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Best Snowboard Gloves of 2024

JUMP TO: BURTON AK CLUTCH  |  OYUKI SENCHO | DAKINE PHOENIX GORE-TEX | HESTRA FALL LINE | BLACK DIAMOND GUIDE | BURTON GORE-TEX | ARC’TERYX FISSION SV | HESTRA ARMY LEATHER GORE-TEX | BUYING ADVICE | COMMON QUESTIONS

Author: Rob Thijssen, Holly Price | Updated: Jan 27, 2024
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The Short Version

The Long Version

When playing in the snow, numb hands can quickly ruin your day. That’s why a quality pair of snowboarding gloves is an indispensable piece of your snowboarding kit.

But what should you look for in a glove? Waterproofing, breathability, shell materials, insulation, and cuff styles – not to mention the enormous range on today’s market – can turn shopping for a pair into a daunting task. So where to start?

When shopping for a new pair of snowboarding gloves, think about your activity and preferences.

Do you explore the backcountry for untouched powder lines in frigid temperatures? Or do you prefer to go knuckle-hucking in the snowpark on a warm spring day?

As you can imagine, each situation asks for a different type of glove.

Rest assured – no matter the type of riding you plan to do, the conditions you’ll encounter, or the style you are aiming for, we’ve got you covered in our round up of the best snowboarding gloves below. Alternatively, if you prioritize warmth over dexterity, then be sure to check out our review of the best snowboard mittens.

If you love reading this review of the best snowboard gloves, then you'll likely love reading some of our other snowboarding review pages:

 

Need To Know What To Look Out For?

Looking for some pointers on your gloves purchase? Be sure to check out our buying advice at the bottom of the page. We discuss competing materials, the most common features, and some guidance on the benefits and trade-offs of choosing gloves vs. mittens.

 

Best Overall: BURTON AK CLUTCH

SHELL MATERIAL: Leather

INSULATION: PrimaLoft® Gold Insulation

WATERPROOF: Yes

PROS: Durable leather exterior, retain excellent finger dexterity, waterproof and warm lining

CONS: Not the most breathable gloves, but definitely an upgrade on previous models in the Burton lineup.

The Burton AK Clutch is an outstanding pair of gloves. They are a great reminder that exceptional overall construction, great dexterity and superb insulation don’t have to cost a fortune.

The exterior is made from comfortable but durable leather, making sure you can enjoy these babies for many riding days to come. They have additional reinforcement on the index finger and thumb where the edges of your board can do the most damage.

Lined with a fully waterproof and breathable Gore-Tex insert, they will keep your hands dry, even on warmer days. A big plus is that the liner is fixed to the interior, so you won’t pull it out when your hands are wet, which we all know is super annoying!

The PrimaLoft® Gold Insulation on the palm of your hand has an exceptional warmth to weight ratio and is tightly packed, dense and thin. Even so, it still does an excellent job of keeping your digits nice and warm. Inside, the liners are made from brushed microfiber, which ups the breathability compared to older gloves of the same model.

A removable wrist leash prevents you from dropping it when you’re playing with your smartphone in the chairlift and the zippered cuff keeps the snow out in those deep powder turns.

Overall, the Burton AK Clutch is a quality glove with a medium price point that definitely lets you enjoy winter for many seasons.

Best Style: OYUKI SENCHO GTX

SHELL MATERIAL: Premium Water Resistant Goatskin Leather

INSULATION: PrimaLoft® Gold Insulation

WATERPROOF: Yes

PROS: Very stylish, supple leather

CONS: Sizing is a bit awkward

The Sencho is the flagship glove from Oyuki, a still relatively unknown apparel manufacturer from the Land of the Rising Sun.

The slim fit, low profile, and premium goatskin leather, make these one of the most supple gloves out there. The high-quality leather and well-designed fit also adds an insane amount of dexterity, without sacrificing durability.

Strategic insulation helps keep out the chill. The Sencho uses 200 g/m² PrimaLoft Gold on the back, and a lighter 133 g/m² PrimaLoft Grip in the palm and fingers to help ensure the insulation isn’t too bulky. That way you can give your pals a decent celebratory fist-bump after snagging some of the deepest turns of the season.

The gloves are sleek and stylish, looking as good off the mountain as they do on it. But aesthetics never come at the expense of performance: They are fully waterproof and breathable and will keep your hands cozy and dry, thanks to the Gore-Tex membrane and a NIKWAX waterproof treatment on the leather itself. Featured with elastic wrist loops and an adjustable double layer cuff for the ultimate seal, the Oyuki Sencho is designed to keep you on the mountain longer.

