DURING winter and spring, a pair of the best thermal gloves can make a long walk outside turn from a chore to a treat.
Not all gloves are created equal, though, so it's worth taking a minute to work out what you're going to be using them for and what features you need.
I love a dog walk, for instance, and so when I'm taking my two out for a stroll, I appreciate having a pair like the Montane Fury Fleece gloves, which don't restrict movement (allowing me to navigate my pockets for treats and poo bags) but still were great at keeping my hands warm.
But when I'm not bogged down by handfuls of dog lead, I might opt for the Helly Hansen Freeride Mix Gloves, which are basically element-proof, whatever the weather throws at you.
How we tested
In order to obtain a fair picture of how the gloves performed, I wore each pair for a week or two outdoors in different weather conditions. All of them were tested in wind, rain, cold and winter sun, with some also tested in heavy frost, snow and sub-zero temperatures.
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All of them were worn on long dog walks and most were also worn generally when outdoors (without dogs).
I found that all were suitable for winter and now we’re moving towards spring, they’re also great for the low temperatures and fresh days.
Best thermal gloves at a glance:
- Best extreme weather thermal gloves: Helly Hansen Freeride Mix Gloves Women
- Best thermal gloves for commuting: M&S Faux Sheepskin Cuffed Gloves
- Best budget thermal gloves: Peter Storm Women’s Winter Thermal Gloves
- Best lightweight gloves: Montane Women’s Fury Fleece Gloves
- Best thermal gloves overall: Keela Extreme Gloves
Montane Women’s Fury Fleece Gloves
- Montane Women’s Fury Fleece Gloves, £30 from Montane – buy here
Pros: lightweight, warm, stretchy
Cons: None
Rating: 5/5
These gloves are incredibly lightweight yet very warm at the same time. I tested them in medium and found them to be a great fit, thanks to the elastane content which gives extra stretch.
The gloves are a good length and the elasticated wrist helps keep out the cold and wind. Inside, the brushed fleece is warm against your skin but your fingers are still free to move, as there’s no padding to restrict you. The outer is water-resistant and though they will get wet in a downpour, they’re also quick to dry.
Considering how lightweight they are, these gloves are impressively warm. They’re perfect for outdoor activities in winter and spring when the weather is still cold, and they’ve become my go-to dog-walking gloves. They’re also a great value.
Material: Thermo Stretch fabric 51% polyester, 39% nylon and 10% elastane, Size: XS, S, M, L, Colours: Black
Helly Hansen Freeride Mix Gloves Women
- Freeride Mix Gloves Women, £75 from Helly Hansen – buy here
Pros: Super warm, waterproof, windproof
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Cons: None
Rating: 5/5
I wore these gloves for dog walks in torrential rain, freezing temperatures and in gale force winds and they were marvellous! They kept my hands dry and toasty no matter how windy it got.
The lining stays put even when your hands are wet, so they’re easy to pull on and off and they’re designed with an elasticated cuff, almost like a gauntlet, which prevents rain from getting inside and keeps more of your wrists and arms dry. The cuff is also adjustable for your preferred fit.
Though they’re padded, they’re not heavy and the material on the inside of the fingers and palms is lightly textured, which improves grip.
They’re much warmer than my ski gloves and would be ideal for all kinds of winter sports.
Material: 67% polyester and 33% polyurethane outer, 100% polyester lining and insulation, Size: XS, S, M, L Colours: Black
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Keela Extreme Gloves
- Keela Extreme Gloves, £49.96 from Keela – buy here
Pros: Soft lining, elasticated wrists, very warm
Cons: None
Rating: 5/5
The inside of these gloves is sooo soft and the length means they keep your forearms warm as well as your hands.
They’re elasticated at the wrist to prevent draughts and stop rain getting in and the forefinger on each glove is touch-screen compatible (but as usual, I couldn’t get this feature to work for me!).
The outer is woven nylon, which kept out the rain on my dog walks and while the fingers are a little bulky they didn’t restrict my movement.
I love the textured PU fabric on the palm and fingers which gives extra grip. This held a shortened lead securely when walking next to busy roads and even when my dog pulled forward, the lead stayed put, without slipping through my hands.
The gloves also contain Primaloft insulation, which ups the warmth factor.
Material: 100% nylon outer with PU palm, 100% polyester lining with 100% polyester insulation, Size: S, M, L and XL, Colours: Black, moss and white
TOG24 Tornado Windproof Gloves
- TOG24 Tornado Windproof Gloves, £21 from TOG24 – buy here
Pros: Warm, grippy palm, thumb and forefinger
Cons: Fingers are a little bulky, not tight to the wrist
Rating: 4/5
These kept my hands warm even when the temperature dipped below zero. I wore them a number of times while walking my dogs and really appreciated the textured palm, forefinger and thumb, which made holding on to leads and my phone a doddle.
I would have liked to see the cuffs fitting closer to my wrists, to stop draughts getting in, however most of the time my jacket sleeves covered the bottom of the gloves so this wasn’t always an issue.
They’re lined with a fleece fabric and the outer is water-resistant. I wore them when it was raining but because they’re lined, my hands stayed dry.
Material: 100% polyester outer with 50% polyester and 50% polyurethane lining, Size: S – M and L – XL, Colours: Black marl
Peter Storm Women’s Winter Thermal Gloves
- Peter Storm Women’s Winter Thermal Gloves, £10.60 from Blacks – buy here
Pros: Very warm, soft fleece lining, price
Cons: Not waterproof
Rating: 4/5
I’ve worn many pairs of knitted gloves over the years, but never any like this. These ones are lined with a thick, borg fleece, which takes the experience to another level.
