Glove and mitt size affects warmth as much as insulation does. A size that's wrong in either direction, too tight or too loose, reduces how warm your hands stay, regardless of how good the materials are.
Warmth comes from two things: a thin layer of trapped air between your skin and the insulation, and blood flow that carries heat to your fingertips. Both depend on fit. If the size is wrong, neither works properly.
Gloves or Mitts That Are Too Tight
A glove that's too tight compresses the insulation and restricts blood flow. Both reduce warmth: compressed insulation can't trap air, and restricted circulation means less warm blood reaches your fingers. Hands can turn cold quickly in a too-tight glove, regardless of how effective the membrane or lining underneath is.
Gloves or Mitts that are too loose
Oversized gloves and mitts reduce warmth a different way: extra air space lets cold air circulate around your fingers instead of staying trapped and warm. Loose fit also reduces dexterity; tasks like buckling a ski boot, gripping a pole, or zipping a jacket become harder when the glove shifts on your hand.
The 4-Step In-Store Fit Test
Use this test in-store to check fit before buying. It takes about thirty seconds and works for both gloves and mitts.
1. Put the gloves or mitts on. Both hands, all the way in, no half-measures.
2. Make a fist with one hand, as if you were gripping ski poles. This is the position your hands actually hold for hours outside, so it's the position that matters.
3. Pinch the fingertips with your free hand. You're checking for a small amount of extra room between the material and your fingers, not loose, just not compressed.
4. Pinch the outer edge near your knuckles. If the insulation feels flattened here, size up. Compressed insulation at the knuckle is one of the most common, and most missed, fit mistakes.
If you clear all four steps, you've found your size.
Can't try them on in-store?
If you're ordering online and can't test the fit in person, you can measure your hand instead. Get out a tape measure and measure the circumference of your hand at the knuckles, excluding your thumb, as shown in the diagram (1). Then measure the length of the inside of your hand, from the palm to the tip of your middle finger (2). Compare your measurements to our size chart to find the proper size.
If you're still unsure which size is right for you, contact us — we're happy to help you find the correct fit.