Best for Freeride: DAKINE PHOENIX GORE-TEX

SHELL MATERIAL: Goatskin Leather

INSULATION: PrimaLoft® Gold Insulation

WATERPROOF: Yes

PROS: Removable performance liner, decent breathability, and tough as hell

CONS: Cuffs are on the short side

Quite literally “built to withstand day-in-day-out abuse”, the Dakine Phoenix gloves are a 2-in-1 masterpiece designed with backcountry missions in mind.

The 100% goatskin leather fingers and palm forms the sturdy base of these gloves, ensuring they will remain at the top of your toolkit for years to come. The removable liners snap easily into the outer shell, with elastic wrist leashes and cinches added to guarantee comfort and security – no snow will be getting up in your business thanks to these beauties.  

Not only do they have Dakine’s highest rating for warmth, but they’re also super lightweight – the perfect combination for long days seeking out those powder pockets in harsh conditions.  Then, when sunny spring shredding comes around, you can easily remove the outer shell to keep things comfortable.

The Phoenix GTX is a high-end pair of gloves for powing in the backcountry and, although not the cheapest, they’re definitely worth the investment!

Best Women’s Glove: HESTRA FALL LINE

SHELL MATERIAL: Cowhide (white color option is goatskin)

INSULATION: G-Loft® synthetic fibre insulation

WATERPROOF: No

PROS: Super warm thanks to the treated cowhide and Primaloft insulation combo

CONS: Not fully waterproof, but the treated leather is wind and water resistant

Swedish family-run brand Hestra has been around since the good old days of 1936, selling gloves handmade by ‘some of the finest glovemakers in Europe.’  Originally making gloves for their lumberjacking business, the family branched out into ski gloves when a ski slope was created near their village in 1937, which gives you an impression of just how durable and time-tested any Hestra gloves are. 

The Women’s Hestra Fall Line gloves are designed to fit the slimmer profile of female hands, with a choice of attractive colours on offer and both mitten and men’s versions also available. What they lack in GTX waterproofing, they make up for in comfort, warmth, and durability. 

The exterior of the gloves is manufactured using durable treated cowhide, with decent pole grip in mind (great for splitboarders on the skin track and improving overall dexterity). Inside, you’ll find toasty G-Loft® synthetic fibre insulation with smart ‘memory effect’ technology which not only ensures optimal thermal insulation but also means the fibres return to their original shape even after many consecutive uses. 

While the Hestra Fall Lines are not strictly for snowboarding, these trusted and toasty gloves are guaranteed to keep you comfortable on the hill.

Best Insulation: BLACK DIAMOND GUIDE

SHELL MATERIAL: Leather, nylon

INSULATION: PrimaLoft® Gold Insulation, boiled wool

WATERPROOF: Yes

PROS: Generous cuff goes over your jacket, very warm

CONS: Least dexterous glove in this review

The Guide from Black Diamond is by far the warmest glove in our review. This makes it the perfect candidate for those arctic days, or for people whose hands get cold easily.

For the removable liner the good folks at Black Diamond used 170 g PrimaLoft® Gold on the palm and on the inside of the fingers. They then backed this up with a lofty boiled wool at the back of the hand, providing you with nature’s finest defender against the cold. The liner is kept in place with Velcro, making sure it doesn’t come out when you don’t want it to.

The exterior of the glove uses a stretchy nylon shell that has goat skin reinforcements on the palm, in areas where it really matters. A Gore-Tex insert keeps the water out, even in the most extreme conditions. The generous cuff goes over your jacket and is easily closed with a strap cinch, even with gloved hands. And your knuckles are well protected thanks to built-up EVA foam padding.

All this insulation and protection is great, but it does mean you’ll have to compromise on dexterity. Although it should get better once you break the materials in a bit.

On the whole the Black Diamond Guide is a very warm, professional grade ski glove that offers an abundance of insulation for those super cold days.

Best on a Budget: BURTON GORE-TEX

SHELL MATERIAL: DryRide™ 2-Layer Fabric

INSULATION: Thermacore® Insulation

WATERPROOF: Yes

PROS: Very affordable, Gore-Tex glove

CONS: Material used in palm is less durable than leather

The Burton Gore-Tex has everything you need in a glove, and with a very affordable price tag.

Thermacore® insulation keeps your digits nice and warm on those chilly chairlift rides. And thanks to the Gore-Tex insert, your hands remain dry and comfortable throughout the entire day. Fortunately the stretchy interior liner is removable, so you can wash it and have fresh gloves every single time you hit the slopes!

