"Best" Photography Gloves

I’m sure others have different preferences

Sandy R-B

My biggest issue with gloves is that if you’re going to use them for photography (or anything else delicate) the finger length has to be “perfect”. For me, that has completely eliminated mail order. I need to try them on. For me, fit is much more important than any other parameter.

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MY solution that usually works well, is to order a bunch of different types from a place that offers free returns (Amazon often does), try them all, and return all but the best one for my needs.
Makes reconciling credit card charges a little more difficult, but the end result works.
Sandy R-B

Hey Sandy,

I think they missed out on an important aspect of glove use. That’s based on nearly 50 years of winter/wet/windy of outdoor activity in Alaska, and a whole lot of experimenting with new gloves almost each year.

In our experience the range of gloves they highlight is pretty useless unless you START with lightweight glove liners, your choice of polypro or silk. They’re cheap, thin and compact ($7-$15), to the point we keep a pair in the pocket of every jacket and others in every camera bag, fishing bag, glove compartment and boat. We often use them without the benefit of heavier gloves. Here is an example of the “expensive” silk models. And here is a polypro version. Buy them by the handful and stuff them everywhere you’re likely to need them.

The liners are fine by themselves to a point, and if insufficient you pull your choice of over-gloves right over the top of them. Over-gloves too bulky for a particular task? When you pull them off the liners are still there to protect your hands for the moment. In really cold weather it’s the ultimate luxury to add these to the palms of your hands (or as my wife prefers the backs of her hands) INSIDE the liners.

It’s all cheap and low tech while convenient. None of the gloves in the article work so well without them, and they leave your hands instantly cold on cold camera gear when you remove the outer gloves for intricate or small tasks.

Sandy, thanks for sharing this information. For those interested NPN’er Ben Horne has a well done video on the Heat Glove / Mitten system.
Heat Glove System

I have been using the Mountain Hardwear version of the polys and they are not cheap. I just ordered a pair of the ones you linked and will give them a try. Like you, I have a pair in the pockets of all my jackets. Thanks for the link.

The local outdoor and commercial marine stores have big bins of polypro liners in the $5-$10 range, they’re so standard and effective. You can almost spot the “newbies” to this climate by the lack of liners in their pockets, but they wise up fast! :smile: