Best of the Best

We snowboard because we love it. Some love to be outside, some love the feeling of gliding down a mountain; some love the adrenaline rush of grinding a rail or riding the pipe. For all of the reasons you love snowboarding, you want to enjoy it to its maximum potential. Choosing the right gear can make or break your perfect day of riding. You can avoid ending the day with freezing fingers that look like white raisins when you pull them out of your glove or mitten?

When looking for gloves or mittens for snowboarding there are several factors to consider:

What conditions do you ride in?

First, consider your riding habits and what weather conditions you are willing to brave. Are you a fair-weather snowboarder who goes when the skies are blue, and usually only half the day? Or, are you a die-hard, proverbial postman - through rain, ice, sleet, fog, snow? People who ride every day, all day or work in the industry require more from a glove.

What kind of rider are you?

Do you spend most of your time in the park and pipe or do you prefer to cruise all over the mountain?

All of these factors greatly affect your needs in a glove or mitten.
Where do you ride (geographically)?

Geographical location is also a consideration. For instance, east coast riders from Vermont, where there can be many days below zero require different things in a glove than West Coast riders where many days are sunny and warmer.

Do you get cold easy?

You have to know your body. Are you one of those people that when the temperature dips down you feel a chill to the bones? Generally speaking, as women, we have less circulation in our extremities, therefore, our fingers and toes tend to get colder faster. So, when looking for a glove or mitten, consider your personal body thermometer.

Once you determine your personal needs in a glove, then you can start to determine what types of gloves would be best suited to your riding. There a few important things to look for when purchasing a glove.
Features of the gloves to consider:

Warmth:

The biggest problem and complaint people have with gloves is the lack of ability to actually keep your hands warm. First and foremost, you want a glove that has enough insulation to keep your hands warm on even exceptionally cold days. A removable liner is a very helpful feature. A glove with a removable liner is not only easier and swifter to dry, but it comes with that “two for the price of one” feature. Wear it with the liners on cold days, and without on warmer days. It is the more convenient choice, avoiding the need to purchase two pairs of gloves, and the choice of extra warmth if the temperature drops. The removable liner gives the option for a quick change-over, making the gloves cooler or warmer depending on your needs. Many of the newer gloves have a hand warmer pocket on the glove, making it convenient to utilize hand warmers on those very cold days.

(Article continued on Best of the Rest)