Yahoo Finance Heated Gloves Are the Key to Staying Warm This Winter
- 1/9
Heated Gloves Are the Key to Staying Warm This Winter
Brace yourselves, folks, because if the last few weeks are any signal for what to expect this season, then we're in for a very cold winter ahead. In fact, The Old Farmer's Almanac is predicting that winter 2023 will be particularly cold for all of us in the Midwest, South, and East Coast of the U.S.
Those of us who have lived through a rough winter or two know that the best way to fend off the chill is to be prepared. From outfitting cars in case you get stranded to making sure your home is properly insulated, staying ahead of the cold is the way to go. Of course, having proper cold-weather clothing is one of the best precautions we can take when getting ready, and heated gloves top our list as one of clothing items that help fend off these dropping temperatures.
Heated gloves are wonderful not only for outdoor activities like shoveling snow and skiing, but they can also be useful for those suffering from aches and pains in their fingers or who need extra warmth due to diseases like Raynaud's. Gloves and mittens can be heated either by a battery pack, chemically, or manually through the use of a microwave. Battery-operated heated gloves are great for outdoor activities, particularly if you need high heat for hours at a time, while microwavable heated gloves are better for therapeutic purposes. Because of these differences, there are a few things you'll want to think about before purchasing a pair.
Heat Source
Heated gloves can work one of three ways: a battery pack, chemicals, or through manually heating them in a microwave. For the ultimate protection, battery-operated heated gloves are going to provide long lasting warmth. Chemically heated gloves, like those that are filled with single-use heating pouches, will stay heated for a few hours at most and usually can't achieve the same temperatures as battery-operated. Microwavable gloves are best for therapeutic use because while they can reach high heat, it won't last as they don't have a constant source of power.
Gloves vs. Mittens
The choice between gloves versus mittens comes down to how flexible you need your hands to be. For tasks that just require a grasping motion, like shoveling snow, mittens should be fine to wear. Since your fingers are bound together, this will increase warmth. But if you need use of your fingers, like when hiking or skiing, then you'll want to opt for gloves instead. You won't be maximizing warmth, but full use of your hands is more important. If you want the best of both worlds, consider layering mittens on top of thin gloves.
Amazon, Sharper Image - 2/9
1) SAVIOR HEAT Heated Gloves
SAVIOR HEAT
amazon.com
$111.99
Read the reviews for these heated gloves and you'll see that they're perfect for skiing, farming, biking, hiking, and just about everything in between. They're durable, well-constructed, provide hours of heat on a single charge, and they come at a pretty reasonable price.
The exterior fabric is a lamb skin/polyester blend, with the outward facing part of the glove being polyester for wind protection and water resistance. The interior-facing portion of the glove contains a lambskin coating for grip and touch-screen compatibility.
Sizing for the SAVIOR gloves ranges from XS-3XL, but many users noted that they ran on the smaller side. If you prefer a snug fit, we'd recommend staying true to size, otherwise size up.
The only downside to these heated gloves is that the battery life isn't as long as other options, maxing out at 6-7 hours on Low. Users noted that the Low heat setting was fine for temperatures 15-30 degrees F and the gloves would last an entire day if battery life was conserved. However, if you're planning on spending time in truly frigid temperatures, you might want to snag a couple of extra battery packs.
Amazon - 3/9
2) Battery Heated Gloves
sharperimage.com
$151.99
If you hate the bulkiness of most heated gloves, then these Sharper Image gloves are for you. They have a sleeker design and ultra-thin heating panels that give the look of normal gloves. The index finger is touch-screen compatible and the slim-fit battery is located on the inside of the wrist.
Though they're thin, these gloves don't lack warmth. They have three heat settings and feature 3M Thinsulate™ to trap warmth within the glove.
While we love the sleeker appearance and added mobility of these gloves, they do come with a slight trade-off. The only heat up to 115 degrees F. While this won't be an issue for many, people who need all the warmth they can get should probably opt for other gloves.
