The Best Thin Gloves for Extreme Cold

With the winter months just around the corner, winter activities are bound to follow. And when I say winter activities, I mean all of the activities you usually do the rest of the year, except that it’s wetter, colder, and more miserable.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. Thanks to advanced manufacturing processes and new materials, wearing several layers of clothes to keep warm is a thing of the past. And in the case of gloves, some of the best thin gloves for extreme cold offer all the thermal protection you need without affecting your range of motion.

Of course, no two gloves are created equal, as glove makers have to take a lot of factors into consideration when designing products. But for the buyer, it is usually a lot easier to choose your next winter glove based on three main things: thickness, warmth, and grip.

• Thin gloves – Since you are here for the top-rated thin winter gloves, the thickness of the glove is likely your first priority. The thinner the glove, the more freely you’ll be able to move your hands—and with some models, it can almost feel like you aren’t wearing gloves.
• Warmth – While you might want to go for whatever glove is the thinnest in the catalog, it might not be the best choice as you also have to consider the warmth of the glove. As thicker materials will always be warmer than thinner ones, this should be something to keep in mind as you make your purchase decision.
• Good grip – Another thing to consider is the grip of the gloves you’re buying. Anyone who’s ever dropped their phone will know just how important grip is. As such, it would be advisable to look for gloves with some sort of rubberized grip.

If this seems confusing to you, don’t worry. I will be showing you examples of great thin thermal gloves that I’ve used and tested. Hopefully, this will give you an idea of what to expect when you go out shopping for your own pair of thin winter gloves. You can check out the buying guide for more tips.

Top 15 Thin Gloves for Extreme Cold Reviews

1. SIMARI Winter Gloves for Running

The cold of the winter months seems to make everything slow down. But for those who do prefer snow over sand, these same months are the perfect time to go out and enjoy it. Unfortunately, the extreme cold can hamper the fun that wintertime activities usually bring.

That’s what these thin snow gloves from SIMARI are for. Featuring an inner liner made with cashmere fabric, the gloves offer a surprising amount of warmth for their thickness. The gloves had no problems keeping my hands warm when I took the gloves out on multiple cycling trips in the cold.

These gloves also have other features that make them very useful for doing activities in cold weather. For one, the gloves have a flexible polyester shell that stretches easily to flow with our movements, whether we’re driving or skiing.

On the palm side of the gloves is inlaid a grip pattern made of silicone. This pattern covers part of the palms and each of the fingertips, which helps me get a proper grip on things without adding too much weight. However, I would have liked the silicone pads to be stitched into the fabric instead of glued, as these pads will peel off over time.

2. Terramar Sports Thermasilk Glove Liner

I will be starting this list with one of my favorite pairs. The Thermasilk glove liner from Terramar is a pair of lightweight winter gloves designed to handle the most demanding winter activities while also being possibly the thinnest gloves one can find.

The magic, of course, all lies in their extra-thin Thermasilk construction. This special fabric is essentially 100% silk with added treatments to compensate for the fabric’s naturally delicate nature. This combination gives the gloves form-fitting precision without fragility.

You may have noticed that these gloves are called “glove liners.” If you haven’t heard the term used before, glove liners are simply base layers that are meant to be worn under thicker outer layers for extreme activities like mountain climbing or skiing.

For this reason, these gloves are woven with a smooth outer texture so users can slide them into and out of thicker winter gloves without any snagging. The only downside to this, though, is that the gloves can feel a bit slippery when holding other objects.

Of course, that doesn’t mean these gloves can’t be used on their own. Thanks to their ClimaSense technology that regulates my hands’ temperature, they serve me very well as thin gloves for typing.

3. Mountain Made Genesis Cold Weather Gloves

Hikers and mountaineers are one of the biggest customer bases for thin winter gloves. This is because these gloves manage to meet hikers’ demands for both excellent flexibility and great thermal protection.

That is what the Genesis gloves from Mountain Made are for. Built with a polyester shell and lining, I found these gloves were flexible enough to let me operate a radio and satellite phone on a hiking trip.

