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The development of heated gloves—like with heated vests—is one of the better innovations in outdoor wear. As much as we enjoy spending time in nature during the winter months, we hate cold hands. It’s hard to concentrate on your hunt or effectively work if your fingers are so cold you can no longer feel them. For anyone with arthritis or other hand pain, it can be downright painful to venture out in winter. Luckily, battery-operated heating elements are here to change the game.
Wading through the hundreds of different options to find the ideal gloves can be a chore. That’s why we’ve done the homework for you. It doesn’t matter if you need something for work or for ice fishing, we’ve got you covered with the best heated gloves available for cold weather.
Best Overall: Ororo Heated Gloves
Best for Work: Savior Heat Heated Gloves
Best for Hunting: Muddy Nucleus Heated Gloves
Best for Men: Snow Deer Heated Gloves
Best for Women: ActionHeat 5V Featherweight Gloves
Best Budget: ActionHeat AA Battery Heated Fleece Gloves
Best Overall: Ororo Heated Gloves
Specs
Battery: 2000 mAh lithium-ion
Shell Material: Nylon
Insulation: 3M Thinsulate
Pros
Warm even without the heating element
Low power battery life is excellent
Great grip on the palms
Cons
Dexterity could be better
When it comes to battery life, the Ororo heated gloves—which feature three heat settings—performed better than I expected. I was able to run the gloves on the maximum temperature setting for approximately three to four hours and on the medium setting for at least five. However, the low setting was where they really shined. These gloves ran for a solid eight hours on that setting. Because they were so warm even without turning on the electricity, I highly doubt I’ll ever use the medium and high settings.
My only real complaint is that I feel the dexterity could be better. The insulation makes the fingers a bit too fat for shooting a rifle or shotgun. But the grip on the palms and fingers has a tacky feel to it that’s perfectly suited for working with shovels or other hand tools where super fine control isn’t needed. I’ll be using these to clear the driveway of snow once winter returns to Michigan. These gloves would also be excellent for operating a tractor, ATV, or snowmobile in cold temperatures.
Best for Work: Savior Heat Heated Gloves
Specs
Battery: 2200 mAh lithium ion
Shell Material: Micro carbon fiber
Insulation: N/A
Pros
Warm without the heating element
Large batteries
Easy to operate controls
Cons
Not a ton of dexterity
Expensive
The Savior gloves are plenty warm without an electric feature. But they also feature larger 2200 mAh batteries that help keep your fingers toasty through longer days outdoors. Because they are waterproof and thick, you can wear these gloves whenever there is snow or slush on the ground. The windproof quality makes them an excellent choice for work or riding a motorcycle, too. They are thick, so there is some dexterity loss. But Savior Heat made the button for heat control quite large, so you can easily operate it without removing the gloves.
These gloves are a hair on the expensive side. But that’s to be expected for this battery size and durability. While we like these gloves best for work—like construction or ranch work—they are versatile enough to be used in a variety of outdoor scenarios.
Best for Hunting: Muddy Nucleus Heated Gloves
Specs
Battery: 3,500 mAh lithium ion
Shell Material: Softshell cotton
Insulation: N/A
Pros
Large battery bank
Flip-top fingers for trigger control
Wind- and waterproof
Three heat settings
Cons
Heating element is only on back side of hands
Surprisingly, there are not a lot of dedicated hunting gloves featuring electronic heating. This pair is both windproof and waterproof—perfect for hunters who don’t like to head in once the weather takes a turn for the worst. The 3,500 mAh battery packs will help the warming functions last through a full day in frigid temperatures, and the buttons are large enough that you can operate them while wearing the gloves. The three heat settings—low, medium, and high—allow you to customize just how warm your hands are.
But the real highlight, especially for hunters, is the flip-top fingers that allow you to have better control when shooting. The palms also have reinforced tactile grip so your gear isn't slipping out of your hands while you're in the stand or on the move.
Best for Men: Snow Deer Heated Gloves
Specs
Battery: 2200 mAh lithium polymer
Shell Material: Polyester and sheep leather
Insulation: Cotton
Pros
Full finger heat
Good dexterity
Versatile for a variety of activities
Cons
Short battery life
The Snow Deer gloves offer surprising dexterity for thicker gloves. They are suitable for everything from hunting to motorcycling thanks to the sheep leather palms that help provide additional grip. The heated wires in this pair of gloves extends completely to each of the fingers, making them a great option for anyone with arthritis or circulation issues in the hands. There is also fleece in the glove liners to help retain heat and repel moisture.
These gloves have a shorter battery life than some of the other options on this list. But they’re very well constructed. Features like the sheepskin palm and fleece lining add a lot of additional value for the money here. If you need gloves that are versatile for more than one outdoor activity, these are the ones to consider.
Best for Women: ActionHeat 5V Featherweight Gloves
Specs
Battery: 3000 mAh
Shell Material: Fantex waterproof membrane
Insulation: Thinsulate
Pros
Tons of dexterity
Waterproof
Long cuff
Cons
Battery time isn’t great on high heat level
These featherweight gloves offer a great deal of dexterity that’s ideal for work or recreational activities in bitter cold conditions. The extra reinforcement of the palm and inside of the fingers further emphasizes the fact that these gloves are made with cold weather activities in mind. You can also cinch the cuff tight to prevent extra snow and wind from getting in at the wrists and dropping your core body temperature.
