Gloves vs. Mittens: Which Is Warmer, and When Each One Wins

Mittens are warmer; gloves let you use your fingers. A mitten keeps the four fingers together in one pocket, so less surface area is exposed to the cold, but you lose dexterity. A glove gives every finger and the thumb its own sheath.

Part of the leather gloves and apparel guide.

Gloves vs. mittens at a glance

Are mittens really warmer? What the tests found

Two field studies point the same way. In a 2016 Antarctic test, mittens without liners generally kept the small finger warmer than unheated gloves. Mittens with liners, along with heated gloves, kept finger temperature at or above 59 °F (15 °C). That test used a convenience sample of gloves on 20-minute walks, so treat it as a guide, not a ranking.

A 2014 study of 10 utility workers at -4 °F (-20 °C) found mitten-style gloves kept hands warmer than a standard five-finger glove. One more finding: chemical warmers placed at the wrist of unheated gloves increased heat loss in the Antarctic test.

When to choose gloves, and when mittens

Pick gloves when the task needs separate fingers: zips, buckles, a steering wheel or motorcycle levers. Pick mittens when you mostly hold something, such as a ski pole, and warmth matters more.

In this short clip from REI, a staff member explains the same trade-off between dexterity and warmth and shows liner gloves worn inside mittens. It is a quick summary; the field-test results above add the numbers.

In-between options

• Liner inside a mitten: the combination kept fingers warm in the Antarctic test.
• One-finger (trigger) mittens: a mitten with the index finger free for grip.
• Convertible mittens, or "glittens": a fingerless glove with a mitten flap that folds back. See names for fingerless gloves.
• Lined gloves: insulation inside a glove. See what Thinsulate gloves are and how heated gloves work.

Leather gloves for cold days

Leather Collection lists no mittens. Its Leather Collection men's leather gloves include lined winter pairs with Thinsulate, cashmere wool or shearling linings. The store says the leather outer blocks the wind. Keep leather gloves dry where you can: handling wet surfaces can stiffen any leather glove.

FAQ

Are gloves and mittens the same thing?

Not quite. The Wikipedia mitten article calls a mitten a type of glove, but one without separate finger openings. A standard glove has a separate sheath or opening for each finger.

What's the difference between a glove and a mitt?

"Mitt" can mean a mitten, or an oversized protective glove such as an oven mitt or baseball mitt.

Why do people wear mittens instead of gloves?

For warmth. Grouped fingers expose less surface to the cold, and mittens beat unheated gloves in field tests.