This was likely helped by the grip that covered the entire palms in a strategic hex pattern. This gave excellent grip coverage that worked even in icy conditions.

Of course, flexibility in thin but warm gloves is nothing if they can’t protect us from the cold. Thankfully, these gloves don’t disappoint there either, with insulation rated for temperatures down to 32°F. This is more than enough insulation for most wintertime treks.

An interesting detail on these gloves is the zipper closure which is facilitated by a high-grade YKK zipper. It provides a very secure closing option if the elastic inner cuff isn’t enough.

4. Cevapro Thermal Gloves for Running

The cold can mean different things to different people. For those who live in the tropics, temperatures around 60°F might already be chilly. But for those who live further north, their idea of cold is likely below zero.

And for those kinds of extreme temperatures, extreme warmth is required. That is what these gloves for extreme cold -20C from Cevapro are for. Its unique combination of materials allows the gloves to keep us warm even in temperatures as low as -30°F.

One of the materials that make this possible is TPU, a plastic material that is used in these gloves as a waterproof inner layer. Waterproofing helps keep our hands warm by keeping cold moisture from reaching our hands.

This is helped further with the additional layer of PU leather used as palm grips for the gloves. I appreciate the use of PU over other materials here as they are more durable—and from my testing, this does seem to be the case.

Bringing this all together is the soft fleece material used as the thermal liner of the gloves. Its fuzzy texture creates a barrier of both air and fabric that blocks out cold air from outside. All of these layers combined are what allows the gloves to provide warmth down to their rated -30°F.

5. TRENDOUX Winter Gloves

Let’s face it, most of the people who are looking for the warmest thinnest gloves on the market aren’t the sporty types. Instead, they are probably the fashion-forward types who need a pair of fashionable yet functional gloves to keep their hands warm while out and about.

Thankfully, manufacturers like TRENDOUX are more than happy to fill in that corner of the market with their styling knit winter gloves. Covering the interior of the gloves is a napped wool lining that is more than capable of keeping my hands warm in the dead of winter.

One of the biggest design challenges for knit winter gloves like these is keeping cold outside air from entering the gloves. The solution that these gloves use is a windproof elastic wrist cuff. By locking the hands in with a securely fitting wrist, cold air has no chance of getting in from the outside.

Besides their warmth, these gloves also have a couple of extra features that make them very useful for the urban traveler. The first is the conductive fabric woven into the thumb, index, and middle fingers of the gloves. This subtle addition is quite useful nowadays as we never leave home without our smartphones or tablets.

6. Superior Fleece-Lined Winter Work Gloves

Although it conjures up images of sledding, snowball fights, and serene landscapes, snowy winters are not all fun and games. Anyone who has ever had to spend over an hour shoveling their driveway just to get to work can attest to that.

Although labor can be a chore, it doesn’t have to be miserable thanks to these winter work gloves from the Superior Glove Company. With its soft fleece inner liner, the gloves offer up a good fight against the cold, keeping our hands warm even in sub-zero conditions.

The outer shell is made of 15-gauge nylon, a fabric that is commonly used in industrial-grade work gloves for its flexibility and light weight. I found them very easy to maneuver in and didn’t hamper my hand dexterity as I cleared snow around the house.

These gloves also borrow another feature found in industrial work gloves, and that is their textured rubber palm coating. Their effective wet and dry grip is perfect for work in the snow, especially as tools tend to get slippery in icy conditions.

Another benefit of the rubber coating is that it also protects your hands from physical hazards. In fact, these gloves are rated for level 2 puncture protection and level 3 abrasion protection based on the ANSI standard.

7. ViGrace Winter Warm Touchscreen Gloves

The knit glove is one of the most popular designs for winter gloves, and for good reasons. With a simple construction process that only needs a handful of materials, it is no surprise that knit gloves are such a reliable design that manufacturers like to make.

The simplicity of the design does mean that different gloves from different manufacturers can start to look the same when viewed from afar. As such, brands like ViGrace try to stand out by adding little details that matter a lot to the wearer when they actually use them.

