Glove fit is important; too tight gloves can lead to problems in cold temperature. When gloves is too tight, teh glove fabric press against the skin, compressing the air pockets that provide warmth for the hands. If the air pockets is compressed, the gloves cannot perform their primary function of keeping the wearers hand warm.
It is essential to ensure that gloves fit correct before leaving the house to face the cold outside temperatures. Do not guess your glove size as the size of your clothing does not necessarily indicate your glove size. Hands vary in their proportion.
How to Choose and Fit Gloves for Cold Weather
Some individual may have long hands while others may have wide hands. To determine the size of gloves that will best fit your hand, measure the widest part of your palm and the length of your hand from your wrist to your middle finger. Choose the larger of the two measurements to ensure that your hand can naturaly move inside the glove.
If the gloves are too tight, the seam may strain on your hand. Different brand of gloves can have different sizing standards with some brands running small. When choosing gloves, choose the larger size to allow better blood flow to the fingertips.
Better blood flow to your fingertips ensure that your body can keep these extremities warm. If blood flow is limited, your fingertips may become too cold and possibly develop frostbite. Additionally, gloves that are too tight when trying them on may feel even tighter while performing tasks with the gloves in cold environment.
The type of glove to use depends on the activities you will perform with your hands. For tasks like walking or commuting, a lightweight fleece glove or liner glove is suitable. These gloves are breathable to avoid sweating within the glove.
For hiking in the backcountry, use a midweight glove. Use heavyweight shell gloves in environments with high wind exposure. The materials used in the glove will determine how the glove handles moisture and cold temperatures.
Gloves can contain synthetic fill that maintains its warmth even when damp. Down insulation in gloves maintain high levels of warmth but loses its warming properties when the down become wet. The waterproofing of the gloves can be water-repellent for light snowfall or it can include a sealed membrane for skiing environment.
The sealed membrane prevents moisture from entering the glove and allows the sweat to naturally escape the glove. There is a trade-off between the warmth provided by gloves and the dexterity that gloves allow your hand to have. The thicker the insulation within the glove, the more warmer the glove but the less dexterity your hand will have.
One system for finding the best balance between warmth and dexterity is the use of a layering system with gloves. A thin touchscreen glove can be worn underneath a heavy outer shell glove for cold weather travel. The outer glove will retain warmth for your hands while your thin glove will allow you to maintain your dexterity.
Finally, look at the features on gloves to ensure that they will perform their function. Gauntlet cuffs on gloves can be used to cover the sleeves of your jacket to keep the cold air out of your gloves. Nose wipe patch make it easy to wipe your nose when your gloves have high cuffs.
Take care of the gloves to extend their lifespan. You should of use the dryer to reactivate the waterproofing of the glove. Follow these steps to ensure that your gloves will be functional when you perform your activities.
