Best Winter Gloves 2026: North Face vs Carhartt vs Hestra

Which one is right for you?

Top pick: The North Face Etip Gloves

The North Face Etip gloves are the best winter gloves for most people because they balance everyday warmth with the touchscreen compatibility and dexterity modern life demands. The 'Etip' name refers to the conductive material on the fingertips that lets you use a touchscreen — phone, tablet, card reader — without taking the gloves off, which is genuinely essential now and the feature that most everyday gloves get wrong. They're a fitted, lightweight-to-midweight glove with a warm fleece or insulated lining, a snug, dexterous fit that lets you grip and use your hands, and often a silicone palm pattern for grip on phones and surfaces, from a trusted outdoor brand.

Their appeal is being the versatile everyday winter glove: warm enough for commuting, walking, and general cold-weather wear without being a bulky ski mitten, dexterous enough to handle keys, cards, and a phone, and touchscreen-capable so you're not baring your fingers in the cold every time your phone buzzes. The North Face's quality and range (various warmth levels and styles) make them dependable. For someone who wants a warm, dexterous, touchscreen-friendly glove for everyday winter use, they're the benchmark.

The honest caveats: as a fitted everyday glove they're not the warmest option for extreme cold or long static exposure (heavy-duty insulated gloves or mittens win there), they're not fully waterproof (water-resistant at best, so not for heavy wet conditions or serious snow work), and the touchscreen fingertips work but not always as flawlessly as a bare finger. But for the best balance of everyday warmth, dexterity, touchscreen use, and quality for typical winter life, the North Face Etip is the one most people should buy.

Best for work and the premium leather: Carhartt Insulated and Hestra Army Leather

The Carhartt Insulated Gloves are the rugged work pick for someone who needs warm, durable, protective gloves for outdoor work, manual tasks, or hard winter use. Carhartt is the workwear standard, and its insulated winter gloves are built tough — durable abrasion-resistant materials (often synthetic leather or reinforced fabric palms), solid insulation for warmth during outdoor work, water-resistant or waterproof construction on many models, and a secure cuff — designed to survive real work in the cold (construction, yard work, shovelling, driving, manual labour) while keeping hands warm and protected. They prioritise durability, warmth, and grip over fine dexterity or sleek looks. It's the choice for someone who works or spends extended time outdoors in winter and needs gloves that take a beating and keep hands warm. The trade-offs are reduced dexterity and a bulkier, utilitarian feel versus a fitted everyday glove, but for rugged warmth and durability for work and hard use, they're the standout.

The Hestra Army Leather gloves are the premium pick for someone who wants the finest quality, warmth, and craftsmanship — genuine leather gloves built to last for years. Hestra is a renowned Swedish glove-maker, and its Army Leather line (a cult favourite, popular for skiing and serious winter use) uses durable, supple genuine leather (often with a removable wool or fleece liner), exceptional construction and durability, and real warmth, in a glove that ages beautifully and lasts for many seasons. They're equally at home skiing, doing serious winter activities, or as a high-quality everyday cold-weather glove for someone who values craftsmanship. It's the choice for premium leather quality, warmth, durability, and the option of a removable liner (for versatility and easy drying), at a premium price. The trade-offs are the high cost, that leather needs occasional care (conditioning) to stay supple and water-resistant, and that they're not touchscreen-compatible — but for premium warmth, quality, and longevity, they're the standout.

Choose between them by use. The Carhartt wins for rugged, durable, warm gloves for outdoor work and hard use. The Hestra wins for premium leather quality, warmth, durability, and craftsmanship (great for skiing and as a lasting investment). The Carhartt is the workwear pick; the Hestra the premium leather investment.

The budget and the touchscreen-tech picks: OZERO and 180s

The OZERO Thermal Gloves are the budget pick that delivers warmth, water resistance, and touchscreen compatibility at a low price, for someone who wants capable everyday winter gloves without spending much. They're insulated thermal gloves (often with a soft fleece lining and a windproof, water-resistant shell), with touchscreen-compatible fingertips, a non-slip palm for grip, and an adjustable cuff, at a budget-friendly price. OZERO is a popular value glove brand, and these deliver genuinely warm, functional, touchscreen-capable everyday gloves for a fraction of the premium prices. It's the choice for someone who wants warm, practical, phone-friendly winter gloves cheaply — for commuting, walking, driving, and general cold-weather wear. The build quality, materials, and longevity won't match the North Face or premium brands, and they're not for extreme cold or heavy-duty use, but for affordable everyday warmth with touchscreen function, they're the value standout — a lot of glove for the money.