For one, these gloves are woven with two layers of conductive fabric, which significantly improves the gloves’ responsiveness with touchscreens. From my experience, this design detail works quite well, giving me the precision to play games on my smartphone even in the freezing cold.

This conductive fabric is woven into a knit shell made of plush acrylic yarn, which makes the gloves feel tailored and handmade. It’s a very unique hand feel that I’ve yet to find in other gloves.

Of course, these gloves are by no means handmade. You can tell because of the engineered wool napping that carefully lines the inside of the gloves and makes up a lot of the insulation that makes these gloves so warm in the winter.

8. G&F Waterproof Winter Gloves

Working in the dead of winter is not the most pleasant experience. It’s cold, wet, miserable, and if our work deals with snow, we’re likely going to have to deal with it again the next day.

Work gloves like these ones made by G&F are designed for tasks like these. With their certified 2131 physical protection rating based on the EN388 standard, these gloves are made from the ground up to protect the hands from the hazards of extremely cold environments.

While most dipped work gloves only have one coating layer, G&F has opted to coat these gloves twice. This second layer serves as a weatherproofing coat that gives the gloves superior wind and water resistance.

Now you might be thinking, what would an industrial worker need cold weather gloves for?

The answer for that is quite simple: freezer work. Yes, blast freezers for cold storage can often reach temperatures that are even colder than the winter months in most places. That’s why these gloves are equipped with insulation rated for use down to -58°F, making them one of the thinnest warmest work gloves on this list.

9. Smartwool Unisex Liner Glove

Smartwool is a clothing brand best known for making high-quality ski socks. They have since expanded their catalog to cover all sorts of performance wear and accessories, including these gloves.

Key to the success of Smartwool’s ski socks is their use of Merino wool, a variety of wool sourced from certain breeds of sheep. This specific wool has unique advantages over regular wool, such as its softer and smoother texture. These gloves carry over these same qualities, resulting in a premium texture that users can’t replicate with cheaper synthetics.

The gloves also happen to be machine washable, which is a thoughtful feature for someone like me who goes on long hiking trips in the snow.

Another characteristic of Merino wool is its natural moisture-wicking properties. By absorbing sweat from our hands and evaporating it on the outer surface of the gloves, our hands are kept dry no matter how cold it gets.

Because these are knit wool gloves, they tend to let cold air through the gaps. This isn’t very helpful if we wear these through snowy mountains, so Smartwool added a windproof overlay over the gloves to help lock in warmth and protect our hands from the harsh, chilly outside air.

10. Anqier Winter Gloves for Cycling

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not a very sporty person. I enjoy long walks and cycling trips, but nothing more intensive than that.

That being said, I understand the benefits and appeal of sportswear to people who don’t work out, and these winter sports gloves from Anqier are a great way to illustrate why.

The shell of the gloves is made of what is called compression fabric. This is an engineered fabric that presses tightly against the skin to encourage blood circulation through the covered area. While this means that the gloves will feel very tight before you get used to them, the gloves do have the added benefit of a sport-ready fit and warmth from the increased blood circulation to the hands.

The unique effects of the compression fabric are augmented further by the built-in insulation in the gloves, which are rated for temperatures down to 23°F.

For a fabric to be considered a compression fabric, it must be made out of a very stretchable material. The Anqier gloves are made from Lycra, which is a soft and extra-stretchy fabric that is flexible enough for just about any sport.

11. Jeniulet Mens Winter Warm Gloves

One of the most difficult conditions for thin thermal gloves to operate in is motorcycling. This is because winter motorcycle riding exposes our hands to very fast and very cold winds.

Challenging as it is, though, these gloves from Jeniulet aim to do just that. To tackle the cold, these gloves are equipped with a substantial 260 grams of fleece insulation. From my testing, the insulation was able to keep my hands warm even when riding 60mph on the freeway in sub-zero temperatures.

The gloves are lined with soft velvet, which provides a luxurious feel and further insulates the hands. In my opinion, it’s hard to find a glove pair that’s more comfortable than this one.

