Any avid outdoorsman can tell you, especially those that live in the northern areas of the United States, having cold hands can turn any hunting trip into a miserable experience.
When deciding on which hunting gloves best suit your personal needs, you will more than likely be bombarded with hundreds of opinions on hundreds of products.
Below are some great options that will not only keep your hands warm, and keep you in the stand longer, but give you the dexterity to shoot when the perfect shot arises.
Table Of Contents
Best Hunting Gloves
- Mechanix Wear
- Carhartt Lightweight Shooting Glove
- Under Armour Hunt Early Season Fleece Glove
- Hot Shot Defender Thermal Gloves
- Glacier Alaska Pro Waterproof Insulated Gloves
Considerations Before Buying Hunting Gloves
When preparing to buy that new set of gloves before the hunting season begins, there are several considerations that need to be made. Here are the top three considerations for choosing the best glove for your hunt.
Material
Cotton
The material the glove is made of can make a huge difference when deciding which glove will best suit the needs of this upcoming season.
Different materials have different weatherproof capabilities, which can affect the warmth, thickness, and durability of the glove in general.
Most gloves have at least some cotton in their makeup, which is a soft warm and durable material that is commonly used in clothing, while cotton is a great choice, there are downsides to using one hundred percent cotton.
The most prominent of which is the fact that cotton absorbs moisture, which can leave you with soaked gloves, that do more harm than good in cold conditions.
Gore-tex
Gore-tex material has become popular over the last few decades. Gore-tex is a man-made material that stretches and is waterproof, which makes it ideal for those hunters in snowy or rainy climates.
Gore-tex has the same fabric make-up as Teflon which makes it extremely durable, and a great choice for any outdoor material. This material is arguably the best material for any hunter that will be out in wetter climates that still needs a breathable material that will last.
Neoprene
Neoprene is another waterproof material that is used in many articles of clothing for hunting and outdoors. Neoprene is a synthetic rubber that also resists water, and wind while keeping your hands warm.
The downside?
Well being a synthetic rubber, Neoprene does not breathe well at all. So your hands may sweat like they are in a sauna.
These three materials are the top materials recommended for hunting gloves.
Durability
Durability is another consideration when shopping around for hunting gloves. You may be able to get a great deal on a cheap pair of hunting gloves, but if you need to buy new gloves every year, that cost can add up rather quickly.
Keeping the balance between economy and quality is the key to getting a great pair of hunting gloves.
Looking at gloves that are made of materials that have more durability is highly recommended when shopping for your next set of hunting gloves.
Thickness
The thickness of the material becomes a problem when you need to accomplish a task that requires dexterity.
Some gloves boast thin layers that allow you the ability to pull a trigger, or easily climb into a tree stand.
Thicker material may indeed keep your hands warmer during the long sit, but if you can’t pull the trigger when the time comes, then the gloves become more of a hindrance than a help.
These are all considerations a hunter must account for when selecting gloves that are perfect for their individual needs.
Best Hunting Gloves for Cold Weather
Specific cold weather gloves are designed for those hunters in extreme cold weather, but not necessarily extreme wet climates. If specific cold weather gloves are used in climates that are a little warmer, your hands may sweat quite a bit, which can be just as uncomfortable as being cold.
The draw back to these gloves is the fact that they are thicker than other types of hunting gloves and will not fit as well into the trigger guard of a hunting rifle.
When looking for hunting gloves, specific cold weather gloves are ideal for those hunters in sub-freezing temperatures that do not anticipate getting their hands too wet.
Our best cold weather hunting gloves are the Hot Shot Defender Thermal Gloves
Best Waterproof Hunting Gloves
Gloves that are specifically built to be waterproof definitely have their place in a hunter’s gear. Waterproof gloves will usually have some insulation to help stave off some of the cold but not as much as the thicker gloves made specifically for cold weather use.
If you are hunting in an area that is more rainy than cold, then a good set of waterproof gloves will more than likely be the way to go.
Specific waterproof gloves are built to keep the hunter’s hands dry, not necessarily warm.
Our best waterproof hunting gloves are the Glacier Alaska Pro Waterproof Insulated Gloves
Best Hunting Gloves Reviewed
Mechanix Wear
Mechanix Wear gloves started as protection for those working in a garage or around the house, and moved into tactical gear, some used by the U.S. Military today.
These gloves are lightweight and will provide a lot of dexterity for a shooter, and some protection from abrasions on the hands.
Beyond that the Mechanix Wear gloves don’t provide much in the way of cold weather protection, water proofing, or scent blocking that some hunting gloves offer. Coming in around $25 they are a good buy for anyone needing an early season glove for protection.
Buy Mechanix Wear Camo Gloves Here
Carhartt Lightweight Shooting Glove
Much like the Mechanix Wear gloves the Carhartt Lightweight shooting gloves are ideal for dry cool conditions but are not well suited for wet or extreme cold conditions. The lightweight design, along with the mossy oak outer shell make these gloves ideal for early hunting season.
The thin material makes it easier for the hunter to feel the trigger, which makes these gloves ideal for duck hunters.
With a cost of around 26$ these gloves are great for a hunter on a budget. The tight fit will allow the dexterity needed to get an accurate shot, while keeping your hands warm in a light fall breeze.
Buy Carhartt Lightweight Shooting Glove Here
Under Armour Hunt Early Season Fleece Glove
The Under Armour early season Fleece Gloves. Coming in at around $40 these gloves provide not only cold weather protection but are waterproofed as well.
While not as expensive as some gloves, they are a little more expensive than others. These will provide adequate protection for any hunter operating in a temperate climate, while maintaining a slim enough design that the glove will still fit within a trigger well.
The Under Armor glove is the more versatile out of the group allowing the hunter hand mobility, yet cold and wet protection against the elements.
Buy Under Armour Hunt Early Season Fleece Gloves Here
Hot Shot Defender Thermal Gloves
The Hot Shot Defender Winter Thermal Gloves are a specific cold weather glove that are designed for the extreme cold weather hunter in mind. Coming in at around $19 these gloves are ideal if you plan on hunting in the dead of winter, in snowy conditions and you are on a tight budget.
The gloves themselves are not waterproof, but have a waterproof lining inside, which will keep your hands dry, but can cause them to sweat.
With a thicker layer of thinsulate than other gloves, it is recommended that you only wear these when the weather is cold, otherwise you will end up with a pair of sweaty hands.
The major drawback to these gloves is the size, they do not fit inside a trigger well very easily.
Buy Hot Shot Defender Thermal Gloves Here
Glacier Alaska Pro Waterproof Insulated Gloves
The Glacier Glove Alaska Pro Camo Waterproof Insulated Glove, despite its name, is best suited for wet conditions over colder weather.
While the glove does have some cold weather protection, it is mostly designed to be used in more wet conditions. With a neoprene layer which creates a waterproof barrier hunting with these gloves will keep your hands dry during a cooler rainy hunt.
Coming in around $20 these gloves are on the lower end, and suffer some in the durability department, many users report poor construction and easy snagging of the material.
Buy Glacier Alaska Pro Waterproof Insulated Gloves Here
Conclusion
Depending on the location of your hunt this year, gloves can make or break the day for even the most seasoned hunter. In order to sit in a stand or blind for an extended period a hunter must be able to keep his hands dry and warm.
The best glove for all around use, both wet and cold weather is the Under Armour Early Season Fleece Gloves.
Providing cold weather protection as well as waterproof material these gloves will fit the needs of most any hunter.
They are a little Steeper in price than some of the other gloves reviewed here, but the quality of the glove will be well worth the extra expense when the first harvest of the season is brought in.