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Best Winter Work Gloves for Detail Work
Milwaukee Demolition Gloves
If you’re looking for a breathable glove with outstanding dexterity, take a look at the Milwaukee Demolition Gloves. The moisture-wicking liner keeps your hands dry and warm. The padded palms and knuckle protection pad help protect your hands from impact, and you won’t give up dexterity with these gloves. If you need to use touchscreens on the job, the Smartswipe Knuckle is an added convenience built into the Milwaukee Demolition Glove.
“If I need to repair something outside in February that requires a lot of small screws and bolts, I will opt for a pair of good quality work gloves, such as the Milwaukee Demolition Gloves that I have worn for years. In these types of situations, being able to handle the smaller components of my project outweighs the warmth and waterproofing of a winter work glove, but only for a short time,” O’Donnell says.
These may not be the warmest gloves on the market because the back is a breathable mesh. But when your nose starts dripping or you need to wipe the sweat away, the glove has a soft terry cloth sweat wipe on the side of the thumb. This glove has reinforced thumbs and fingers for durability and a hook and loop cuff closure for a secure fit. With five sizes to choose from, you’re sure to find the right fit.
Pros
- High dexterity
- Padded palm
- Knuckle protection
- Smartphone friendly
- Moisture-wicking and breathable
Cons
- Some users report a lack of durability when handling abrasive materials
- Not suitable for extreme temperatures
What to Look For When Buying the Best Winter Work Gloves
Choosing the right work gear for the winter depends on your job needs and local temperatures.
O’Donnell says, “I would never purchase winter work gloves that are not waterproof. Even if you’re not working directly in a wet situation, tasks like throwing around 2x4s with a little snow on them are enough to saturate a regular pair of non-waterproof winter work gloves in no time. Having wet and cold hands slows down the process, and often the completion of the project is less than ideal because you are in a hurry to get back inside and warm up.”
Often the trade-off for warmth is dexterity. Thickly insulated gloves are clumsy, while other waterproof gloves might not be as warm. O’Donnell adds, “In terms of touch screen capabilities, it’s always nice to have a feature like this, but unless I am wearing these gloves 40 hours a week, this is not a deciding factor for the average DIYer. Moreover, I have owned many gloves advertised to work with a touch screen only to find that navigating with them on is more cumbersome and difficult than removing them every 45 minutes to make a phone call or switch podcasts.”
Why You Should Trust Us
Whether it’s raking the roof, shoveling or stacking wood, I can tell you the never-ending list of projects never takes a winter break. As a skier, I’ve learned that enjoying the great outdoors in the winter depends on the performance of the cold-weather clothing you choose to wear. Admittedly, I’ve bought things, especially gloves, that I thought would be great and in the end were a waste of money. I hope this article saves you from that pain. In the search for the best winter work gloves, I reached out to Ethan O’Donnell, Family Handyman Senior Editor and all-around handy guy living in the Northern woods for input.
How We Found the Best Winter Work Gloves
When it comes to gloves, the proper fit can make all the difference. Fit aside, we looked for gloves with high customer satisfaction ratings, read user reviews and sought out features and fabrics that could work for a variety of cold-weather work and recreation. We sourced eight pairs of gloves to test, and seven of them made the cut once I rated them on dexterity, warmth, water and wind resistance as well as breathability and dry time. Additionally, I accessed the potential long-term durability and construction as well as the fabrics.
How I Tested These Winter Work Gloves
I used all of these gloves outdoors for my late fall projects as well as daily dog walks. The temperatures were generally in the mid-30s.
Dexterity
Every day I would try a new set of gloves while walking my dog. I noted whether the gloves were nimble enough to zip a jacket, unlock the door, clean up after my dog, hold the leash and check the mail. I jotted down the actual temperature, the wind speed and the “feels like” temperature. On these daily walks, I accessed the gloves’ warmth, wind resistance, basic fit and dexterity.
Warmth
I found that high-dexterity gloves lacked some of the warmth of thicker gloves. Again, my fingers freeze when the temperature drops below 45 degrees. I used all of these gloves in temperatures in the 30s or lower. I also held ice, before and after getting them wet.
Waterproof Test
In addition to the daily dog walks, the next test was to hold my hand in ice for five minutes. Then, I dunked the gloved hand in a bucket of water and noted the water resistance. Next, I submerged the gloved hand for 15 seconds and for good measure, I held the ice for another two minutes. This gave me a good indicator if I could build a snowman and still keep my hands warm and dry.
Wind Resistance
As a skier, I learned to test the wind resistance of a garment by blowing through the outer fabric. If the breath or moisture penetrates the skin on the other side, I’d look elsewhere. Sales clerks will give you a sideways look, but in my experience, it’s a reliable indicator to test the windbreak ability of a garment without actually being in the elements. In addition to the daily dog walks, I performed the rudimentary blow test on the back as well as the palm of each glove I tested and scored them accordingly.
Breathability and Dry Time
After the waterproof test, I checked in on the gloves periodically to see how quickly they dried. Since I didn’t have a boot warmer or glove dryer in-house, I laid them out on a wool rug away from a heat vent. After four hours, the saturated gloves were still wet. Twelve hours later, all but the Ninja Ice were dry. It’s worth noting that the waterproof gloves lacked some of the breathability of water-resistant gloves, as a result, these gloves may make your hands sweat and become smelly with daily use. Having two pairs to let the gloves air out between wearings is the best defense against odor.
Durability and Construction
Although I haven’t tested these gloves with a few years of hard labor, I noted the general construction and durability of the materials, while keeping user reviews in mind.
Special Features
Several of the gloves had touchscreen compatibility, so I swiped, scrolled and tested these features to the best of my ability. If the fingers were too long, the touchscreen features were challenging to use, so be sure to get a glove that fits well. Other special features noted are abrasion and impact resistance.
FAQ
What are the best gloves for working outside?
Depending on your job, dexterity may be your most important criterion in choosing a glove. Working with tools, small buttons or parts will require precision, so your gloves may need to be thinner and fit perfectly. Be sure to measure your hand for the best fit.
No doubt you’ll have to deal with wind, rain, snow or ice when working outside, so having a waterproof or water-resistant glove will keep you dryer and warmer longer. Ideally, you want insulation for warmth. In my opinion, Thinsulate and neoprene are ideal insulators because they are less bulky than other fillers. Natural materials such as wool, silk and down will also keep you toasty.
When working outdoors for long periods in frigid temperatures have an extra pair in your truck, throw in some hand warmers or take a break with a pair of heated gloves to keep the frostbite at bay.
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