Because wind is a major issue when riding a motorcycle, windproofing is a must on the gloves that we wear. That’s why the outer shell of these gloves is both windproof and waterproof to handle most weather conditions when users are out and about.

12. Bymore Elastic Knit Gloves

Knit winter gloves are a dime a dozen these days. As an example, just look at how many of the gloves on this list fit that general description. That being said, glove makers do try their best to make their products stick out from the rest, and this example from Bymore is no exception.

A key feature of these gloves is the aeronautic conductive yarn used on the fingertips of the gloves. From my testing, this yarn is able to conduct more of the capacitance of my fingers through the glove, which greatly improves touchscreen sensitivity.

This means that, of the gloves I’ve reviewed in this list, these are one of the few pairs that I can actually use to type accurately with the touch keyboard on my smartphone.

Silicone grip pads are stuck across the palms, which helps me keep a secure grip on my gadgets while I hold them. However, I would have liked for these pads to also cover the fingertips. Not having these pads means my hands have barely any grip when I try to hold anything with my fingertips.

13. Bruceriver Pure Wool Gloves

When it comes to winter gloves, wool is still one of the best materials to use. Warm, flexible, and comfortable all at the same time, it is no surprise that Bruceriver makes wool their material of choice for their super warm thin gloves.

Yes, the outer shell of these gloves is constructed from 100% wool. This material choice gives an exceptionally soft hand feel that synthetics just can’t replicate.

However, this does come with a caveat: wool is a fairly delicate fabric when it comes to washing. As such, they require a much more involved washing process compared to synthetics.

Of course, these gloves are not without modern features. 40 grams of 3M Thinsulate is woven into these gloves to provide an additional layer of insulation without adding too much bulk. The result is a pair of gloves that gives proper winter warmth.

An interesting detail that I noticed about these gloves is that the cuffs are thickened with a doubled-up knit. From my time using these gloves, I realized that the thickened cuffs are to provide more material to grab on when pulling on and taking off the gloves.

14. MCTi Lightweight Glove Liner

Glove liners are a special breed of thin warm gloves. Although they are meant to be used as a base layer for thicker gloves, they must also function as effective gloves on their own. These gloves made by MCTi are one such pair.

True to their purpose as glove liners, these gloves have a smooth outer texture that allows the gloves to easily slip in and out of thicker gloves if more warmth is needed. I tested this with my ski gloves, and the glove liners worked remarkably well.

But even on their own, these gloves have a surprising amount of warmth. This is partly thanks to their wind-resistant outer coating that blocks out the cold air that is one of the most common causes of cold hands while wearing gloves. I had no problems using these gloves as my daily pair for whenever I needed to be outside.

My favorite feature about these gloves, though, is their 4-way stretch fabric. This allows them to precisely conform to the shape of my hands for an almost custom fit.

The stretchy fabric also means that the fingers are extremely flexible. The freedom of movement provided by these gloves allowed me to type comfortably on my keyboard with the same level of accuracy and speed that I normally would have when I didn’t wear any gloves at all.

15. Balhvit Winter Gloves for Extreme Cold

The last product on this list is this pair of knit winter gloves made by Balhvit. They serve as a great example of a simple design turned into an effective product because of great execution.

For starters, these gloves use the ever recognizable knit glove shell that is present on many of the other gloves on this list. The use of plush yarn makes the gloves quite comfortable to wear. I had no problems keeping these gloves on over a 12-hour road trip.

On the inside of the gloves is an insulating liner made of microfleece. Compared to the “regular” fleece, the microfleece liner is resistant to pilling, a phenomenon in which fibers from inside the glove clump together into tiny but annoying balls of fabric.

The smoother and less fuzzy texture of microfleece also means there is less friction inside the gloves. And with less friction, there is less buildup of static electricity, which is a very convenient feature.

The gloves also have silicone grip pads that cover the palms. Unlike the other implementations of this design, the silicone pads on the Balhvit gloves are thicker. Not only does this improve grip because of the more consistent contact patch, but the thicker grip material means it will take longer to wear down, extending its durability well beyond the competition.

The five color options are also a nice touch. I’ve even bought several glove pairs to suit different outfits.

