predator Pop-Top Mitten
OUR RATING: 4.5 Stars
If you’re a fan of pop-top mittens, you’ve got to check out these ones from Hot Shot. Unlike many other pop-top mittens that leave your fingers exposed, these are more of a hybrid between a mitten and shooting glove. Underneath the mitten your hands will stay nice and toasty in the warm lining, while still retaining the dexterity and movement you need to pull the trigger.
The gloves are lined with 80 grams of Thinsulate. This is enough to keep your hands warm in all but the most extreme conditions. Like other pop-top mittens, these offer the added benefit of being able to cool your hands off a bit when they get too warm, without having to take the gloves off.
Clam Ice Armor Mittens
OUR RATING: 4 Stars
For those days when the temperatures do become too extreme, sometimes a plain glove won’t do. Instead, do yourself a favor and let your fingers help warm each other up inside these mittens. Ice Armor gloves have long been famous for being incredibly warm, but these mittens take it even a step further. Loaded with a whopping 150 grams of Thinsulate, these are truly some of the warmest things money can buy.
One thing to keep in mind when buying mittens, it's a good idea to buy a size larger than normal. The extra space around your hands provides a bit more room to trap warm air.
Manzella Productions Bow Ranger TouchTip Glove
OUR RATING: 4.5 Stars
When it comes to bow hunting in cold weather, these Manzella hunting gloves are ideal. The stretchy fleece isn’t that thick, but it should generally keep your hands plenty warm on those earlier season hunts, as long as the temperature isn’t below freezing. The gloves are flexible enough to easily notch your arrow and draw your bow, while the Control Trax palm provides an excellent grip.
One unique feature about these gloves is that they feature a special collar that allows you to still wear your wrist release up against your skin. You can even take pictures on your phone without taking your gloves off as they are touchscreen compatible.
Glacier Glove Alaska ProCamo Glove
OUR RATING: 4 Stars
If you’re looking for a decent hunting glove for a good price, the Alaska ProCamo glove from Glacier Glove ticks all the boxes. The gloves are lined with 60 grams of Thinsulate and are thin enough to offer a decent amount of flexibility in your fingers. Despite being so lightweight, they feel incredibly warm and comfortable to wear. As well, they are extremely waterproof, with many people using them for waterfowl hunting just for this reason. Another great feature is the longer cuff, as well as the leather palm for a good grip. Still, if the temperatures drop too low, you may want to consider something a bit more insulated. These are definitely not the best extreme cold weather hunting gloves.
Choosing the Best Hunting Gloves for Cold Weather
There are a couple of important factors that go into finding a good pair of gloves. This is true, whether you’re looking for the best pair of gloves for coyote hunting or duck hunting. By far one of the most important factors is that the gloves are waterproof. You definitely don’t want your hands getting wet and cold. Still, even if your gloves are waterproof, it’s always a good idea to pack a second dry pair in your bag just to be safe.
Insulation:
In addition to being waterproof, you’ll also want to make sure that the gloves have at least some insulation. The exact amount of insulation required depends on how cold the weather will be and how cold your hands typically get. If you frequently hunt in extreme conditions or below zero temperatures, definitely go with a high level of insulation. You can get away with less insulation if your hands normally stay fairly warm or your hunting in milder temperatures.
Like all hunting gear, a good pair of hunting gloves should obviously be camouflaged. However, this shouldn’t extend to the palm of the glove, as you’ll want leather or some other material to help you get a better grip on your gun. The rest of the glove will likely be made of some blend of synthetic materials to ensure waterproofness. Still, if you want to go all out you could go with something like Nomex flight gloves, made from a specially designed waterproof and fireproof material.
Style:
Another factor to consider is the style of glove you prefer. There's cold weather shooting gloves, standard gloves, mittens and pop-top mittens. All these styles have their own benefits and occasional drawbacks. For instance, the trigger fingers on most shooting gloves are usually made from a thinner, more flexible material than the rest of the glove. This allows your finger freedom to move so you can pull the trigger without having to take off your glove. The only problem is that if the temperature gets too low, the lack of insulation around your trigger finger can quickly make it too cold to use properly. Similarly, while mittens and standard gloves may be warmer, you’ll have to quickly take them off in order to shoot.
Size:
Size is an obvious factor to think about. If the gloves are too small, your hands will either not fit or be cramped. On the other hand, if they’re too big your hands won’t stay as warm and will be awkward to use. Still, it’s not just the standard sizing that you should consider, as cuff length also plays a role. In colder situations, you’ll definitely want a glove with a longer cuff to allow it to be tucked into your coat sleeve to keep the cold air from getting to your skin.
It’s also important to get an appropriate sized gloves based on age and gender. The best women’s cold weather gloves or the best youth gloves may not necessarily be the same as the best men’s hunting gloves. Still, many of the top brands produce the same models in all three sizes.
Price:
Price and reputation are also smaller considerations. There are a ton of cheap gloves out there, many of which have reputations for falling apart quite quickly. Luckily, even the best gloves generally won’t cost much more than $30 to $50.
Final Word
As every hunter has their own individual preferences, choosing the best hunting gloves for cold weather is really a matter of opinion. Still, this list really does have something for everyone, no matter what type of glove you prefer. In truth, the style of glove you choose really doesn’t matter that much. The important thing is that it does the job and keeps your hands warm and ready to take the shot.