These heated gloves have a slightly shorter run time than we’d expect for a battery of this size. It runs for about two hours on high, three hours on medium, and five hours on low. Extra batteries are a necessity if you need them super toasty for long periods. That said, we think the shortened runtime is a decent tradeoff for the extra dexterity offered by these gloves.
Best Budget: ActionHeat AA Battery Heated Fleece Gloves
Specs
Battery: AA battery (3)
Shell Material: Fleece polyester
Insulation: N/A
Pros
Very affordable
Soft fleece for warmth
Lightweight and easy to use
Cons
Shorter battery life
Slightly bulky battery pack
Heated gloves that utilize rechargeable batteries can be quite expensive. Not everyone can drop $100+ on a pair of gloves. Thus, a good alternative is these ActionHeat gloves that utilize AA batteries instead. The lightweight yet cozy insulated fleece does an excellent job of keeping your fingers warm even without being turned on. The gloves are weather-resistant and feature a cinch cord at the wrist to keep out cold drafts, and infrared heating panels that can get up to 130 degrees.
The real downside is that the disposable batteries aren’t the most convenient or reliable, and they add a bit of bulk. But the flip side is that you don’t need to ever worry about forgetting to charge a battery. And while the battery life is slightly shorter than what you'd get with a rechargeable battery, it's still a solid four hours on full heat. Gloves like this prove you don’t always need to break the bank to own a quality piece of equipment.
How We Tested Heated Gloves
For the gloves I tested, I first made sure the batteries were fully charged. I then ran each pair on the highest warmth settings to assess the battery life of each glove. I also wore the gloves while performing a variety of activities both recreational and for work. This allowed me to evaluate the comfort and dexterity of each pair. Additionally, I considered the following factors when making my decisions:
Insulation: Do the gloves have insulation? What type of materials did the manufacturer use?
Weatherproofing: Are the gloves waterproof? Will they handle a downpour?
Additional Features: Can the gloves manipulate a touch screen? Are there are other features that set them apart from the pack?
Value: How does the price match the materials and battery life?
What to Look for When Choosing Heated Gloves
There are a few different types of heated gloves. The most popular style utilizes an electronic battery system and heated wires in the fabric, which is extremely effective for staying warm. The downside is that gloves like this are often expensive and require frequent recharging. Most have a battery life of six to eight hours depending on the set intensity level.
There are also gloves and mittens with small pockets for chemical hand warmers. One pro to this style is the reduced cost. Of course, you can only use the disposable hand warmers once before tossing them in the trash. There’s also waste from the airtight wrappers this style of warmer is sealed inside, so it’s not exactly the greenest solution out there. But you don’t have to worry about charging any batteries and you can quickly replace the warmers in the field once they lose heat.
Intended Use
When picking a glove, think about how you plan to use it. Thicker gloves are great if all you plan to do is ride a snowmobile or ATV. However, they can quickly become useless if you need to do more delicate tasks. Thick gloves can make it difficult to squeeze the trigger on a rifle or work on an engine. Think about dexterity and how much you’ll need. At the same time, be careful not to buy gloves that are too small or too tight.
For gloves that will be used primarily for working, it pays to go with thicker materials like leather that are built to take abuse. Ideally, the palms will be reinforced for heavier tasks like ranch work. It’s not a bad idea to go for work gloves that are waterproof—or at least water-resistant—either.
Many clothing manufacturers are now making their gloves with at least one specialized fingertip designed for operating a screen. The quality of these fingertips varies depending on the glove. Some gloves just don’t have the dexterity for typing or sending emails effectively. But quality ones make for great hunting gloves when you want to stay in touch with your buddies without losing any warmth.
FAQs
Q: Are heated mittens better than heated gloves?
Mittens are almost always warmer than gloves, and that includes heated mittens. This is simply because mittens allow your fingers to share warmth and slow heat loss. Of course, this comes at the cost of dexterity for more precise tasks.
Q: Are tight or loose gloves warmer?
It can be a bit of a balancing act to find the right fit for warm gloves. Go with gloves that are too loose and you lose dexterity and warmth. If the gloves are too tight, they might cut off circulation. The ideal solution is to find gloves that fall somewhere in between. The gloves shouldn’t be so tight they feel restricting, but they also shouldn’t fall off your hands.
Q: Are heated gloves waterproof?
Waterproof capabilities vary from glove to glove. Some have that feature built in standard while others may need to be kept out of the snow and ice to function properly. Be sure to read the fine print on any pair you buy first. Most work gloves are built rather ruggedly and will handle a little water.
Why Trust Us
For more than 125 years, Field & Stream has been providing readers with honest and authentic coverage of outdoor gear. Our writers and editors eat, sleep, and breathe the outdoors, and that passion comes through in our product reviews. You can count on F&S to keep you up to date on the best new gear. And when we write about a product—whether it’s a bass lure or a backpack—we cover the good and the bad, so you know exactly what to expect before you decide to make a purchase.