What to Look for When Buying Thin Gloves for Extreme Cold?

As we’ve seen from the reviews in this article, there is a lot that goes into the design of a pair of thin insulated gloves. Factors like the gloves’ shape, construction method, and materials used are all carefully chosen to meet a certain design goal. And at the beginning of this article, we’ve named some of these design goals already: thickness, warmth, and grip.

Flexible gloves – There is an important tip I want to share with you when shopping for your next thin slow gloves: This is to manage your expectations on how well a pair of gloves is going to perform. I say this because glove design as of now is still limited by a little something called physics.

For instance, it can be very tempting to get whatever glove has the least thickness. However, even a glove made with a great insulating fabric will not provide as much thermal protection as a thicker glove because of the simple fact that more material will provide more warmth.

Warm gloves – Similarly, one shouldn’t expect too much from the insulation rating given by some glove makers. The reason for this is that gloves generate warmth by keeping your own body heat from escaping. So to properly make use of thin insulated work gloves, you must be at a level of activity that generates the warmth you need.

Gloves with a firm grip – The grip is another design detail that benefits from the “thicker is better” idea. Many of the reviews in the earlier list have ultra-thin grip patterns on the palms. However, a concern that I have with them is that ultra-thin grips will wear out or peel off very easily.

Now, this might not be a problem if you are only going to use your gloves for light tasks like driving or typing, but for more strenuous jobs like package handling, they become less viable for long-term use.

The key takeaway here is to buy the gloves you need based on the things you want to do with them. The fact of the matter is that there is no one pair of gloves that performs well in all situations—if there was, then this article wouldn’t exist in the first place.

So if you need ultra thin gloves for typing or driving, then get a pair that works best for that. And if you end up needing one with better grip or more warmth for other tasks, then buy a second pair.

How Do Thin Gloves Keep Hands Warm?

Typical thin gloves keep your hands warm through insulation—or in other words, by keeping heat from your hands from escaping into the cold air. They use materials like PVC, polyester, and nylon to keep our hands from becoming too cold.

If you bought gloves that are a bit too thin, you can generate more heat by keeping your hands moving.

How Do I Wash Thin Gloves for Extreme Cold?

For the best and safest way to wash your thin warm winter gloves, refer to the washing labels that are either on the gloves themselves or the packaging. Manufacturers are required to make this known so that your gloves can be washed without damaging the materials.

If you can’t find these instructions, though, that is fine as well. Many cotton or polyester gloves can be chucked into the washing machine like socks or underwear. However, a much safer option is to hand wash your gloves with a mild detergent in cold or lukewarm water, then leave the gloves to air dry.

Sun-drying can dry your gloves faster but puts them at risk of fading, so keep this in mind. I personally would not advise drying gloves with a machine dryer, as this will cause shrinking.

Are Thin Gloves for Extreme Cold Waterproof?

Like many features of these thin gloves for extreme cold, waterproofing depends on the material or treatment done on the gloves. For most thin waterproof gloves, you can tell that they are waterproof if you can feel a tough, plasticky layer inside the gloves.

But if you somehow don’t know what features your gloves have, then it is relatively safer to assume that your gloves are not waterproof.

Where to Buy Thin Gloves for Extreme Cold?

As winter weather accessories, thin gloves for extreme cold can be bought anywhere that sells winter accessories. From ski shops to the fashion stores at your local mall, you are definitely spoiled for choice as to where you can buy your next pair.

Conclusion

The best thin gloves for extreme cold have a tough job on their hands—pun definitely intended. Providing thermal protection without sacrificing flexibility and hand feel is a tricky design challenge that many have tried and failed.

I hope that this guide into thin winter gloves has given you a glimpse of the best cold weather protection you can get for yourself in 2021. And once you’ve found the right pair for your needs, you can take on the winter without worrying about the cold.

Alexander M. Thompson

Hi, I am Alexander, forty-seven years old this year. I have been in the construction industry for twenty-five years and have provided a wide range of services. When it comes to expert guidance on site safety gear, you can put your trust in me.