Fall hunting and cold weather are pretty well synonymous. Whether you're hunting for wild turkey or for whitetail deer, you're extremities are going to take a beating from hunting in the cold, especially your fingers.
And that's a problem: If your fingers are numb, it's unlikely you'll be able to draw your bow efficiently. Much worse, you won't get a crisp trigger pull on your rifle, missing the shot at the buck of a lifetime.
To avoid these terrifying scenarios, get yourself a good pair of hunting gloves that will keep you functioning at full capacity all hunting season long. While there is a plethora of options out there, finding a quality pair with some longevity is often easier said than done. There are a ton of little quirks that can make or break a pair of cold-weather hunting gloves. But, there are a few things that you should consider before selecting a pair that should help you narrow down the field, such as thickness, dexterity, seasonality, and price.
At the end of the day, it comes down to comfort and personal choice. But our list of hunting gloves will give you a launching point.
Best Hunting Gloves of 2023
- Best Hunting Gloves for Early Season: Huntsworth Lightweight Hunting Gloves
- Best Lightweight Hunting Gloves: First Lite Shale Touch Hybrid Glove
- Best Hunting Gloves for Early Season with Extra Dexterity: Sitka Traverse Gloves
- Best Hunting Gloves for Mid-Season: Under Armour Mid-Season Windstopper
- Best Hunting Gloves for Cold Weather: Hot Shot Pop-Top Mittens
- Best Waterproof Hunting Gloves: Sitka Pantanal GTX
- Best Splurge Hunting Gloves: KUIU Yukon Pro Glove
- Best Budget Mid- to Late-Season Hunting Gloves: Browning Hell's Canyon BTU-WD
Best for Early Season Hunting
Top Pick: Huntsworth Light Weight Hunting Gloves
We'll start things off with a lightweight option that's perfect for the warm conditions of early archery seasons. These gloves are unlined, but they do come with a durable water-repellent (DWR) finish that helps keep them dry if you're hit by an early fall rain. Huntworth offers this glove in four different camo patterns.
One feature we really like about these is the fact that the index finger and thumb are made to be touch-screen capable. So, now you can operate your electronic equipment. We also like Huntworth's tacky grip on the inside of the fingers. They just make it easier to hold your bow or manipulate the controls on your camera without needing to peel your gloves off first.
For $30, they are also very affordable for just about any budget.
Best Lightweight Hunting Glove
Amazon
Top Pick: First Lite Shale Touch Hybrid Glove
If you're looking for something that's truly lightweight, it's hard to beat the 2.8-ounce weight of these gloves. These are an excellent option for warm weather hunting, rated down to 40 degrees fahrenheit. First Lite gave these gloves a Merino wool interior with a goatskin-reinforced palm for maximum warmth and durability. However, we also like these as a lightweight pair of gloves for upland bird hunting.
They have a ton of dexterity in the fingers, which makes slipping off the safety of your shotgun quick and easy when a roost pheasant flushes right in front of you. These gloves also have touchscreen capabilities, so you can easily stay connected without needing to make a lot of excess movements that give away your position. These gloves are available in five different color patterns.
Best Early Season Hunting Glove With Added Dexterity
Top Pick: Sitka Traverse Gloves
Another light to midweight pair that's best suited for early season, the Sitka Traverse camo hunting gloves offer an excellent amount of dexterity. That's partially thanks to the silicone print on the palms that gives an extra bit of tactile feel while using them. At the same time, Sitka added ax suede to the thumb and index finger to ensure you can operate a mobile device without removing them.
These are a good option for anyone planning an early-season backcountry hunt in the mountain west where warmth isn't your biggest concern. Sitka offers five different camo patterns and a solid black. There is also a women's version of these same gloves.
Best Hunting Gloves for Mid-Season
Amazon
Top Pick: Under Armour Mid Season Windstopper
For anyone looking for a glove that can transition from the late season into the peak of the rut through November, Under Armour has a fine option with this wind-proof option. These gloves have a lightweight Permaloft insulation.
These do offer a little less dexterity than an early-season glove, but UA did build in the ability to operate a touchscreen device, which is great because we hate getting our fingers numb just to respond to a hunting buddy's text on a frosty morning. Under Armour offers this glove in several different camo patterns, including Realtree Edge.
Best Hunting Gloves for Cold Weather
Amazon
Top Pick: Hot Shot Pop-Top Mittens
These pop-top mittens are the best of both worlds for hunters who want extra warmth. These gloves are built with 80 grams of Thinsulate insulation, and there are full finger gloves under the mitten portion to give more dexterity. The glove portions are built for manipulating touchscreen devices, and the fingers and thumb also pop off when you need a deft touch. These gloves also feature an odor-resistant lining to help hide from the sensitive nose of that big buck.
The reason we picked these over other pop-top options is that the mitten portion closes using a magnet instead of Velcro, which makes too much noise for a hunting situation. Another nice feature is a small, zippered pocket where you can slip a hand warmer in for extra warmth.