They kept my hands warm when it was freezing outside and for the price, they’re a bargain. They’re ideal for cold, frosty days outdoors and though they’re thick, they don’t restrict finger movement so you can pick up bags, hold dog leads or carry out chores in the garden with ease.
The cuff is a good depth and sits snugly against your wrists and arms, keeping the wind out. The only thing is, they’re not waterproof, which may be an issue for some people.
Material: 100% acrylic and 100% polyester borg fleece lining, Size: S-M and L-XL, Colours: Black and green
M&S Faux Sheepskin Cuffed Gloves
- M&S Faux Sheepskin Cuffed Gloves, £19.50 from M&S – buy here
Pros: Smart, good value, lined
Cons: Not super warm
Rating: 4/5
Thick padded gloves are all very well when you’re walking the dog or out hiking on a weekend, but they don’t look great for work or for those times when you want something a bit more stylish.
These faux sheepskin gloves from M&S give you just that and at a great price. I tested the grey pair in medium and they were a perfect fit. I wore them while out shopping, driving the car (great grip on the steering wheel!) and when I visited friends. I found them plenty warm enough for travelling and for short-to-medium periods of time outside.
I also wore them for walking my dogs, but admittedly not in sub-zero temperatures.
They’re lined but not padded, which means they’re not going to work for mega cold days outdoors, but they’re perfect for commuting to work and you can move your fingers while wearing them so you won’t need to remove them to get your travel or bank card out of your bag.
Material: 93% polyester and 6% elastane outer, 100% polyester lining and faux fur, Size: Small, medium and large, Colours: Grey, black and natural
Sealskinz Walcott Waterproof Cold Weather Gloves With Fusion Control
- Sealskinz Walcott Waterproof Cold Weather Gloves With Fusion Control, £80 – buy here
Pros: Warm, waterproof
Cons: Expensive, very rigid at first
Rating: 4/5
I found these quite stiff to pull on and they felt quite rigid once on, due I think to the leather palms.
They are warm but not warm enough for freezing days and are probably better suited to early spring when it’s still cold but not usually below zero. That said, I’ve worn them on frosty mornings as well as warmer ones and they’ve been fine, just not the warmest of the gloves I tested.
They’re lined with Merino wool so they are breathable and there’s a Velcro strap at the wrist so you can adjust the fit. They’re also waterproof and incorporate a hydrophilic membrane between the leather outer and the wool inner, which keeps out the rain and the wind.
I’m confident the gloves will become more supple and less rigid the more I wear them.
Material: Goat skin leather and softshell outer, Aquasealz waterproof membrane and inner layer of 84% Merino Wool, 14% nylon and 2% elastane, Size: S, M, L, XL and XXL Colours: Grey/black and black
Sealskinz Hoveton Waterproof Sherpa Fleece Gloves
- Sealskinz Hoveton Waterproof Sherpa Fleece Gloves, £42.99 from Amazon – buy here
Pros: Grippy palms for holding your phone, not too bulky
Cons: The lining pulls out when you take off the gloves, making them difficult to put back on, not super warm
Rating: 3.5/5
These gloves are fleecy, almost woolly on the outside and have a brushed fleece inner lining. The forefinger and thumb are touch-sensitive for using your phone without taking off your gloves, but annoyingly, I couldn’t get this to work.
The palms and fingers have a rubber-like S pattern on them, which gives added grip and security that you won’t drop your phone or dog lead while wearing them. You can still easily move your fingers as the material isn’t too bulky, which is great.
I wore these on rainy dog walks and found that when I had to take off the gloves – as you invariably do during a dog walk – the lining came out also, which meant putting them back on was a bit of a pain with wet hands. This also happened to a lesser extent when I wore them and it wasn’t raining.
Overall, the gloves are warm but not warm enough for extreme temperatures. They’re suitable for normal winter weather but don’t keep out the cold when say, the mercury drops below zero.
They’re billed as 100% waterproof and highly breathable, but I didn’t find this and they were soaked through during at least one very wet dog walk.
Material: 95% polyester and 5% spandex outer, 100% polyester lining, Size: S, M, L and XL, Colours: Brown, olive and navy
Smartwool Thermal Merino Gloves
- Smartwool Thermal Merino Gloves, from £26.59 at Smartwool – buy here
Pros: Very lightweight, sustainable, cruelty-free, breathable
Cons: Not winter warm on their own
Rating: 3.5/5
I love that these gloves are made from ethically sourced Merino wool and that Smartwool places such a high importance on sustainability and adopting a circular business model.
The gloves fit well, felt snug against my hands and they are warm to a point, but they’re not as warm as I expected them to be, which was disappointing.
Merino wool warms you up when you’re cold and cools you down when you’re hot, but I found the gloves didn’t do that for me and on very cold days the tips of my fingers remained cold. These would be better suited to spring weather, rather than winter.
That said, they’re breathable so your hands aren’t going to sweat and they would be perfect as an extra layer under bigger gloves for those days when the weather is icy.
The touchscreen finger and thumb even worked for me and because they gloves are thin, it was easy to use my phone wearing them.
Material: 100% Merino wool, Size: XS, S, M, L, XL, Colours: Twilight blue heather, charcoal heather, light grey mountain scape and power pink
