Spot cleaning: For minor dirt or stains, use a damp cloth or sponge to gently wipe the affected areas. Avoid abrasive materials that could damage the fabric or insulation. In the skiing world, personal preferences abound, and none so much as a skier’s preference for gloves versus mittens. Here’s the skinny on both styles: WHY YOU SHOULD GET GLOVES VS. MITTENS For a glove to make it onto our contender list, it had to meet the following criteria. We chose our 7 award-winners from the 100+ gloves that made our contender list. WARMTH We might be splitting hairs here, but when the battery died (happened on the Prevails, too), they did seem marginally warmer than the Prevails when not running the heating element. This could be due to slightly warmer conditions testing the EB clim8, which was around 25-30° F, or due to them fitting just slightly more roomy relative to the Prevails, and potentially encouraging better circulation.

More and more companies are using PrimaLoft synthetic insulation, which is a fiber made from recycled plastic bottles. PrimaLoft fill can also be recycled into another piece of gear. Reviewers especially liked the longer cuff length and upgraded insulation. With 133 grams of Primaloft Gold and 200 grams of Primaloft Silver insulation in critical places, a durable and reinforced double-layer of premium goat leather, and waterproof yet breathable GORE-TEX inserts for stormproof protection, these are the powerhouse of the glove world.In line with current health and safety guidelines, we reserve the right to refuse any items that are (for whatever reason) not returned to us in a clean and hygienic condition. While snowboarding at the resort, these mittens withstood 10-degree weather with windchill, light snow, and sunnier windows in the 30s. The design provided warmth without bulk, allowing hand control when tinkering with our bindings. The thumbs are generously covered with a smooth polyester nose-wipe panel. Mittens can have a roomy, high-reaching gauntlet cuff or a leaner undercuff. Choosing between the two designs comes down to the type of protection you prefer and need, which is influenced by your winter activities and the climate where you’ll be most outside.

Of course, a ski or snowboard glove can have crossover uses (they would be great for shoveling out that driveway!), but they’re primarily used for the sport of skiing or snowboarding. For example, warm gloves are a huge necessity for Raynaud’s sufferers whose fingers are perpetually cold. Since snow gloves are designed to keep you warm, dry, and mobile, they are great options for someone with restricted blood flow to their fingers. Not all gloves are created equal. While some gloves are meant for opening the door to your local coffee shop or grasping a shovel to plow out the driveway, others are meant to be battered by wind, snow, slush, and ice for hours at a time — all while keeping your hands toasty, dry, and free of sweat as you slash powder turns across open bowls. We give you the ski glove (or snowboard glove, if that's what you do).

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More than three decades ago, Senior Snow Sports Editor Morgan Tilton learned to ski in sync when she learned to hike as a toddler in Telluride, Colorado, and still calls Southwest Colorado home. Today, she lives in one of the coldest locations in the country, Gunnison Valley, where it’s not uncommon to drop into negative digits plus windchill. If it’s frigid out, she reaches for mittens when she’s heading up the ski lifts at Crested Butte Mountain Resort or taking laps on the Crested Butte Nordic trails. The liner features a split-finger design with an optional index finger slot to assist in this department, but these mittens are still quite bulky for very precise or detailed tasks. Another thing that some people aren’t a fan of is the resistance to water. In our experience, mittens don’t change our ability to grip a ski pole; (photo/Jason Hummel) How We Tested Winter Mittens I have spent my entire life where winter days can regularly get to -30 degrees, and have participated in a variety of outdoor sports and activities in the winter. I know what is important to have in a pair of gloves or mittens and know the value of having a quality pair that you can rely on. We love a secure, single-hand use wrist cinch on a warm glove. It keeps the heat in and the moisture out. You’ll often see drawcord cinches on the end of gauntlet cuffs, and maybe a nylon strap that you can easily loosen and tighten to secure the wrist of the glove. You may see velcro straps on elastic knit and/or lower profile undercuff gloves. All types do the job, though velcro straps have a thing for harboring some snow build up over time and can be a little hard to maneuver with one hand. Nose Wipe