The cold hard facts about buying winter gloves
As the weather cools down, gloves can force you to choose between freezing your communications or freezing your fingers off. Here's how you can change a pair of regular gloves and make them touchscreen-friendly!
During the winter season, gloves are an important part of one’s winter attire. Our hands are involved in practically every activity we do, so keeping them warm and available for use in cold weather is a priority. Failing to keep them warm could result in serious injuries, such as frostbite.
A commuter braves the wind and snow in frigid Cincinnati weather. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
Though there are one-size-fits-all gloves, that sizing scheme does not apply to the considerations when buying them. The types of gloves you need depend on several factors, the most impactful of them being purpose. For what purpose are you purchasing them? Work? Play? Both? There are a lot of variables to ponder.
So, with that in mind, below are five things to consider when purchasing your winter gloves.
How cold does it get in your neck of the woods?
The warming ability of your gloves should be relevant to the temperatures where you live and work. If you live in a place with mild winters, you will not need the thickness that someone who lives in frigid cold temperatures year-round will. If your purchase is for fun and fashion, the quality may be lower than if purchasing for someone whose job requires them to be outside during the winter months.
University of Nebraska students sip complementary hot chocolate as they wait in freezing temperatures.
Are they appropriate for the intended usage?
If you work outside in the cold, will the gloves allow your hands to be flexible? Or, are they too big or too stiff for your needs? Seek the type of gloves that will enable your fingers to move freely. Use mittens if they are appropriate. Or, a combination of gloves and mittens for warmth and flexibility. Put the mittens over your gloves, then remove them as you need to use your fingers.
Are the gloves a good fit?
If the gloves are too big, cold air may be able to seep into the gaps between your fingers and the gloves. Therefore, the gloves may not be warm enough. If the gloves are too small, they may be uncomfortable and may not keep your hands warm enough. Not all size charts are the same. So, wearing a size L with one brand does not guarantee that you’ll wear the same size using another brand. So, always try on your gloves before buying them.
Photo by Janko FerliÄ?
Are they doing what they’re supposed to?
Make sure your children’s gloves keep them warm during outdoor playtime. Children have the uncanny ability to laugh their way through potentially dangerous weather conditions. As they build snowmen and throw snowballs, make sure their hands are well protected with well-fitting gloves appropriate for the weather conditions.
What is the quality of the gloves?
How many years did you intend to wear them? If the gloves you have are for a year and are more for fashion than warmth, the quality does not need to be great. However, if you need durable gloves for a long time, then quality is a factor. You should read the labels to ensure that the materials in the gloves can last several winter seasons.
After the cold temperatures are gone, store your gloves properly in the closet so they can keep your hands warm for next winter.
Report a Typo
