Good ski gloves or mittens for kids are totally crucial. Frostbite is a real thing, and I've met nary a cheap glove that has the warmth and water resistance to keep up with the pressures of the powder. But how do you choose? Luckily for you, I've been at this (skiing and parenting) for pretty much ever, and I am here to help.
Honestly, gloves aren't that complicated. You want your kid to have something that's warm, waterproof, and flexible — whether they're gloves or mittens. They should also be breathable. Because of that, you'll need to consider how they're made and what they're made with, as this affects their comfort and safety.
How They're Made
The seams are generally where water and cold air leak into the gloves. You want the seams to be sealed — also known as “taped.” This means that the gloves are essentially waterproof. When your kid is hitting the powder or dragging knuckles on a snowboard, this is incredibly important. You want them to have both garters and gauntlets, which means you want them to have the ability to be cinched at the wrist, with a skirt of material that can go over or under the ski jacket. And they need to breathe so that your child’s hands don’t get too sweaty, which can actually lead to frostbite because that sweat can freeze.
Warmth Rating
You want your kids' ski gloves to have a decent amount of fill, since little hands get frostbite quickly. Down is warm and quite lovely, but it gets wet faster and takes longer to dry. Synthetic fill is almost standard at this point.
Features
There are a ton of other features that aren't available on all gloves, but that are nice to have. For, example tech-friendly fingertips that can operate touchscreens are pretty much essential for older kids. Some gloves have vents for warmer days that really improve breathability. You also might have gloves with more than one cinch, which I find to be extremely helpful for connecting them together in storage.
If you're hitting the slopes with your kids, check out these great ski gloves and mittens. They are all excellent.
It's no secret that I love all things L.L.Bean. They have such wonderful customer service to go with their killer products, and I just can't help but stan.
These gloves are waterproof with Thinsulate insulation, which means they're warm without making your hands sweaty. The cuff keeps out the cold, while the soft edges don't chafe sensitive skin.
Even though they're under $40, these are a truly solid pair of gloves: waterproof, breathable, extremely comfortable, and darned warm. I love that REI has put dual cinches on these gloves — at the wrist and at the end of the cuff. This gives you a super customized fit that really blocks that snow from getting between the glove and the hand.
The gloves have loops for attaching them to one another, and the windproof inserts are included. The leatherette grip allows your child to grab the pole without feeling stiff.
Burton is a perennial ski and snowboard favorite, and this glove is a great example as to why. It's built to be a chameleon. It's warm and waterproof with plenty of fill, but it also has vents on the backs of the hands for warmer days.
These gloves also have dual cinches, and a big bonus is their tech-sensitive fingertips. The skirt is longer on these gloves, so the seal is just phenomenal.
Your toddler is going to grow out of these waterproof ski gloves in a heartbeat, so it makes sense that they should not cost a fortune. These gloves by Jan and Jul are fully lined with taped seams, a strong cinch at the wrist, a gripping hand, and catch loops to keep them together.
I bought these for my daughter on a lark last year, and holy crap: They're actually pretty darned great gloves. They have a pocket for hand warmers, a great grip, tech-sensitive fingers, and all the patterns and colors a kid could hope for.
While I wouldn't say they're as durable as a Burton or a North Face, they're fabulous for a season ... or truly, just for building snowmen.
A budget mitten with dual cinch is pretty impressive, and these are perfect for toddlers learning their way around the slopes. They are fully lined with sherpa, so they aren't as breathable as some gloves are. But on a cold day? They'll really keep fingers toasty.
These are my daughter's favorite gloves. Her reason? The fingers are roomy, but they don't gape. If the fingers on gloves are too loose and too roomy, they slip when you're trying to get a good grip on the pole, so this feature is key here.
They also have a great cinch and soft lining, and the fill never gets soaked ... even if the gloves feel like they are.
OK, we can all agree that there's something none of us want to talk about when it comes to cold-weather sports, but we need to: snot. Yup. Runny noses are a part of the game, and these gloves have a soft, cleanable spot for your kids to wipe. It's gross, but it's necessary.
Super warm, waterproof, and a soft cinch round out these gloves' best features.
If your kid is getting serious about this whole skiing thing, they'll want these gloves. They're designed for young skiers to hold their hand in a natural, neutral position as they ski and grab the poles.
The materials of the gloves are designed for all weather, with a breathable, warm mix of optional base insert and warm fill. It has a tight cinch at the top, keeping cold out, and tech-sensitive fingers.
The grip? Second-to-none for kids' gloves. The neutral positioning combined with synthetic leather palm is a dynamite combination.
Whether your kid is hopping on the bunny trails or speeding down the slopes faster than you, these gloves will keep them protected and comfortable.
They are weatherproof and waterproof with a breathable insert. The long gauntlet has a tightly adjustable cinch, and the poly grips are extra-strong. And like all things Marmot, they're designed to last long beyond a single season. If you spend any time skiing, you're likely to see lots of these on the slopes.
Cat BowenParenting EditorCat Bowen is the parenting editor at BestProducts.com where she researches all of the best products for families from pre-conception through their teen years, focusing on matching scientific evidence with real-life needs.
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