The 2-layer exterior is made from Burton’s very own DryRide™ fabric, which is both abrasion-resistant and repels water. The palm is made from Toughgrip™, a polyurethane material that makes sure that whatever you grab, you own. 

The hidden pocket on the back allows you to either create some ventilation on those warmer spring days, or add a heat pack when it starts to get nippy, making this an extremely versatile glove.

Fully touchscreen compatible with Screen Grab® Toughgrip synthetic leather palms, this articulated glove is a perfect choice for when your budget is limited or when you want to bring a spare pair.

Best Dexterity: ARC’TERYX FISSION SV

SHELL MATERIAL: Nylon/Elastane, Premium Goatskin Leather

INSULATION: PrimaLoft® Gold Insulation/PrimaLoft® Silver Insulation

WATERPROOF: Yes

PROS: The most dexterous glove in this review

CONS: It’s the most expensive glove in this review

Arc’teryx is a synonym for premium-quality outdoor gear. And the Fission SV gloves are another example of their mastery.

In Arc’teryx terminology, SV stands for ‘severe’, and that’s exactly what these gloves can handle; they are designed to protect you against the harshest environments known to man.

The Fission SV exterior is made from Fortius™ 1.0. This is a four-way stretch-woven, nylon/elastane softshell fabric that allows for supreme dexterity, whilst also allowing perspiration to escape quickly. This is in addition to a Gore-Tex Active insert, which provides serious waterproofing whilst retaining the highest breathability rating on the market today. All-in-all these materials should do an epic job at keeping your hands dry and warm.

A 200g PrimaLoft® Silver insulation on top, and a 133g PrimaLoft® Gold insulation in the palm provide ample warmth retention, without compromising on dexterity.

Premium goat leather overlays make sure you can enjoy these bad boys for many seasons to come. And that’s a good thing, since they’re the most expensive pair of snowboard gloves in this review!

The Arc’teryx Fission SV gloves offer top-notch performance. They are built to keep your hands warm and dry, while still providing the dexterity you need to use your camera, adjust your goggles, do epic grabs… and all the other things that hands are made to do.

Best Durability: HESTRA ARMY LEATHER GORE-TEX

SHELL MATERIAL: Nylon, Leather

INSULATION: PrimaLoft® Gold Insulation

WATERPROOF: Yes

PROS: Very durable glove. With the proper care it will last many seasons

CONS: Little dexterity making it hard to fine-handle items like phone

This is the second model from Hestra to make our list, which is no surprise considering the Swedish brand has been designing and manufacturing gloves for over 80 years. We’d like to bet they’ve learned a thing or two about how to make awesome gloves that last.

The Army Leather GTX is a heavy-duty, fully waterproof Gore-Tex glove made to wear on steep rocky scrambles up the mountain in search of those hidden runs, way out in the backcountry.

The Triton 3-layer nylon exterior is reinforced with Hestra’s specially treated goatskin. Originally used to make military gloves, their Army Goat Leather withstands the toughest outdoor conditions. So as long as you provide proper care for the leather, these gloves should last you many, many years.

They are rounded off with a host of the usual features, including elastic leashes, Velcro hook and loop closure, and a cozy fleece liner for spectacular warmth. Oh, and the included carabiner for dry-hanging is a nice touch too. Note that they also come in a short cuff version as well.

Overall these gloves are an excellent choice for people who like to be able to depend on their gear, whose hands get cold easily, or who enjoy riding in arctic conditions.

BUYING ADVICE FOR SNOWBOARD GLOVES

Gloves vs Mittens: Which is Better?

The million dollar question. And the answer is pretty simple. Mittens tend to be warmer than gloves because your fingers  generate more heat. This can make them better for extremely cold conditions. But mittens lack the dexterity of gloves, which are preferred when you need to handle gear like closing your bindings and helmet, adjusting your goggles, handling zippers, etc. However, they are not as warm as mittens.

Some brands accepted this challenge and came up with a new design: the lobster or 3-finger mitten. This is a glove/mitt where your thumb and index finger are separate, and the other three digits stay together as they would in a mitten.

Sizing

Finding the right size can be tricky. When shopping for a new pair make sure you have a little room left at the end of your fingertips. If you buy them too small, the fabric creates a pressure point on your fingertips, which will prevent optimal blood circulation, ending in cold fingers. If in doubt, it’s advisable to size up and use an additional thin liner.

