Warm fingerless gloves increase comfort without sacrificing dexterity
Compared to full-finger alternatives such as liner gloves, the best fingerless gloves offer a massive dexterity boost, while only sacrificing a small amount of total warmth. They are perfect to wear for hiking and backpacking, because they do not impede dexterous tasks such as GPS navigation, feeling around inside a pack, jacket zipping, camp cooking, tent pitching, etc.
Despite their fingerless-ness, you will be amazed to discover that the best fingerless gloves still help warm your fingertips. If your palm and the lower half of your fingers are insulated, this will increase circulation to the tips, and you will be warmed internally by virtue of improved blood flow. While your fingertips will still be colder than with full coverage gloves, they will likely be sufficiently warm for most trips above freezing most of the time. Jump ahead to read our hand warming tips.
Our recommendations are grounded in a mixture of backcountry testing, marketplace analysis, meta-study, gear review savvy, and industry expertise. We have tested most of these fingerless gloves, and will be confirming a few speculative picks over the course of this season.
You may also be interested in flip mitts, as well as other types of hiking gloves, sun gloves, rain mitts, and accessories such as sun hats and backpacking sandals.
You make Adventure Alan & Co possible. When purchasing through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. Here’s why you can trust us. Now back to the best fingerless gloves.
Cover Photo of Fox River Ragg Gloves by Simon Pratt
Top Row: Fox River Ragg, Glacier Gloves Cold River. Bottom Row: Glacier Gloves Alaska River. Glacier Gloves Ascension Bay
Quick Picks For The Best Fingerless Gloves For Hiking
- Editor’s Choice: TrailHeads Running Mittens
- Best Buy: Fox River Ragg
- Best Buy: Minus 33 Merino
- Top Pick: Outdoor Research Fairbanks
- Best for Wet: Glacier Gloves Alaska River
- Best Ultralight: Zpacks Brushtail Possum
- Best Durability: Black Diamond Crag Half-Finger
- Best Sun Gloves: Glacier Gloves Ascension Bay
Best Fingerless Glove Comparison Table
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| Make/Model | Price ($) | Weight (oz) | Material | Warmth (1-5)* |
| TrailHeads Convertible | 38 | 3.0 | Repreve Recyceld Fleece | 3.5 |
| Glacier Gloves Alaska River | 28 | 2.2 | Windstopper Fleece, Neoprene | 3.0 |
| Fox River Ragg | 17 | 1.9 | 83% Wool, 15% Nylon, 2% Spandex | 2.5 |
| Minus33 Merino | 20 | 2.4 | 90% Merino, 7% Nylon, 3% Spandex | 2.5 |
| OR Fairbanks | 35 | 2.8 | 100% Merino | 2.5 |
| Zpacks Brushtail Possum | 30 | 1.0 | Possum, Merino, Nylon, Acrylic, Elastic | 2.0 |
| Glacier Gloves Ascension Bay | 30 | 1.7 | Lycra, Synthetic Leather | 1.0 |
| BD Crag Half-Finger | 22 | 2.5 | Stretch Mesh, Synthetic Leather | 2.0 |
*Warmth scores in the 3.5-5 range are reserved for warmer, full coverage handwear.
TrailHeads Convertible Running Mitts
The TrailHeads Running Mitts are our editor’s choice model because they are the only fingerless gloves we tested that flawlessly execute the concept of convertibility. The flip top mitten stows into a back of hand compartment, lying flush and out of the way. The thumb flips open too, and is held in place with a strong magnet that never comes undone. Of all fingerless gloves, both flip top and standard, the TrailHeads Running Mitts are our favorites.
The mid-weight fleece is soft, stretchy, comfy, and made with Repreve recycled polyester. What’s more, they even have an elongated wrist gauntlet to prevent skin exposure in the event of sleeve ride up. Textured dots between thumb and forefinger increase grip, while reflective trim on back-of-hand adds safety for running at night.
Editor’s note on sizing: The men’s size M/L size fits more like a true L. While no XL is offered, we think the M/L would fit a size XL hand because they run a bit large to begin with and the fleece is stretchy. If you wear a size medium, we recommend the S/M over the M/L.
- Price: $38
- Weight: 3.0 oz
- Material: Repreve Recycled Polyester
- Warmth: 3.5/5
- Pros: Perfect flip conversion with secure hold of flip top mitt and thumb. Soft and comfy. Reflective. Sustainable.
- Cons: Excess material on back of hand slightly decreases dexterity. Combo sizing options for less refined fit (S/M, M/L).
