Heated Gloves Are the Key to Staying Warm This Winter

Brace yourselves, folks, because if the last few weeks are any signal for what to expect this season, then we're in for a very cold winter ahead. In fact, The Old Farmer's Almanac is predicting that winter 2023 will be particularly cold for all of us in the Midwest, South, and East Coast of the U.S.

Those of us who have lived through a rough winter or two know that the best way to fend off the chill is to be prepared. From outfitting cars in case you get stranded to making sure your home is properly insulated, staying ahead of the cold is the way to go. Of course, having proper cold-weather clothing is one of the best precautions we can take when getting ready, and heated gloves top our list as one of clothing items that help fend off these dropping temperatures.

Heated gloves are wonderful not only for outdoor activities like shoveling snow and skiing, but they can also be useful for those suffering from aches and pains in their fingers or who need extra warmth due to diseases like Raynaud's. Gloves and mittens can be heated either by a battery pack, chemically, or manually through the use of a microwave. Battery-operated heated gloves are great for outdoor activities, particularly if you need high heat for hours at a time, while microwavable heated gloves are better for therapeutic purposes. Because of these differences, there are a few things you'll want to think about before purchasing a pair.

Heat Source

Heated gloves can work one of three ways: a battery pack, chemicals, or through manually heating them in a microwave. For the ultimate protection, battery-operated heated gloves are going to provide long lasting warmth. Chemically heated gloves, like those that are filled with single-use heating pouches, will stay heated for a few hours at most and usually can't achieve the same temperatures as battery-operated. Microwavable gloves are best for therapeutic use because while they can reach high heat, it won't last as they don't have a constant source of power.

Gloves vs. Mittens

The choice between gloves versus mittens comes down to how flexible you need your hands to be. For tasks that just require a grasping motion, like shoveling snow, mittens should be fine to wear. Since your fingers are bound together, this will increase warmth. But if you need use of your fingers, like when hiking or skiing, then you'll want to opt for gloves instead. You won't be maximizing warmth, but full use of your hands is more important. If you want the best of both worlds, consider layering mittens on top of thin gloves.