Mittens and Gloves for Extreme Cold (2026)

Cold hands come from two problems: not enough insulation around the fingers, and fingers spread apart so each one loses heat on its own. A mitten fixes the second; a thicker glove only fixes the first. Below about 0°F, or on long still days at any temperature below freezing, most people are warmer in a mitten with a thin liner than in any glove.

How we chose: we did not test these; we compared insulation, waterproof inserts and temperature ranges from the makers' pages and listings, and kept only products sold by the maker's own store or Amazon.com and in stock on September 29, 2026.

Six mittens, gloves and liners side by side

Prices are Amazon's, as of the time shown, and subject to change. Details

Black Diamond lists a temperature range of -15 to 0°F for the current Mercury Mitts and Guide Gloves. Burton and Carhartt do not publish one.

Why mittens beat gloves in deep cold

REI's guide to snow gloves and mittens puts it simply: mittens are warmer than gloves made with the same materials because your fingers can share warmth. Four fingers in one pocket also have less surface area losing heat than four fingers in four sleeves.

The cost is dexterity. You cannot work a zipper pull, a buckle or a phone in a big mitt. REI's answer for people who need both is a split-finger "lobster" design; ours is a mitten with a thin liner glove underneath.

Gloves still have a place. The Black Diamond Guide Gloves put more insulation on the back of the hand (170 g) than in the palm (133 g) so you can still grip. If you handle ropes, ski poles or tools all day, that grip is worth some warmth.

The liner system

The warmest setups are layered like your body: a thin liner glove next to the skin, an insulated mitt or glove, and a shell that stops wind and snow. The Mercury Mitts, Guide Gloves and Burton mittens all build this in with a removable insulated liner.

A separate thin liner glove adds one more trick. When you pull your hand out of the mitt to adjust a binding or open a zip, your skin never touches cold metal or snow. Black Diamond's Midweight ScreenTap is 265 g stretch fleece at 47 g a pair, with a conductive palm so you can use a phone without taking it off.

Removable liners also dry faster. Pull them out at night and dry them inside your jacket or sleeping bag; a damp liner is a cold liner the next morning.

Pro tip: size mittens with the liner glove on. A mitt that squeezes the fingers compresses its own insulation and cuts off circulation, which is exactly what you are trying to prevent.

Wind chill and how fast skin freezes

The National Weather Service wind chill chart shades its wind chill values by how quickly exposed skin can freeze: 30 minutes, 10 minutes and 5 minutes.

Some readings from the chart:

• 0°F air in a 15 mph wind feels like -19°F. The NWS says exposed skin can freeze in 30 minutes at that wind chill.
• -15°F in a 20 mph wind is -42°F, in the 10-minute band.
• At -40°F and 30 mph the wind chill reaches -80°F, deep in the 5-minute band.

The NWS also says frostbite needs air that is actually below freezing. At 35°F in a gale you will not get frostbite, though you can still get hypothermia.

Mittens are for the times you are exposed to those numbers for hours: a ski lift, a winter summit, a long ice-fishing sit. For a 20-minute dog walk at 20°F, a good insulated glove is fine.

Which to buy

• Deep cold, long exposure: Black Diamond Mercury Mitts (women's) plus a Midweight ScreenTap liner.
• Resort days: Burton GORE-TEX Mittens. The heater/vent pocket takes a disposable warmer on the coldest chairlift rides.
• Cold work with your fingers: Black Diamond Guide Gloves.
• Chores and shoveling: Carhartt Insulated Mitten. Size it from Carhartt's hand-circumference chart on the listing.

Hand warmers add heat but do not replace insulation. If you use them, put them in a mitt with room for air; our hand warmer guide compares disposable and rechargeable ones.

Frostbite: signs and what to do

The CDC's frostbite page lists numbness, a white or grayish-yellow skin area, and skin that feels unusually firm or waxy as warning signs. Fingers, toes, nose, ears, cheeks and chin are the usual places.

The CDC says to get into a warm room, use warm (not hot) water, and not to rub the area with snow or massage it. It also warns against warming numb skin with a heating pad, heat lamp, stove or fireplace, because it burns easily. Anyone with signs of frostbite should see a health care provider; this page is not medical advice.

Related: merino vs synthetic base layers and down vs synthetic insulated jackets.

Frequently Asked Questions

What size mitten should I buy?

Measure around the palm and from wrist crease to fingertip, then use the maker's chart. Carhartt's listing gives both, from Small (7.5-8 in around) to XX-Large (11-12 in), and size up if you will wear a liner.

Are Black Diamond's temperature ranges tested like sleeping bags?

No. Glove and mitten ranges are the maker's own guidance; there is no standard lab test for them the way ISO 23537 covers sleeping bags. Treat -15 to 0°F as Black Diamond's intended use, not a guarantee.

How do I dry mittens overnight on a winter trip?

Pull the liners out and keep them inside your jacket or sleeping bag, and leave the shells open. Wet insulation next to your body dries faster than anything left in a cold tent.

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WildProofLab is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Insulation specs and temperature ranges are the makers' own.