Glacier Gloves Alaska River
The Glacier Gloves Alaska River are the warmest fingerless gloves in our guide and made with a unique materials combo. The outside is a Windstopper microfleece, perfect tool for the job! The inside palm and inside fingers are lined with neoprene. This is an interesting choice, but it insulates well when holding cold wet objects, such as a trekking pole handle, or a wet ladder. The downside is that neoprene is stiffer and clunkier than fleece, and thus these gloves are slightly less dexterous than your average fingerless gloves. One more small gripe is that the wrist cinch cannot be adequately tightened on narrow wrists. But the glove fits securely to begin with, so it’s not a huge issue. In short, if it’s cold enough for gloves, it’s probably cold enough to want the warmest fingerless option.
- Price: $28
- Weight: 2.1 oz
- Material: Windstopper Fleece, Neoprene Palm
- Warmth: 3/5
- Pros: Wind-resistant. Warmest true fingerless model. Warm when wet. Insulated water resistant grip.
- Cons: Neoprene tears on abrasive surfaces. Less dexterous because thicker palm material. Wrist cinch does not accommodate narrow wrists well.
Fox River Ragg Fingerless Gloves
The Fox River Ragg are a really nice pair of fingerless wool gloves for just $17, and one of the obvious best buys in the genre. They feel thick and warm, thanks to the 83% wool, tough thanks to the addition of 15% nylon, and dexterous thanks to the 2% Spandex. The Ragg wool is more durable than other wool textiles (at the expense of being scratchier), which prolongs the lifespan and protects against backcountry rigors. They are also reversible; the left and right gloves are not distinctly shaped. This is beneficial in that it allows you to rotate which side is facing inward for handling objects, thus diluting the long term wear-and-tear damage on the gloves by spreading it across 2x surface area.
- Price: $17
- Weight: 1.9 oz
- Material: 83% Wool, 15% Nylon, 2% spandex
- Warmth: 3/5
- Pros: Warm. Affordable. Simple. Reasonably durable. Highly rated. Odor resistant. Warm when wet. Breathable.
- Cons: Runs large. Scratchy. Non-reinforced palms.
Minus33 Merino Wool Fingerless Gloves
Choose the Minus33 Merino Wool Fingerless Gloves for a nice blend of comfort, performance, and value. The wool-nylon-spandex blend increases durability and stretch fit, while still maximizing the benefits of merino – soft, comfy, warm, breathable, warm-when-wet, and naturally bacteria/odor-resistance. And for being merino they’re less expensive than similar alternatives, as such, we think they’re a great value buy. Lastly, these fingerless gloves enjoy mass customer approval on Amazon, where they score 4.6/5 stars on over 6k reviews.
- Price: $20
- Weight: 2.4 oz
- Material: 90% Wool, 7% Stretch Nylon, 3% Spandex
- Warmth: 3/5
- Pros: Warm. Soft. Comfortable. Breathable. Warm when wet. Reasonably durable. Good value. Highly rated. Mass customer approval.
- Cons: Non-reinforced palms.
Outdoor Research Fairbanks Fingerless Gloves
The Outdoor Research Fairbanks are just great all-around wool fingerless gloves. The merino is soft, comfy, warm, breathable, odor-resistant, and dexterous. Customers give these gloves great reviews, and we agree. The design is simple, but it just works. If there’s a downside to be had, it’s that they’re more expensive than average, and less durable than nylon-wool blends.
- Price: $35
- Weight: 2.8 oz
- Material: 100% Merino Wool
- Warmth: 4/5
- Pros: Warmest. Soft. Comfy. Highly rated. Breathable. Warm when wet.
- Cons: Very chunky and a bit less dexterous. Fewer size options. Expensive. Non-reinforced palm. Lower durability than nylon blends.
Zpacks Brushtail Possum Fingerless Gloves
The Zpacks Brushtail Possum Gloves are made with a wide array of fibers to extract the performance benefits of each. The brushtail possum is an invasive species in New Zealand, and it’s hair has a hollow core for increased warmth and quickened dry time. The possum is blended with merino for softness, and nylon for durability, among other ingredients. The gloves themselves are lightweight, highly dexterous, and a bit thinner than average.
- Price: $30
- Weight: 1.0 oz
- Material: 28% Brushtail Possum, 52% Merino Wool, 16% Nylon, 2% arcylic, 1% Elastic, <1% Steel
- Warmth: 2/5
- Pros: Ultralight. Highly dexterous. Soft and comfy.
- Cons: Non-reinforced palm. Thinner than average, perhaps less durable.
