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The Best Waterproof Cold Weather Fishing Gloves
Fishing is an excellent sport, and some of the best fishing experiences you can have will involve casting your line in colder weather. For any fishing trip, it’s essential to choose all your equipment carefully. But most importantly in colder temperatures, you’ll want to include a good pair of gloves that can meet the demands of cold weather fishing.
You’ll want to find a set of gloves that are waterproof, well-insulated, and that can stand up to the wear and tear you’ll take-on during a day out on the water. The good news is that you can find plenty of gloves that fit this description; the bad news is that some of these glove manufacturers charge a pretty penny for their products.
Let’s take a look at some of your options when it comes to cold weather/winter fishing gloves. With a little research, you can find a set of gloves that will fit your needs and your budget just right.
What to Look For
It’s important to consider how you’ll protect your hands while you’re fishing out in the cold. The low temperature is obviously a concern, but you must keep in mind that your hands will likely get wet during the expedition. Not only that, you’ll be faced with lots of hazards like spiny, slippery fish, and it’ll take a specialty glove to really handle this task.
The key features to look for in a fishing glove are:
- Waterproofing
- Insulation
- Grip
- Material
Finding the right combination of these factors is difficult, but nothing you can’t handle.
Glove Style Options
We’ll be looking at three different styles of glove today, full gloves, fingerless gloves, and convertible gloves.
A full glove does what you’d expect, fully encompassing each of your fingers at all times.
Fingerless gloves stop somewhere around your second knuckle, with the thought being that your bare fingers can get a better grip on fishing line and other equipment.
Convertibles offer a nice middle ground – these usually have a detachable part that can cover your fingertips when you want and be removed when you don’t.
Material Options
There are four main materials you’ll see represented among these gloves, neoprene, fleece, latex, and wool.
- Neoprene – Is a synthetic rubber that offers excellent temperature control and waterproofing in a relatively slim layer. Neoprene is used in all sorts of products – you might have a neoprene laptop case or drink koozie within reach right now.
- Fleece – Is a specific preparation of a synthetic wool material. It’s extremely warm, but doesn’t always hold up well when wet and can cause some issues when it comes to grip.
- Latex – Is a natural rubber material, and offers the most severe waterproofing you can find. This can sometimes come at the expense of insulation, as latex on its own does an inferior job at that task.
- Natural Wool – Wool is quite warm and does an excellent job of maintaining insulation even when wet. Wool has been a favorite material for sailors for many years, and it still works well today.
Insulation
Cold weathe gloves come in a wide variety of insulation levels. Keep in mind that in this case, more insulation is not always better. Each layer of insulation comes at the expense of some of your finger dexterity. In an ideal world, you’ll find gloves with just enough padding to keep your hands warm without compromising your agility.
It’s possible that you’ll end up wanting to use different gloves on different trips. Before you make a purchase, think about which specific trips you’ll be using these gloves for, and what the conditions will be like on the water.
Dexterity
The reason we find such a variety in glove design here is that anglers need to do lots of very delicate tasks while they’re fishing. Threading your line through a lure is tough enough with bare hands and warm weather – trying to do it with gloves in cold weather can be near impossible if the gloves are too thick.
When thinking about gloves, consider what tasks you might have to perform while you’re out on the water. What if some of your equipment breaks and you need to bust out a small toolkit? Also, if it’s winter time, or the weather is really cold, it might be difficult for you to remove your gloves for specific tasks.
Waterproofing
For some applications, you might not worry about how well a glove holds up when wet. For cold weather fishing, this question is incredibly important. Gloves that lose their insulation properties when wet is a serious liability out on a boat or in an ice house. Fishing in cold weather can be near impossible if the gloves become wet, and soggy.
Durability
When thinking about price, consider the quality of the product you’re thinking of purchasing. A $5 pair of gloves might seem like it’ll save you some money, but if you find yourself replacing the gloves every time you go out angling, you’ll soon discover you were better off just going with something more durable in the first place.
Affordability
We have ranked each of our recommended products based on what price range they fall into. The higher end of these products will go for around $25, while the more affordable options can be found for $8 or less; so, take the time to analyze your budget and decide exactly how much you’re willing to dedicate to this product.
Grip
The final item to consider when it comes to these gloves is the presence or absence of grip panels on the palm side of the glove. Good grip materials are usually made of patterned rubber, leather, or some other synthetic material, and can really allow you to grasp your rod and other material tightly. Some gloves do not have this feature, opting to let you simply get a grip with the glove itself. Both options might work for you, depending on your specific plan for the gloves in question.
Top 5 Waterproof Fishing Gloves for Cold Weather
Cost
$$$
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Dexterity Features
Water-resistant
Style
Convertible
Convertible
Fingerless
Convertible
Convertible
Material
Fleece
Fleece-lined neoprene
Fleece
Neoprene
Fleece with synthetic outer shell
Optimal Warmth Range
36⁰+
30⁰+
50⁰+
32⁰+
40⁰+
Brand
Cost
$$$
Dexterity Features
Water-resistant
Style
Convertible
Material
Fleece
Optimal Warmth Range
36⁰+
Brand
Cost
$$
Dexterity Features
Water-resistant
Style
Convertible
Material
Fleece-lined neoprene
Optimal Warmth Range
30⁰+
Brand
Cost
$$
Dexterity Features
Water-resistant
Style
Fingerless
Material
Fleece
Optimal Warmth Range
50⁰+
Brand
Cost
$$
Dexterity Features
Water-resistant
Style
Convertible
Material
Neoprene
Optimal Warmth Range
32⁰+
Brand
Cost
$$$
Dexterity Features
Water-resistant
Style
Convertible
Material
Fleece with synthetic outer shell
Optimal Warmth Range
40⁰+
The Palmyth gloves are a great option for cold weather fishing. The fleece is comfortable even when wet, the water resistance is reliable, and the overall design of the glove works well at keeping water out and letting you maintain your natural dexterity.