The 180s Tec Touch (and 180s gloves generally) is the touchscreen-tech and comfort pick for someone who prioritises reliable touchscreen use and a comfortable, performance-oriented everyday glove. 180s is known for performance accessories, and its Tec Touch gloves focus on dependable touchscreen compatibility across the fingertips, a warm, comfortable, often moisture-wicking and breathable design, and a flattering, dexterous fit for everyday and active use. They're aimed at someone who wants a glove that reliably works with their phone and feels comfortable and capable for commuting, exercise, and daily winter wear, typically at a mid-range price. The warmth is everyday-level (not extreme-cold), and they're more about touchscreen function, comfort, and dexterity than maximum warmth or rugged durability, but for reliable touchscreen use and everyday comfort, they're a strong pick — a focused alternative to the North Face Etip for the touchscreen-focused.

Choose between them by priority. The OZERO wins on warmth, water resistance, and touchscreen function at a budget price. The 180s wins on reliable touchscreen tech and comfortable, performance-oriented everyday fit. The OZERO is the value all-rounder; the 180s the touchscreen-and-comfort pick.

How to choose: warmth vs dexterity, waterproofing, touchscreen, and use

Balance warmth against dexterity, because it's the fundamental winter-glove trade-off. Warmer gloves use more insulation and are bulkier, reducing finger dexterity and feel (the warmest of all are mittens, which keep fingers together for warmth but sacrifice the most dexterity); more dexterous gloves are thinner and more fitted for handling objects, gripping, and using your hands, but are less warm. Match this to your use: for everyday tasks where you need to use your hands, keys, and phone (commuting, walking, errands), prioritise a fitted, dexterous, touchscreen glove with moderate warmth (North Face Etip, 180s, OZERO); for extreme cold or long static exposure where warmth trumps everything, prioritise heavy insulation or mittens (or premium warm gloves like the Hestra); for work, prioritise durable, protective, warm gloves with enough dexterity for the task (Carhartt). Decide whether you need to use your hands precisely (dexterity) or just keep them warm in severe cold (insulation).

Match waterproofing and warmth level to your conditions. Waterproofing matters if you'll face snow, rain, or wet work: water-resistant gloves (many everyday gloves) shrug off light moisture but soak through in heavy wet, while waterproof gloves (with a membrane, common in work and ski gloves) keep hands dry in snow and wet conditions — essential for shovelling, skiing, or wet outdoor work, less critical for a dry cold commute. Leather (Hestra) is naturally water-resistant with care but needs conditioning. Match warmth to your climate and activity: everyday gloves suit moderate cold and active use (you generate heat moving), while severe cold, wind, or long static exposure (standing, watching, sitting outdoors) demands heavier insulation, windproofing, and possibly mittens — and consider that active use needs less insulation (you stay warm moving) than static use. Buy waterproofing and warmth for your actual conditions, not the coldest theoretical day.

Prioritise touchscreen compatibility for modern life, and consider fit and durability. Touchscreen compatibility (conductive fingertips that work phones and screens without removing the gloves) is now close to essential for everyday gloves — being unable to use your phone, pay, or check directions without baring your fingers in the cold is a daily frustration, so for everyday/commuting gloves prioritise reliable touchscreen tips (North Face Etip, 180s, OZERO all have them; premium leather work gloves like Hestra and heavy work gloves often don't). Fit matters: gloves should be snug enough for dexterity but not tight (which restricts circulation and makes hands colder), with the right size for your hands — try the brand's sizing. Durability varies by material and construction: premium leather (Hestra) and rugged work gloves (Carhartt) last for years, while budget gloves wear faster. Also consider a secure cuff (to keep snow and cold out) and grip (silicone palm patterns help with phones and surfaces). Buy for your primary use — everyday dexterous touchscreen warmth (North Face Etip), rugged work (Carhartt), premium leather longevity (Hestra), budget value (OZERO), or touchscreen comfort (180s) — balancing warmth, dexterity, waterproofing, and touchscreen function for how you'll actually use them.