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What activities keep us in shape in winter and help us best to cope with gloom? Skiing, snowboarding, skating – everyone will choose something different from this list, and some will even check all the items at once!

The love for winter sports in our country began to grow stronger after the 2014 Sochi Olympics. The popularity of skiing, snowboarding and skating has grown exponentially since then. As a consequence, new ski resorts have appeared, ski tracks and skating rinks have been built in cities.

In general, there are no problems with choosing a place for skiing today. But there are other difficulties. In particular, they may concern the choice of equipment. The fact is that the offer here is also great and it is not always easy to get oriented. Especially when it comes to small details. For example, about mittens and gloves.

It would seem that this is a small part of the outfit, but for winter – strategic. Properly chosen gloves will not only provide comfort and convenience. They will help you stay healthy, extend your activity time and set new records.

Sportmaster PRO ekspert

“The assortment in this category is really very large, which both simplifies and complicates the task. Finding the perfect model just for your hand and for your training conditions becomes more difficult. What technologies do you need to know about and how do you use them?”

Why is glove selection important?

Frostbite is much more insidious than it seems. The belief that you can only get it in extreme cold is a myth. In fact, in the mountains, it can occur more quickly and at higher temperatures due to low pressure. In this case, “cold injury” is real not only at an altitude of a couple of thousand meters, among snow and ice. Even if you are skiing in a city park, the combination of sub-zero temperature, high humidity and weak protection of hands can play a cruel joke.

It is the hands, and more specifically the fingers, that are at the greatest risk of hypothermia. Their thermal sensitivity is twice as high as that of the feet. At the same time we do not take off our shoes during the whole time of skating, but our hands have to be returned to the frost from time to time. For example, to write a message in messenger or to take small things out of your pocket.

Overcooled hands also increase the risk of serious injury while skating. Frozen hands are much less able to hold and control ski poles.

As they cool down, the degree of control decreases gradually, and in the excitement of skiing, you can miss the moment when you start to lose control. That’s why it’s better to be reassured and provide your hands with reliable protection that will help you feel confident both on skis and on snowboards, and during any other winter activity that involves a long stay in the cold.

Types of gloves for skiing and snowboarding

1. Gloves with separate fingers

The most common option, which is most often chosen by beginners and amateurs. The advantage of this model is that it both warms and allows you to make movements with your hands that require quite fine motor skills. For example, to correct shoe fastenings, to tie a scarf tighter, to press the unlock button of a smartphone to check the time. On the downside – in cold winds or high humidity in gloves, hands can freeze faster. However, there are also special insulated models.

Women’s insulated gloves from Demix, 749 rubles.

2. Gloves with mittens

A model for the frost-resistant and for those who are constantly faced with the need to make small movements. For example, if you are a skating organizer or a mother of several children, you will have to constantly answer calls and messages from all the participants of the vacation, help others to adjust the equipment to their parameters and regularly take out a thermos with hot tea. It’s more convenient to do all this by briefly opening your fingers, but not the whole palm, so that you can quickly warm up again.

Termit waterproof mittens (unisex), 1199 rubles / Sportmaster

3. Classic mittens

A model that retains heat for longer. Also, there is no better protection from the wind. All thanks to the fact that the fingers are connected and have a common protective shield. This option is suitable for any winter activity, but it is especially relevant for capricious weather with strong wind, wet snow and unstable piste. That’s why it is often chosen by snowboarders and freeriders.

4. Mittens with built-in finger compartments

Some manufacturers sew separate finger holes into regular mittens, thus increasing the number of layers that retain heat inside. This option is suitable for those who get very cold or ride in extreme conditions. These models are uncommon, so as an alternative you can use this option: thin fleece gloves worn under regular mittens.

Lobster mittens for children VIKING Fin Orange, 3690 rubles / KANT

5. Lobster gloves

A hybrid model in which the middle finger, ring finger and little finger are connected, while the index finger and thumb can work separately. Suitable for those who combine skiing and snowboarding, working on speed or kilometers. Allows you to ski for a long time and still be able to correct your equipment or check the time without special stops in the process.

What should be the gloves for alpine skiing and snowboarding?

What are the main selection criteria? Ideal gloves and mittens for winter activities keep you warm, protect you from moisture and wind, and provide ventilation.

Wet or sweaty hands freeze in a matter of minutes, so these characteristics are especially important. Let’s find out which materials and technologies are responsible for each of them.

Thermal insulation and ventilation inside the glove is provided by a quality filler. It should be lightweight, not wrinkle during heavy loads, allow the skin to breathe, keep warm (even when wet). It is also important that it dries quickly, because no one is insured against snow getting inside. At the same time, the filler should not be too voluminous, so that the hands do not turn into paws.

Täna synthetic materials Thinsulate, Primalofte, Isolofte cope with these tasks best of all . They combine polyester and polypropylene fibers 10 times thinner than a human hair. They provide improved thermal insulation and ventilation due to silicone coating. They can contain microfibers twisted into balls to imitate the structure of natural down, or even ceramic fibers capable of reflecting infrared radiation from the human body.

