“My fingers are soooo cold!” This is a problem we can solve easily anymore. This is my annual Glove Review to help you find the right gloves for you. Many years ago my friends started to talk about their gloves in levels, a system I have come to embrace with the higher the number, the heavier the glove for the colder the ambient air conditions. Here’s my glove recommendations for 2022-23, Levels 1 – 4. (I have an entire 90min class on being prepared for winter photography over at KelbyOne for much more in-depth discussion).
The gloves and mittens you see here, I take them ALL with me whenever I think it’s going to be cold. And when I go out shooting, I have them ALL with me to keep my hands warm according to temperatures. When the wind comes up, you put on Level 1, when there is wind and cold, Level 2 and when it’s really, really cold, Level 3 and since I’m the only crazy one who owns the mittens (besides my wife Sharon), I have a Level 4 (see below). And there are times when I will wear a Level 1 under my Level 4 so I guess we could call that a Level 5. Bottom line is pretty darn simple, you think you’re going to need gloves, have Level 1 through Level 3 with you IN THE FIELD so you can enjoy the great shooting at hand. Here are my recommendations for Level 1 through 3 gloves for this year.
I replaced my Level 1 & 2 gloves for the 22-23 season taking advantage of Amazons “Try before you by” options. I found I needed to go up a size with Gloves B so I liked having that flexibility of easy return. Here ya go!
Gloves A (Level 1) are the all-important windstoppers with this year making the switch to the Manzella Men’s Lightweight Gore-Tex Infinium Glove. Gloves B (Level 2) are what I wear most often, the SEALSKINZ Men’s Waterproof Dragon Eye Gloves. The first glove ( A ) is when it’s just starting to get cold. This next glove SEALSKINZ Men’s Waterproof Dragon Eye Gloves ( B ) is what I wear probably the most of all of these. The SEALSKINZ Men’s Waterproof Dragon Eye Gloves simply rock with lots of warmth and flexibility. They have three layers, non-slip liner, special cut and are waterproof! These are the gloves I always have in my jacket and take care of my hands the majority of my shooting. When going to extremes like when the air temp hovers around zero of lower, I turn to ice climber gloves or Level 3. I was pleased the pair I got last year (Gloves C ) the DAKINE Titan Insulated Gloves are still available this year. They do look bulky but I found them to work really well. They keep the digits warm, permit basic operation and ability to push some buttons. You can push all the buttons on the camera body. You can even run a video camera with them.
Note: At the time this post was written, C is out of stock. Click on the “Similar” button to see replacements.
My favorite though are ones my family gave me years ago for ultimate in cold weather protection. These gloves mittens I love to shoot with! Actually, they are custom made trapper mittens that are strictly for cold weather use.
How cold? Well, at 12degrees my hands were almost uncomfortably warm, not perspiring but almost too much warmth. Working in places like Yellowstone or the Arctic in the winter, these mittens are so perfect. Yeah, I can squeeze off the shutter, no, can’t work any other feature on the body. No, can’t buy these at REI. They are a two-layer mitten, a heavy wool removable liner, and outer Beaver fur. I just can’t wait to get out in the cold and put them to use! Thanks, family!
The key here is, no one glove does it all. I hope this helps you keep shooting in the worst weather which often yields, the best photography!