There are a lot of reasons why running in the winter is not as fun as running in the summer. It’s colder, wetter and where I am it gets dark at 4pm, which still comes as a horrible shock to me every year.
Fortunately, all of these problems can be mitigated by having the right apparel and accessories, and I’d say running gloves are an absolute essential for anyone planning to run outside through the winter months.
I’d also say you need more than one pair of running gloves, so you can use the ones that suit the conditions best. Lightweight gloves will keep the chill away early on in winter, but won’t be warm enough for deep winter, while heavy-duty and waterproof gloves are great for the worst of the weather, but get uncomfortably hot and sweaty on milder days.
I have three sets of gloves that I plan to use this winter, which is overkill, but I’m lucky enough to test a lot of running gloves and unlucky enough to get cold hands as soon as the temperature drops below 50℉.
Even if you don’t need all of the gloves below, hopefully at least one pair will suit your situation, and prevent your runs from being ruined by painfully cold hands.
Best running gloves for early winter
This is the type of glove I’m using at the moment, when the temperature is generally between 30℉ and 50℉, and there are frequent showers. I don’t need fully waterproof gloves, or a very thick and warm pair, so a set of lightweight gloves get the job done.
My favorite pair for the job are the Gorewear R3 gloves. They have a close fit with a brushed, cozy interior, and are warm enough even when it’s a little wet and windy. They also have reflective details for extra visibility on night runs, and you can use a touchscreen with them.
I’ll use these gloves through the winter on mild days and even very cold days when I’m doing a hard run, and they also work well as a liner glove to go underneath a mitten when it’s cold enough that you need two sets of gloves.
Best running gloves for cold days
When it gets really cold then I find that mittens are better than running gloves for keeping my hands warm, and the Saysky Blaze Mittens have been my go-to pair for the last couple of winters.
They are thick, wind- and water-repellent mitts that will keep your hands warm even in freezing conditions, and have space beneath them for liner gloves for when the temperature drops below freezing.
The fact they are not fully waterproof means they are also quite breathable, which is important on longer runs where you start to warm up and don’t want your hands to get sweaty underneath your glove. They still keep your hands dry in anything but quite heavy rain too, in my experience.
Best waterproof running gloves
When conditions are really dire and I have to run in the rain on a freezing day, I actually turn to cycling gloves over those made specifically for runners.
Cyclists have to have their hands exposed on the front of the handlebars and get thicker, warmer gloves as a result, so they’re also perfect for runners with particularly cold hands like myself.
Sealskinz has several excellent sets of gloves in its lineup, with the Acle lightweight gloves being perfect for milder days. When it comes to cold, wet conditions though, I turn to the Bodham all weather cycling gloves, which are waterproof and warm, but don’t tend to overheat even on faster runs.