Volkl ski gloves with Thinsulate filling (unisex), 3199 rubles / Sportmaster

The membrane is responsible for wind and moisture protection. When choosing it, it is important to look at the waterproofness index. It indicates how much high water pressure per square centimeter of surface the fabric can withstand while remaining dry. It is measured in millimeters of mercury column.

For a typical ski slope, a value of 10,000 mm is optimal. Such water resistance has, for example, membrane Aquashield, Isodry. For more severe conditions – freeride, skiing in snowfall, as well as for intensive or long training – it is better to consider a membrane with a water resistance of 20 000 mm and higher (various types of Windstopper, Gore-Tex).

If you need reliable gloves for skating rinks and simple winter walks, 5000 mm will be enough.

Men’s Eska CLUB PRO MITT GTX mittens (Gore-Tex membrane), 15,950 rubles / Trial-Sport

What else do quality gloves and mittens have?

Design additions that make them more comfortable and safer:

• extended cuffs to protect forearms from scratches and snow;
• puffs or Velcro on the cuffs for a tighter fit on the wrist;
• non-slip finger and palm pads;
• a loop for quick and easy donning and doffing.

A separate pocket for your ski pass can also be sewn into the glove.

Ziener Milo men’s snowboard gloves with Aquashield membrane and Protectshield, 5199 rubles / Sportmaster

Finally, a separate important design element of the sports outfit is impact protection. Seals in the area of fingers and wrists can save your limbs in case you accidentally hit a slope at speed. Today you can find gloves with built-in Protectshield protection , fabric and plastic inserts. Such models allow you to save money while reducing the risk of injury. But it is important to remember that they are not a substitute for full-fledged separate protection.

Women’s Level BUTTERFLY W MITT Mittens, 11,789 rubles / Trial-Sport

Technologies that make riding more comfortable

Wherever we are – on the track, at the rink or on a brisk walk in the park – it’s important to keep track of time, important messages and calls. But we don’t want to take off bulky gloves, undo Velcro and crumple mittens in our hands just to press one or two buttons. Today there are two ways to solve this problem.

If you are ready to spend money on equipment, you can look for a modern model of thick insulated gloves with a special button or overlays on the thumb and index finger. They allow you to work with smartphone screens.

You can also use a lifehack. Put on two layers of protection: the usual thin sensor gloves, which will provide the main insulation and ventilation, and on them – denser with mittens. They will not blow away, but at any moment will allow you to free your fingers to answer a call.

Demix women’s touch gloves, 349 rubles.

Gloves or mittens with electronic heating may be called the peak of technology today. The brands Sidas and Therm-Ic make such products. They have a lightweight lithium-ion battery built into them, which allows you to maintain heating continuously for 9-10 hours and is recharged via a USB cable.

The heating elements are sewn into different parts of the glove so that the heat is evenly distributed. This model is a must-have for instructors or keen amateurs who are ready to spend all day on the track. Suitable for fans of winter hiking and severe frost – or just for those who have cold hands even in the warmest mittens.

Dakine DK Omni women’s gloves for skiing and snowboarding, 6999 rubles / AlpIndustriya

What else should I pay attention to before buying?

No matter how technologically advanced a model is, its comfort depends on a simple factor – how it fits your hand. This is what makes the gloves perfect.

All models for winter sports look bulky and similar to each other because of the filling, but inside they may differ. At the same time, each of us has individual thickness and girth of the hand, length of fingers. Different models with roughly the same characteristics may fit differently.

For ski and snowboard gloves it is important that they fit snugly enough to the hand, but at the same time they should not pinch or chafe the fingers. For this reason, you should try on at least five different gloves before buying.

Men’s Millet COSMIC PRO GTX MITTEN Mittens (Gore-Tex, Primaloft), 24,200 rubles / Trial-Sport

How to extend the life of your gloves?

Even if your gloves don’t get wet on the outside and stay clean, your hands sweat on the inside. This means that at least once a season (once a month if you ride regularly) they need washing.

Careful care will prolong the life of your equipment. That’s why you shouldn’t wash gloves with filler and membrane in the machine.

Winter insulated models require hand washing and drying at room temperature away from batteries. The water should be warm. It is worth using the most mild cleaning compositions, but conditioners and other softening agents are better left for ordinary clothes.

If the top of the gloves is finished with leather inserts, it is better not to immerse them in water entirely. Such a model can be washed inside, and the outside should be wiped with wet wipes. It is important to regularly lubricate the gloves with leather care products: special cream, cosmetic vaseline oil or glycerin. This will prevent the formation of creases and cracks on the surface. But if they do begin to appear, at the initial stage they can be smoothed with steam or iron through a damp cloth.

Store gloves in an unseasonal place in a dry and dark place (without access to direct sunlight). It is a good idea to keep a special bag or pouch to protect them from dust.