Sharper Image - 4/9
3) Wireless Rechargeable Warming Glove Liners
sharperimage.com
$151.99
If you're wanting to maximize warmth, then using heated glove liners under insulated mittens or gloves is the way to go. This heated liners provide your hand with three different temperature ranges of heat while an additional layer will trap that heat inside and keep wind, water, and chill out.
These liners are constructed with a micro-thin stretchable fabric that leaves fingers flexible. It has three heat settings and runs in sizes from XS-XL. The only downside to these gloves? They only have a 5 hour battery life when fully charged, though you can buy additional batteries to keep on hand for long days.
As these are meant to be used as liners (they can be used as gloves alone, though), they don't offer much protection in the way of wind and water. If worn alone, they would be suitable for temperatures in the 20-32 degree F range, but we'd recommend using them with their intended purpose in mind.
Sharper Image - 5/9
4) Savior Heated Mittens
SAVIOR HEAT
amazon.com
109.99
Savior's heated mittens won us over thanks to their comfy, breathable fleece lining and a clever design that provides double-heat to thumbs. The water-resistant and wind-repellant exterior can stand against even the fiercest snow storms.
Three temperature settings allow users to adjust their heat based on how cold it is and gives the option to conserve battery life. The lowest setting is 104 degrees F while the highest is a whopping 140 degrees F. The cinched wrist helps keep heat in thanks to the buckle.
Two other notable features of the Savior mittens are the touch-screen thumb and anti-lost clip. Special padding on the thumb allows for users to scroll and text on their phones and the mittens clip together so you never have to worry about losing one.
amazon.com - 6/9
5) Seirus Women's Heat Touch Hellfire Gloves
Seirus
sunandski.com
$474.99
With 280g HeatLock™ insulation, these gloves lock in the heat and block out the cold with ease. They're both windproof and waterproof, made for skiing the slopes. The Hellfire Gloves also include a DryHand™ interior so you'll never have to worry about any water seeping inside your gloves—ever.
These gloves have three temperature settings and can get an incredible 12 hours of heat on a single charge, so they'll surely last you an entire day out on the slopes. They also come in three different sizes so you can be sure to get the snuggest fit possible.
The Seirus heated gloves are definitely a splurge, but if you find yourself on the slopes often then we'd consider it 100% worth it to enjoy your adventures while staying warm.
Sun and Ski - 7/9
6) Microwavable Therapy Mittens
PhysioNatural
amazon.com
$32.99
These soft, reusable mittens are designed to improve circulation and relieve arthritis pain. They're easy to warm up—just pop them in the microwave—then wear while relaxing with a favorite TV show.
Obviously you won't be wearing these gloves for any sort of outside activities, so functionality isn't much of a concern. But it is important to note that these mittens are a bit bulky, so you'll have a hard time accessing your phone or any other handheld devices.
Reviewers rave about how these mittens provide nearly instantaneous relief from arthritis, nerve issues, and other aches and pains throughout the hands.
amazon.com - 8/9
7) Desert Storm Heated Gloves
fieldsheer.com
$169.99
These incredibly durable gloves were made for work. They have an anti-slip palm, padded knuckles, and a helmet/screen cleaner. With a 500D Poly-Oxford shell, they can withstand even the toughest environment. They also feature Windshark® and Rainguard® technology to protect against the winter chill.
It includes a Lithium-Ion Battery with up to eight hours of life on a 3-4 hour charge. The battery pack is easily accessible behind the wrist but features a hidden power button so users don't have to worry about giving off light if they don't want.
Fieldsheer - 9/9
8) HotHands Sweater Fleece Gloves
HotHands
amazon.com
20.99
When it comes to bang for your buck, you can't do better than these fleece gloves designed with pockets to hold HotHands popular hand warmers in place. While battery-powered options with heated fingers may be better fits for high performance sports, the chemical heat from these warmers keeps hands toasty for 10 hours, plenty of time for a leisurely walk or watching the game outside.
A couple of features these gloves are lacking, though, are touch-screen capabilities and grips for working. They're a great, inexpensive option if you're looking for something to keep your hands warm on a commute or short walk, but we wouldn't recommend them for working.
Also, these gloves only come in one size. While they'd work for most women, they're probably not the best option for men.
amazon.com
