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Winters are long, and the cold winter elements make it difficult to work outdoors. Not only that, the cold winter elements can harm you profusely if you are not protected properly. Fortunately, gloves meant specifically for the winter can provide your hands with ample protection from the elements and help you with your work.
The right cold-weather work gloves also provide the wearer with a lot of dexterity in motion so that working wearing them becomes easier. However, choosing the right pair can sometimes be difficult, given the range of products available.
Keeping that in mind, here, we have come up with the three essential features you should look for when buying a pair of winter work gloves.
1. A Lining (or Liner)
The right winter work glove will provide protection against water or moisture, retain body heat, and prevent cold infiltration. For that, you need some features included in the glove you select. The features can be one of these two:
A water-repellant glove with an insulating liner
If you are working in conditions where you need to deal with a lot of moisture, a water-repellant glove is a must. Water is the most dangerous and cold element and protecting your hands from such water is essential. An insulating liner will help keep your hands warm by restricting the body heat to escape.
A moisture-wicking glove liner
If the conditions you are working in are a bit drier, you will do well if you use a glove with a moisture-wicking liner. This will absorb any moisture from your hands and help keep them dry, supple, and warm.
2. Water-Repellency
A completely water-repellant glove can be difficult to find and depending on the working conditions might not be needed as well. Instead, choose gloves with water-repellant lining. A water-repellant lining can also help keep your hands dry and warm in wet conditions.
But there’s a catch. If the lining is waterproof, sweat will be trapped inside the glove, making things uncomfortable and cold.
A moisture-wicking liner can help in these situations as it will soak the sweat and keep your hands dry that way. So, each lining has its advantage and a good choice to keep working in the winter will be to change the liners as and when needed.
3. Dexterity
The final thing you should look for in cold weather work gloves is dexterity. Choose gloves that are the right fit for your hands, neither too big nor too tight. Also, choose materials that offer a good range of motion for your hands. Remember, your hands are important working tools, and wearing a glove that doesn’t allow you to move them freely is no good as a working glove.
Choosing the right fit too is important. A loose glove can fall off your hands, exposing them to winter elements and also damaging them. Similarly, a pair of gloves that’s too tight can be uncomfortable and you’ll probably not be able to use your hands freely.
These are the three essential factors that you should keep in mind when choosing cold-weather work gloves. The way to choose the right glove is first to choose the material and lining suitable for your work conditions and then choose the right fit.