How to Choose the Best Running Gloves

As a runner, you know that there is little that makes pushing through your run more difficult than having cold fingers! Running gloves are an accessory that are often forgotten but that are very important! They will keep you warm enough so that you can complete even the longest training runs without having to stop due to the cold. By keeping your hands and fingers warm, you are preventing heat from leaving your body, which means that you won’t have to wear too many bulky layers when you go running outside. Your fingers will be the first thing that freezes when you run outside in chilly temperatures and having the right pair of running gloves will make the biggest difference.

There are some important things to keep in mind when you are looking for running gloves, and this guide will show you how to choose the best pair for your purposes!

1. The Outside Temperature

Running in a Warmer Climate

If you run in a warmer climate, running gloves will be useful to you if you go for early morning or late-night runs. Having the right pair of running gloves will keep your body from losing heat in those frosty mornings before the sun comes up. The best gloves for this type of climate will be ones that are made of a material that is warm but breathable enough to let you sweat as the sun rises.

Moisture-Wicking

When you are running while wearing gloves, your hands will start to sweat, especially as the sun is coming up. This could become uncomfortable if it weren’t for the moisture-wicking fabric that many running gloves come with. These gloves keep your hands warm while allowing them to sweat and let out the moisture so that your hands stay both warm and dry. These moisture-wicking gloves are best for people who run in chilly, but not freezing conditions who need gloves for the early morning or late night, but that may begin to sweat as their runs progress.

Packability

If you are running in a warmer climate but you need gloves for the early morning or the late night, you will want gloves that you can take off partway through your run and stow them in the small pockets or your running vest or your leggings. By choosing gloves that can be rolled or folded to become small and easily packed away into one of these small pockets, you will be able to keep them on your person, knowing that you will not lose them somewhere along the road or the trail.

Running in a Colder Climate

When running in a cold climate, you want running gloves that are going to keep your fingers from freezing. By preventing this, you allow the heat to keep circulating throughout your body for the entire duration of your run. The warmest running gloves for colder climates are made of materials like wool or fleece.

Water-Resistant

When it comes to running in the rain or in light snow, having water-resistant running gloves will keep your hands from freezing due to the cold water they are exposed to. If your hands get wet, this poses a problem as the cold temperature will travel from your hands to the rest of your body. Water-resistant gloves are best for those who find themselves getting caught in cold rain or light snow and that need to keep their hands dry and warm.

2. Other Features to Consider

Reflective

Another factor that you should look out for when shopping for running gloves is if they are reflective. Having reflective running gloves will help you to be seen by drivers, by other runners, by cyclists and anyone else that is out on the road or the trail. By having reflective running gloves, your hands will catch the light each time you move them, which will ensure that you are seen by everyone. This will help to keep you safe, especially if you run in the dark or in places that are not very populated. By having reflective running gloves, this takes care of two purposes in one product- you are visible, and you are warm!

Touch Screen Capability

Since running in 2020 comes with many technologies that help you to track your pace, distance and heart rate, you will likely be using a touch screen at some point during your run. If it is cold outside, you do not want to have to take off your gloves to reset your timer or change the song on your smartphone. By purchasing gloves that have fingers made of a material that is compatible with a touch screen, you will be able to keep your hands warm while still using all of your running technology.

Grip

Many sport gloves of the past have been made of thin, slippery material in order to make them breathable. Running gloves of today are still being made of this breathable material due to its many benefits, but they have now been engineered to have small, sticky grips added to the palm and fingers of the glove so that when you reach for your phone or your expensive running watch, it will not slip from your hand. If you tend to use your phone or other technology during your run, you will likely want grips in the fingers so that you can reach for these without fear of them slipping through your fingers.

Deciding Which Gloves to Buy

With all of this information and the many options available to you, how do you choose a running glove? First, you should choose the material that you would like your gloves to be made of based on the climate in which you run. Next, decide which additional features you want your running gloves to possess, for example, reflective strips or touch screen fingertips. Once you decide this, you will know exactly what type of running gloves you want to buy!