Why do your hands get cold? 8 common causes

"My hands are always cold - which glove should I get?" This is one of the questions we get most often. And the answer is rarely just "a thicker one." When we examine what is happening, it almost always turns out that something in the chain is letting heat escape - moisture, fit, wind, or the way the glove is used.

Here are the eight causes we see most often, and what you can do about them.

1. The glove is wet inside

This is the most common cause, and the one people suspect least. Water conducts heat approximately 20–25 times better than air. When you move around in a glove that is too warm, your hands sweat, the moisture gets trapped in the liner - and when you then stop, the damp glove quickly becomes cold.

Do this: Choose a glove based on the activity, take it off for a while when you get warm, and dry the liner properly between outings. With a removable liner, you can carry an extra, dry pair with you. That's why we sell our Arctic Inner liner separately - the same liner used in our gloves with removable liners.

2. The glove fits too tightly

A glove that is too small makes you colder in two ways. It compresses the insulation, pushing out the air - which is what actually provides the insulation. And it reduces blood flow to your fingers. It doesn't matter how good the insulation is if it is compressed.

Do this: There should be a little air in front of your fingertips when you make a fist. Read How a winter glove should fit.

3. The glove fits too loosely

The opposite is also a problem, though less common. In a glove that is too large, the air inside the glove moves every time you move your hand. Warm air is pumped out at the wrist and cold air is drawn in. You also get a poorer grip, which makes you grip harder and compresses the insulation in the palm.

4. Wind gets through

A knitted or loosely woven glove can be warm in still air and almost useless in the wind. The wind blows away the thin layer of warmed air closest to the hand. On a snowmobile or in mountain wind, this is often the deciding factor.

Do this: A winter glove needs a windproof outer layer: leather, tightly woven fabric such as Cordura, or a membrane.

5. Your wrist is exposed

On the inside of the wrist, blood flows close to the skin on its way to the hands. A gap between the jacket sleeve and glove cools the blood before it reaches the fingers. It's a small area that makes a big difference.

Do this: Choose a glove with a wide cuff that goes over the jacket sleeve, such as Nordals and Nuolja, or a cuff that goes inside the jacket and seals around the wrist, such as Arvidsjaur Mitts. Make sure there is no gap when you stretch your arms forward.

6. You've stood still for too long

When you move, your body sends warm blood out to your arms and hands. When you stand still, your body prioritizes your torso and internal organs. Your hands receive less. That's why many people feel coldest during a break, while hunting, at the ice-fishing hole, or on a snowmobile - not during the walk itself.

Do this: Use a warmer glove for stationary activities than for movement. And don't forget the rest of your body. If your torso is cold, your hands will receive less heat, regardless of the glove.

7. The wrong glove for the cold

A thin glove at –20 °C or a thick mitt on a fast ski trip - both lead to cold hands, but for different reasons. The first provides too little insulation; the second makes you sweat.

Do this: See our temperature guide and consider whether a mitt or glove suits you best.

8. The insulation has worn out

After many seasons, frequent drying at too high a temperature, or a long time compressed in a pocket, the insulation loses loft. It becomes flat and holds less air. The glove looks the same on the outside but is colder on the inside.

Do this: Store the gloves in a well-ventilated place between seasons and let them air-dry at room temperature. If the glove has a removable lining, you can replace just the lining and keep the outer glove.

For those who are always cold

Some people get colder than others, and it is not something you can simply "get used to". If that is you:

• Choose mittens over finger gloves in cold weather.
• Choose a size that is slightly too large rather than too small.
• Add a layer. A thin merino wool liner like Morken, or the thicker Arctic Wool lining in Nordals or Nuolja - but only if the outer glove still fits loosely enough.
• Warm your hands before you go outside. Cold hands in a cold glove rarely warm up on their own.
• Keep the rest of your body warm, especially your torso and wrists.

We have also collected advice on the page For those who are especially prone to cold hands.

This article is about gloves and equipment. If your fingers often turn white, go numb, or hurt in the cold despite wearing good gloves, it is wise to talk to a healthcare professional.

Frequently asked questions

Why are my hands cold even though I wear thick gloves?

Usually because the glove is too tight, damp on the inside, or lets wind in at the wrist. Thickness only helps if the insulation can retain its air and stay dry.

Why do my fingertips get cold first?

Fingertips are farthest from the heart, have little volume relative to their surface area, and are the first part of the body to receive reduced blood flow when it wants to conserve heat. Inside a glove, this is also where insulation is most easily compressed if the glove is too short.

Does wearing two pairs of gloves help?

A thin liner glove under a well-fitting outer glove helps. Wearing two thick gloves on top of each other usually makes the outer one too tight, which will make you colder.

Read more

• How to choose winter gloves - the complete guide
• How a winter glove should fit
• Leather gloves - care, wax and drying

Written by David Andersson, founder of Myr Outdoor. Myr develops gloves in Norrbotten, where winter lasts approximately seven months a year and the products are tested in real-world use.