Types of Insulation

DOWN: Goose down is the best insulator on the market. Unfortunately, it doesn’t do its job very well when wet. Therefore it’s seldom used in snowboard gloves and mittens.

SYNTHETICS: Synthetic insulation, on the other hand, does perform well in humid conditions. PrimaLoft® is the benchmark in performance of all synthetic insulation. It’s a patented microfiber thermal insulation material that was developed for the United States Army in the 1980s.

Some gloves or mittens have a removable liner. These are often called 3-in-1. You can wear only the shell on warmer days when you want protection from rain or snow, or only the liner when it’s cold and dry. On days when it’s freezing you can wear them combined.

Waterproofness

Keeping your hands dry is key if you want to have warm hands. That is why waterproof gloves or mittens are an important piece of your equipment. But it doesn’t stop there. Making something waterproof isn’t too difficult. After all, a pair of cleaning gloves is perfectly waterproof. The trick is to also make it breathable to avoid perspiration from building up inside.

A lot of manufacturers use a waterproof and breathable insert, like Gore-Tex, but many also offer their own technology, like HyVent from The North Face. It’s basically a thin layer, in between the insulation and exterior, that prevents water droplets (rain, snow) from getting in, while allowing water vapor (sweat) to escape.

Cuff Style

The most important thing is to keep snow out of your jacket and gloves or mittens. Basically, gloves and mitts are designed to go either under the cuff of your jacket, or over it.

OVER THE CUFF (aka “GAUNTLET”): These provide the best protection from snow and cold creeping in, since they go over the sleeve of your jacket and have a draw cord with a cinch to make a perfect seal.

UNDER THE CUFF: Less bulky, these provide better mobility in the wrist and are sealable with a zipper or Velcro. They work best in combination with a Velcro closure on the cuffs of your jacket.

Additional Features

LEATHER PALMS: Good-quality gloves often use goatskin leather in their palms. Goat skin leather is superior to other types of leather because natural lanolin in the skin makes the leather very supple, water-resistant and abrasion resistant. The material is excellent for tasks involving fine dexterity.

Remember that all leather needs maintenance. Applying a leather conditioner once or twice a year is enough to keep the leather in mint condition, making your gloves much more durable over the long term. This is better for the environment, but most of all, it’s better for your wallet.

ARTICULATED: Some gloves have articulated fingers, making it easier to grab items like a ski pole. This also prevents unwanted folds in the palm of your hand, which can create pressure points and thus decrease blood flow, resulting in cold hands.

NOSE WIPE: Usually placed on the outside of the thumb for wiping off those drops before they freeze and turn into icicles.

MINI SQUEEGEE: Some gloves and mitts have this feature on the thumb to clean your goggles. However, be mindful of the possibility of damaging the lens.

PADDING: Additional padding is sometimes added to protect your knuckles.

 
 

WRIST & CUFF CLOSURE SYSTEM: Typically a Velcro strap, cinch, or a zipper. This keeps the glove securely on your hands and in the case of gauntlet-style gloves or mittens, keeps snow from entering.

ZIPPERED POCKETS: These pockets often have a double function. Typically, they fit a disposable hand warmer for those cold days or serve as additional ventilation when the temperature rises.

LEASHES: A handy feature that keeps you from losing your gloves or mittens when handling your phone while riding the chair lift up the mountain.

TOUCH SCREEN COMPATIBILITY: This feature is most often found in the fingers and palms of lightweight to mid-weight gloves and allows you to operate your smartphone or tablet without exposing your skin to the cold.

COMMON QUESTIONS

Are leather snowboarding gloves better? Leather is durable, naturally weather resistant, comfortable, and dexterous, so many of the best snowboarding gloves will feature leather outer shells. Leather is high performing, but is usually more expensive than synthetic alternatives

Are mittens or gloves better for snowboarding? As a general rule, mittens are better for warmth and gloves are better for flexibility and dexterity. What is better for snowboarding depends mostly on your preferences and the weather.

Should snowboarding gloves be waterproof? Fully waterproof gloves, equipped with Gore-Tex membranes and all, can certainly be an advantage but are not mandatory. Well-designed gloves feature naturally water-resistant materials like leather and have adjustable cuffs to trap out moisture almost as effectively.

What is the best brand of snowboarding gloves? Snowboarding gloves from brands like Hestra, Burton, and Arc’teryx appear on our list year after year for a good reason: they design excellent gloves and constantly innovate to make every iteration better than the last.

MORE INFORMATION

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