They are inexpensive enough but keep up with the overall quality you need. Convertible fingertips make accessing your phone a breeze. The grip overall isn’t fantastic though, and if the fleece gets wet, then it can get cold for sure. If it happens to be extremely cold, then there is not enough insulation for this condition.
Pros
- Breathable yet warm material
- Convertible finger tips
- Water resistance
- Velcro strap lets you cinch up the wrist as tight as needed
- Fleece is very comfortable to wear for hours
Cons
- Fleece becomes quite cold if wet
- Palm and finger grip material could be better
- Not enough insulation for extreme cold
The simple design of these gloves is appealing. It doesn’t try hard to be extra fancy or anything. Luckily this water-resistant design is also great at repelling water, and the grip is strong and easy, so nothing slides out.
Having a Velcro strap keeps it from slipping. There are only grip pads on one finger though, and this could impede your ability to perform some tasks.
Pros
- Really simple design
- Repels water effectively
- Thin construction allows for a strong grip
- Velcro wrist straps work well
Cons
- Only provides a small grip pad on one finger
- Breathability issues
- Does not offer much warmth
The Alaska River series glove is a fingerless design, a great option when it comes to maintaining dexterity. This makes fishing and all its associated tasks easier. The gloves have a tactile neoprene palm as well that anglers will really like.
These gloves are not as warm as some of their competitors because they are fingerless, which also guarantees they won’t be waterproof. Since they are open fingered, you are also a bit less protected from finger cuts.
Pros
- Fingerless design
- Tactile neoprene palm
- Super comfortable
- Velcro wrist strap will stick around all day
Cons
- Not as warm as a full finger glove
- No waterproofing
- Exposed fingers means cuts
The artificial leather grips of this glove work quite wonderfully when wet instead of becoming a burden as with other gloves. You can easily remove the tips if you need to get to a finger that has been injured, which definitely can happen.
These gloves are water resistant and work very well at repelling water, but the bulky fingers can get in the way while trying to cast. Also, as with all neoprene options, these gloves are not very breathable and will cause hand sweat very quickly.
Pros
- Great design
- Artificial leather grips work when wet
- Easy access to the cut fingers
- Resists splashes and rain water
Cons
- When wet they aren’t warm
- Not very breathable and will cause hand sweat very quickly
- Fingers can get in the way when casting
The FRDM gloves are not a glove designed for fishing overall, so even though it is warm and breathable, which is an excellent feature for a glove, it just doesn’t work well when fishing.
The grip material is made of silicone, which is not ideal for fishing applications. Although there is easy access to fingers for good functionality, the gloves are super bulky, so overall they aren’t great for handling fish but will keep your hands warm in the cold.
Pros
- Warm and breathable
- Easy access to cut fingers
Cons
- Just not a glove designed for fishing
- Bulky
- Silicone grip material is not ideal for fishing applications
- Wrist does not cinch shut
Slim design for cold weather gloves is usually preferred to a bulkier option. These gloves are known for their snug and comfortable fit because of their slim design.
Another plus to the Berkley product are the Velcro straps that keep the gloves secured to your wrists and grip pads that make moving and holding things easier.
These gloves are not particularly warm nor breathable, so they can become uncomfortable when worn on a full day fishing excursion.
Pros
- Excellent grip from the material and grip pads
- Slim design
- Velcro strap keeps the gloves on securely
Cons
- Not particularly warm
- Not breathable
These gloves are made of quality tough materials that hold up well in situations where others would scuff or break. Definitely more durable than a lot of options we have gone through.
The gloves provide extra strength water resistance. While these aren’t fully waterproof, they will keep your hands dry for a whole day on the water. The grip also still works even when the gloves are wet.
The slim design yields a comfort fit and good functionality.
As with many gloves, the Stormr’s are not breathable, and sweat builds up uncomfortably quickly. With the absence of wrist straps, they are more likely to slide down your wrist as well.
Pros
- Slim design that works well
- Excellent grip that holds up even when wet
- Very good water resistance
- Really tough materials
Cons
- Not breathable
- No wrist strap
- Not warm especially when wet
The excellent grip of this glove is legendary. It provides a full finger design which does not get in your way at all while keeping your hands warm but still allows functional mobility.
Any hazards that may occur while fishing, can be easily protected against with this glove, which also offers a snug fit lending to a more comfortable overall experience.
Although an excellent glove with a great fit, it is not waterproof. It could be more durable and wear better. There have been reports that the rubber of the glove marks up reasonably quickly.
Pros
- Excellent grip
- Best blend of warmth and dexterity
- Great protection
- Snug fit
Cons
- Not waterproof
- Unusual wear and tear on the rubber
- The rubber material can be slick when handling fish
Putting it all together
When shopping for cold weather fishing gloves, make sure that you have as much information as possible before you jump into any purchase. Consider the temperature, conditions, and equipment you’ll be faced with to help you in selecting gloves that will keep your hands warm and dry without getting in your way while you’re out on the water.
There are plenty of great gloves out there, but also lots of inferior products that may prove to make your fishing experience uncomfortable. We hope our Buyer’s Guide will help you in selecting the right gloves for your specific fishing needs.
Happy Fishing!