The 10 Best Texting Gloves
This wiki has been updated 33 times since it was first published in May of 2016. If you can’t resist checking that screen every two minutes, even when it's chilly or freezing outside, you'll want to get a pair of these texting gloves. They'll help keep your digits warm and add flair to an outfit while still allowing you to type and swipe away on your phone or tablet. We've included pairs for cold and mild climates, as well as those for men and women. When users buy our independently chosen editorial choices, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
1. Marmot Women's Connect
2. Loritta Winter Knit
3. Columbia Unisex Omni-Heat
Editor's Notes
March 25, 2020:
No matter the climate in which they live or personal style, almost everyone today needs to be able to use their devices while out and about. With that in mind, we compiled a list of texting gloves that should offer warm options for those in winter climates, lighter choices for those in mild weather, and several aesthetics, for those who prefer a simple look and those who like decorative accessories.
If you are living in low temperatures and cannot afford to expose your fingers to the elements to send that message or use your tablet, the Marmot Women's Connect, with their windproof and water-repellent fabric, can protect you from the cold while allowing you to use your touch screen. The Columbia Unisex Omni-Heat are another winter-ready option, with their thermal liner that reflects body heat. Unfortunately, the North Face Etip Hardface lost their spot, because they didn't perform as well in cold climates as hoped, and the TrailHeads Running snagged their place, thanks to their snug cuffs that keep out a draft.
Those looking for gloves that are equal parts fashion accessories and hand protectors might like the Warmen Women's Traditional, with their attractive wrist accents and diverse color options. The Warmen Men's Driving are also quite stylish, featuring supple leather, snap enclosures, and double-layer lining. While the Isotoner Stretch SmarTouch were quite functional, we felt their look was outdated, and that the sleek Elma Women's Classic deserved a spot instead.
If you'd prefer to barely realize you're wearing gloves, then you may like the Vital Salveo Unisex Half Finger, which leave your precious typing instruments free of fabric, or the GliderGloves Copper Infused, which have fully-conductive material, meaning every inch of them communicates with your touch screen.
Since device compatibility was the top priority in these selections, the Gloue Women's Suede had to go, because their device responsiveness was unreliable.
Special Honors
L.L.Bean Women's Windproof Sweater Fleece Gloves These gloves look and feel like the fleece sweaters from the same brand, and have the added benefit of wind protection. They are machine washable and dryable for easy maintenance, and have polyurethane palms that should hold up to plenty of use. Matching them to an outfit should be easy, thanks to their basic brushed grey design. llbean.com
Coach Sculpted Signature Leather Tech Gloves With a shell that's 100-percent leather and a liner that's 100-percent merino wool, these gloves should keep your fingers feeling toasty in severe winter weather. Though their materials are heavy duty, they manage to have a lightweight feel, and they have a timeless, classic design with the brand's signature hardware that should look good with most outfits. They're available in navy, burgundy, black, and grey, and work with any standard touchscreen device. coach.com
4. Elma Women's Classic
5. TrailHeads Running
6. Vital Salveo Unisex Half Finger
7. GliderGloves Copper Infused
8. Warmen Women's Traditional
9. Mujjo All-Hand
10. Warmen Men's Driving
Why You Need Texting Gloves
You know how impatient friends can become when they see that little typing bubble in your text thread, but have to wait minutes for your reply.
If you live in a very cold climate, then you're often faced with a dilemma: you want to avoid the dangers of frostbite, but you also desperately want to answer that e-mail that just came into your phone while you were on a walk. If you take off your gloves, you'll expose your sensitive digits to the cold, but if you leave them on, you won't be able to type on your touchscreen. If you work outdoors, you almost have no choice but to get texting gloves. You need to stay connected with clients and colleagues, but you don't have the luxury of a heated office to answer e-mails and take calls.
Considering that 73 percent of cell phone owners text and 31 percent even prefer receiving a text to a voice call, people spend a lot of time typing on their smartphones these days. That means that even if you don't run the risk of frostbite by removing your gloves, taking your gloves off every time you need to reply to a text and putting them back on after is a nuisance. Texting gloves allow you to leave your gloves on while you reply to your spouse's message about picking up the milk.
