In an ideal world, you’d be reading this in August. The best touchscreen gloves are on steep discount and winter's inevitable deep freeze is months and months away. You're way ahead
of the game, with abundant time to cop a pair of gloves and put them to good use. But you're probably not reading this in August. Odds are you're here because the bitter, bitter cold has already hit. You and your cracked, dry hands are desperate. Well, we can still help you. You might have to wait a couple days for a pair of the best touchscreen gloves to ship out to you, but you'll have them soon enough. Until then, we recommend you make some cocoa, build a fire, and stay indoors. Or, y'know, just keep your hands in your pockets.
Gloves are so often an afterthought, a thing you only remember you need when you’re walking around in the middle of January and you go to reach for your phone and realize you can’t because there’s no feeling in your hands and oh god why are your fingers purple?! In those instances, the best gloves are simply whichever gloves are closest to your person and can prevent you from losing an extremity. With just a little bit of foresight, though, you can avoid that mess entirely. Think of these mid-winter gloves in a new light—you're early for next winter!
Below you'll find our picks for the best looking and most functional touchscreen gloves. All 15 of our picks are stylish, warm, and fully tech-friendly—because lord knows that round of I Peel Good you’re playing is too important to pause in 10-degree weather.
The Best Leather Touchscreen Gloves
Dents "Shaftesbury" touchscreen cashmere-lined leather gloves
Dents has been crafting England's finest leather gloves for about as long as the United States has been a country. Their signature Shaftesbury model brings all of that old-world luxury and hard-earned knowhow into 21st the century: leather isn't the easiest material to make touchscreen-friendly, but these refined lamb leather numbers—lined with heavenly cashmere—will work like a charm with your phone or iPad.
The Best Cashmere(ish) Touchscreen Gloves
Mack Weldon tech cashmere gloves
All those crazy soft, impeccably warm cashmere sweaters you've been living in since summer ended? These are like those, only for your hands. Mack Weldon took a hearty dose of cashmere, infused it with merino wool for water resistance and durability, and then added those surprisingly effective light-colored touch fingertips to the thumbs and index fingers. Oh, yeah, and the whole thing costs under $70—which means you'll still have room in the budget for another one of those sweaters.
The Best Touchscreen Gloves for Truly Crappy Conditions
Black Diamond heavyweight ScreenTap mitts
When it's really, truly gross out—the kind of weather that makes you cue up Miami real estate listings for the fourth time that week—these are the ones you want. According to science (and by science, I mean I'm pretty sure I heard this once on, like, Bill Nye in fourth grade), mittens are actually warmer than gloves, because your fingers generate more heat when they're allowed to mingle freely. And these particular mitts are built from heavy-duty fleece and hardwearing goat leather to keep your hands toasty in the face of whatever windchill blows your way. Besides, do you even really need anything more than your thumbs to use your phone, anyway?
The Best Touchscreen Running Gloves
Nike Sphere 360 gloves
These Nike joints are designed for staying active, but their lightweight, non-bulky, Dri-FIT-infused design makes them just right for all manner of park hangs and outdoor dining situations, too. The silicone pattern on the palms and fingers provides superior dexterity and touchscreen capabilities, and will also help to keep your iPhone from flying out of your hands when you’re on the move.
The Best Bang-For-Your-Buck Touchscreen Gloves
Uniqlo Heattech knitted gloves
Just need some cheap-and-cheerful gloves to see you through to spring? As per usual, Uniqlo has the answer. This tech-ready pair uses the Japanese label's famed Heattech fabric to keep your hands thawed and thriving—and if you hurry, you can grab 'em on sale right now for a mere $6.
The Best Mountain-Ready Touchscreen Gloves
Burton GORE-TEX gloves
If you're hitting the trails or the slopes hard this winter, these bad boys are equipped with all the performance and functionality you require. The GORE-TEX outers will keep any wind and wetness at bay, and the removable liner (which is touchscreen compatible itself) is cut from brushed microfleece for an additional hit of warmth and softness. The coolest thing, though, is probably the hidden vent pockets: zip 'em open when your palms are feeling a little sweaty, or pop in a hand warmer when you need some extra firepower.
