We all know how annoying it can be to have cold hands when we go out. It's an unpleasant experience, and it can be awkward when you're shaking people's hands and greeting them. All you want to do is be wrapped up in a warm blanket.
Because of this, many brands put a lot of research and development into creating thermal gloves that keep your hands warm in sub-zero temperatures. These have special technologies in them that retain more heat and prevent you from becoming cold in the first place. Here's what they offer:
A detailed layering system
One of the things you'll notice about thermal gloves is that they're built like a sandwich. They often have three layers:
- The innermost layer is a lining for moisture management that sits directly against the skin. It's usually made of synthetic fleece or merino wool, something that feels soft and is able to wick sweat away.
- The next layer is the insulation layer. This is the type of heat trapper that uses high-tech materials made of fine synthetic fibres that create lots of microscopic air pockets. Air is a poor conductor of heat, so these pockets trap the body's heat and hold it against the skin.
- The final outer layer is for styling purposes, but it can also be a waterproof membrane like Gore-Tex. It prevents freezing water and vapour from penetrating further into the material and ruining the insulative qualities of it.
Goldilocks fit
Another thing you'll notice about the top brands like HeatHolders thermal gloves for women is their focus on fit. These gloves are designed to hug hands and fingers tightly so that the cold air doesn't have anywhere to penetrate. If gloves are too loose, they create large spaces and empty air pockets. The body has to release more energy to heat the interior of the gloves, making them more effective.
If the gloves are too tight (which is common in some cases), it can restrict blood flow, and that can cool the hands as well, so it's something you'll want to avoid. Ideal gloves should fit firmly around the wrist and fingers, but they should feel snug rather than tight.
Active heating and passive insulation
With modern technology improving, a lot of thermal gloves now combine passive insulation with active heating.
Passive insulation works as described above: thick material with lots of air pockets in it traps warm air radiating from the hands and increases insulation. It's great for winter wear, skiing, and hiking.
Active heating gloves have flexible heating wires in the fingers that are powered by portable batteries. These are perfect for extreme sub-zero temperatures and can make you feel like you're on a balmy Caribbean beach even when you're in Svalbard.
Even the best thermal glove systems can fail if the rest of your body is cold. When your core temperature plummets, it leads to a phenomenon called vasoconstriction, which prevents blood flow to your extremities. This causes your hands and feet to cool down, even if you have the best technology supporting them. For this reason, it's also important to keep your hands, feet, and other extremities warm by maintaining a higher core temperature.