Best Waterproof Hunting Gloves
Top Pick: Sitka Pantanal GTX
For serious waterfowlers, there is almost no way to avoid getting your hands wet while picking up downed birds or retrieving your decoys. That is where these waterproof gloves come into play. Sitka designed these waterproof gloves to have a Gore-Tex membrane that breathes and still manages to shed water. This ensures your fingers stay warm and ready for the next pass of low-flying ducks or geese. They also offer excellent wind protection and warmth thanks to the PrimaLoft insulation.
The only downside is they do lose something in the dexterity department. However, these are the perfect decoy gloves for the serious waterfowler. They are expensive, but they're one of the best pairs of hunting gloves on the market today.
Best Splurge Hunting Gloves
KUIU
Top Pick: KUIU Yukon Pro Glove
If you know the KUIU name, you already know their gear comes with a high price tag, one that's usually justified by the quality of the equipment. These gloves run pricey, but they are an exceptional choice for a hunter who needs a combination of warmth and protection from the elements.
These gloves feature a toasty wool lining and PrimaLoft insulation in the palm portions. KUIU included leather on the palms and fingers to increase the dexterity of these gloves. The outer fabric is also DWR-treated to shed rain and snow. There's also an HDry membrane to help make these gloves totally waterproof and windproof.
If you're planning a serious backcountry expedition, these gloves are an excellent choice. KUIU offers a simple grey color but also their popular Vias, Verde, and Valo camo patterns.
Best Budget Mid- to Late-Season Hunting Gloves
Top Pick: Browning Hell's Canyon BTU-WD
Most hunters know Browning for their firearms, but they make some fine hunting clothing too. These waterproof gloves feature two layers of outer shell fabric and 80 grams of PrimaLoft insulation. The leather palms have a silicone overlay which helps with dexterity. Although these are thick gloves, don't expect them to easily manipulate delicate items or your firearm. We appreciate the elastic cinch at the risk. It helps greatly with keeping heat from escaping through the seam between your coat and gloves.
Browning offers these gloves in Realtree Edge and Timber. They also offer it in Mossy Oak Bottomland and Break-Up, so there's one to match any hunting outfit. Clocking in at under $50, we like this option for any hunter who wants a toasty warm option for mid- and late-season that's also not going to break the bank.
What to Look for in Quality Hunting Gloves
Getty Images, PavelRodimov
If we're being honest, all hunters should have several options for gloves at the ready during the season. You may even prefer fingerless gloves during warmer weather. Temperatures can fluctuate from week to week, and when the barometer finally drops for good and you're reaching for your base layers, you will need to switch from lightweight to heavy-duty. To flesh out your options, here are a few features you should consider.
Materials and Insulation
Consider your prime hunting season. For early season, you'll probably want a pair of lightweight gloves while temperatures are usually still mild; you can get away with a simple, non-insulated pair. Once the temperatures drop, you will need to consider insulation and materials.
Most of the cheaper gloves on the market come with 3M Thinsulate insulation, which is fine for many hunting scenarios where you're only in the woods for a few hours. Thinsulate is a synthetic material that is very thin and quick to dry.
However, if you're planning multiple all-day sits in the treestand from the peak of the rut in November into the late season, you may want to look at fleece or wool instead. Fleece is also synthetic, light, warm, and dries quickly. The downside is that a fleece glove is usually much more expensive than Thinsulate and won't keep your hands warm if the gloves get wet.
PrimaLoft, another synthetic material, traps heat with much finer and softer fibers. It has water-resistant qualities naturally and offers great durability. Some people believe it's warmer than fleece or down.
Wool is natural and is produced from animals like sheep, with built-in water-resistant qualities keeping it warm even while wet. It will always be the warmest insulation you can get, especially if you go with the Merino glove. Merino is sheared from specialty sheep, and it has great warmth, comfort, and moisture-wicking ability that suits it well to hunting gloves. The biggest downside is that once a pair of wool gloves is saturated, drying out takes a long time. Wool is ideal for a morning waterfowl hunt where you go home and dry off near a hot stove afterward. Wool also tends to be more windproof than fleece, which is something to consider if you're hunting in an especially windy state like Wyoming.
Dexterity
I like my gloves to have a lot of dexterity in the fingers, especially for bowhunting. I don't want to remove my gloves when that big buck steps out to get an accurate shot. That's a lot of excess movements that could spook the deer if it happens to be close. Fortunately, manufacturers are getting much better about this kind of thing, and many are now making gloves that allow you to operate a phone or other touch-screen device while wearing them. I also like gloves with non-slip grips of some kind. I don't want the reason I miss a big buck to be because my firearm or bow slipped or shifted as I was getting into position.
The dexterity issue is why I don't recommend mittens for most hunters, which is a shame because they are typically warmer than gloves. But accessibility is a huge issue. However, unless you're hunting at long ranges where, you can remove them quickly and without being detected. But there's always a chance that pulling your mitten off in the limited moments you have to get a shot off could come back to burn you. Flip mitts are another option. A fingerless glove sits underneath the softshell cover, but removing it still takes some time.
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