Texting gloves not only boast fabric that your touchscreen responds to, but they're also made from thin, flexible material to allow you full-finger dexterity. This is important because you need the full dexterity of your hands to shoot off those texts and e-mails quickly. You know how impatient friends can become when they see that little typing bubble in your text thread, but have to wait minutes for your reply. Unfortunately, that's just what can happen if you're wearing bulky gloves. Texting gloves are also made from materials designed to grip a slick smartphone and minimize the possibility of your dropping and breaking it.
Regular Gloves Versus Touchscreen Gloves
There are two types of touchscreen technology: resistive and capacitive. Earlier touchscreen phones relied on resistive technology, which registers the actual pressure you'd apply to your phone when you pushed on the screen. In theory, one could wear regular gloves and use a resistive touchscreen phone. It may have been a cumbersome process, but the phone was still able to register your finger's movements.
Newer phones, however, rely on capacitive touchscreen technology.
Newer phones, however, rely on capacitive touchscreen technology. This technology registers the electrical current transmitted by your exposed hands. There is a small amount of voltage at the corners of every touchscreen. When you put your naked hand on the screen, it essentially draws some of that voltage to wherever you placed your fingers, and your phone responds to your request. But the phone needs to register your skin's electrical current in order for this to happen. Most fabric stops that current from moving, which is why newer phones do not respond when you type on them wearing regular gloves.
Texting gloves solve this issue. They're made from conductive materials, and the fibers in either just the fingertips or the entire glove will contain some conductive element, like silver or copper. This allows the electrical current from your fingers to pass through to your smartphone or other devices. For those who don't like the idea of silver or copper touching your hand directly, don't worry: many touchscreen gloves contain a less-conductive material on the inside, and are simply coated with the more conductive materials.
What To Look For In Texting Gloves
If you do live in a place with severe winters, look for gloves that are double-lined to keep you extra-warm. As with regular gloves, there are texting gloves available that rise a little higher on your arm, and have elastic wrists, to keep out the cold air. Many are even wind and water resistant and can double as your texting gloves and your winter sports gloves. Texting gloves tend to be slim and lightweight, making them easy to fit in your already stuffed hiking backpack or ski bag.
Many are even wind and water resistant and can double as your texting gloves and your winter sports gloves.
If you are ever stuck outside at night, you'll like that some models have LED lights built into the knuckles to illuminate your path. These are ideal if you have to work outdoors at night or walk a pet in the evening. If your friends tease you for always being on your phone, you may want to consider gloves made from wear-resistant fabric that can stand up to your habits.
Fashionable individuals may not want gloves that look like they came from a computer store. Lucky for you, many look just like simple mittens, made of wool. There are even dressier varieties made from leather, so you can text and update your Instagram in style. Some have many of the details you'd find on designer gloves, like wrist buckles, fleece lining that peeks out at the trim, and sleek accenting.
If you'd like to be able to wear your rings beneath your texting gloves, there are spandex pairs available that will fit over them. Sticklers for comfort might want a pair made from cashmere or lambskin, though they may be so comfortable you will never want to take them off. As previously mentioned, some gloves contain conductive elements all over the surface, meaning you can use any part of your hand to type on your phone. So if you're literally all-thumbs when you text, you can still type wearing your gloves.
A wandering writer who spends as much time on the road as in front of a laptop screen, Brett can either be found hacking away furiously at the keyboard or, perhaps, enjoying a whiskey and coke on some exotic beach, sometimes both simultaneously, usually with a four-legged companion by his side. He has been a professional chef, a dog trainer, and a travel correspondent for a well-known Southeast Asian guidebook. He also holds a business degree and has spent more time than he cares to admit in boring office jobs. He has an odd obsession for playing with the latest gadgets and working on motorcycles and old Jeeps. His expertise, honed over years of experience, is in the areas of computers, electronics, travel gear, pet products, and kitchen, office and automotive equipment.