Black Diamond Crag Half-Finger
Choose the Black Diamond Crag Half-Finger for trips involving rope ladders, chain holding, via ferrata, Tyrolean traverses, cable cars, and other such hand-blasting terrain. We particularly like the finger extension tabs that protect the inside middle joint from abrasion. The Crag Half-Fingers are also highly rated, very affordable, long lasting, and respectably lightweight. This is an important fingerless glove to have in your quiver for rough handling. And do you see those beastly cuff cinches! Talk about a secure fit.
- Price: $22
- Weight: 2.5 oz
- Material: Synthetic Leather, Stretch Mesh backer
- Warmth: 2/5
- Pros: Good durability-to-weight ratio. Finger tabs. Good value. Very durable. Good cuffs and cinching. Pull tabs for on/off. Breathable back of hand.
- Cons: Inside interior face can get sweaty.
Glacier Gloves Ascension Bay
One of the most useful types of fingerless gloves is a sun glove! The Glacier Gloves Ascension Bay are designed to offer 50+ UPF sun protection for your hands with the airiest, and most breathable fabric possible for all day warm weather use without ever reducing dexterity. The Ascension Bay is great because the palms are reinforced, drastically prolonging their life when used with trekking poles nonstop, all day. We nearly always hike in sun gloves and recommend them strongly. And don’t forget to apply sunscreen to your finger tips!
- Price: $27
- Weight: 1.7 oz
- Material: Lycra, synthetic suede
- Warmth: 1/5
- Pros: Protects against sun. Airy and breathable. Comfy all day. Durable palm. Good with trekking poles.
- Cons: Warmer than wearing no sun gloves. Makes applying sunscreen harder.
Pro Tips For Warming Your Hands and Using Fingerless Gloves
Add a mitt overtop for use in cold, windy, or wet weather
For use in cold, windy, and wet weather, you may choose to bring a shell mitt for modular layering. Here is a lightweight Gore-Tex shell mitt, and here is an ultralight shell mitt. Keep the fingerless glove on for all day cold-weather-wear, and pull out the shell mitts for cold rain. Shell mitts usually only weigh 1-2 ounces and are generally quite packable. While their wind/waterproofness solves for fingerless gloves’ biggest weakness, it is a notable downside that your finger tips will be in direct contact with the inside of the shell; it’s fine but feels like wearing plastic and is less comfy than layering shell mitts over full finger gloves.
Warm your hands with a hot drink
Mornings in the mountains are often the coldest and most difficult on your hands. Disassembling a frost covered tent, pulling out freezing cold stakes and loading up a backpack is hard when your hands are operating at less than 100% dexterity due to numbing cold. For situations like these, we recommend hot drink warming. Pour yourself a nice hot cup of coffee or tea and then begin taking the tent down. Pull the stakes out, then pause for a minute to hold your mug to absorb heat. Shake out the tent and roll it up, then go back to holding your mug. Put everything in the pack, hold your mug. Alternating between cold touch and warm touch is a really effective way to prevent numb fingers.
Use your base and mid-layer thumb holes
Supplement your fingerless gloves with a base and fleece mid-layer that has thumb loops. If you can put two more layers over the palm of your hand, this will slightly improve blood flow and circulation to your fingers.
Put your trekking poles away and scrunch hands into rain jacket sleeves
In truly awful conditions like sleet or cold rain, you may wish to put your trekking poles away and retreat your hands into your rain jacket sleeves. This is a great reason to size up when choosing a rain jacket. Having a shell sleeve to retreat into can be make or break when going over a pass or summit in foul weather.
Windmill your arms to centrifuge blood to your fingertips
A tip we picked up from ice climbers is windmilling your arms. This creates a centrifuge effect that uses physics to force blood into your finger tips, warming them up via circulation.
Add sock mitts
It’s not fun and it’s definitely not sexy, but if you really need to warm your hands up, you can pull socks on over your fingerless gloves to increase insulation and wind protection. This is effective when dexterity is not required.
Hike faster to generate more body heat
When all else fails and your hands are just really cold, you probably would still be having a bad time with full-finger gloves. Either way, crank up the hiking speed to generate more body heat and get off that pass ASAP.
Conclusion To The Best Fingerless Gloves For Hiking & Backpacking
Thank you for reading our guide to the best fingerless gloves, where we hope you found the perfect pair to suit your hiking and backpacking needs. Our team loves fingerless gloves and find their dexterousness to be highly functional. These are the fingerless gloves we use, and we know they’ll serve you well too. Happy hiking!
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