If you’re working outside during the winter, you need a specially designed pair of gloves. From freezing temperatures to heavy rain, sleet, or even snow, your hands need adequate protection if you’re going to be able to get anything done in the chillier winter months. In this article, we share tips on choosing the best winter gloves for the cold weather and reveal our top picks from Unigloves' winter gloves range.
Why do you need winter gloves?
Whether you’re working in the garden, on a construction site, in a warehousing and logistics setting, or performing general maintenance tasks, the winter months pose a whole new set of challenges when it comes to keeping hands safe.
Your everyday work gloves may not be enough to protect your hands against the harsh conditions you face on those cold days at work. The risks to hands include numbness, trouble moving the fingers (especially for more intricate tasks), difficulty gripping tools and equipment, and even frostbite in the most extreme cases. That’s why a pair of winter gloves are essential.
Choosing the best winter industrial work gloves for winter conditions means choosing gloves that will keep hands warm, dry, and protected from the daily hazards found around the workplace. Our tips on choosing the best winter gloves will help you get the job done in any weather.
How to choose the best winter gloves
From logistics to construction, maintenance, or other outdoor activities, workers’ hands face their fair share of challenges in the workplace. Finding a good pair of work gloves means considering all potential hazards – and in the winter months, that means considering the cold and often wet conditions.
Whether it’s handling sharp tools and equipment, working in the wet, handling abrasive materials, or trying to handle materials in freezing conditions, your industrial work gloves need to be comfortable, flexible enough for the task, and offer protection against other hazards. Here are our tips for what to consider when choosing the best winter gloves, depending on your workplace and application:
Thermal protection:
Your regular work gloves are unlikely to provide enough protection for hands in the winter, as they don’t offer adequate thermal protection. Thermal gloves make for the best winter gloves, as they provide extra warmth which keeps hands comfortable and able to perform at their best. These gloves will feature a thermal liner, such as a fleece lining, that protects against freezing conditions to prevent numbness, stiffness, and the threat of frostbite. Some winter gloves even provide thermal protection against contact with heat.
If your application involves contact with heat, as well as exposure to the elements, a pair of thermal gloves that offers protection against both heat and cold is ideal.
Water resistance:
Working outside in the winter months will often mean battling the rain as well as freezing conditions. Not only are wet hands subject to irritation, but they may also suffer from a loss of dexterity, as well as dermatitis, if not addressed quickly.
Water resistant gloves that protect against liquid ingress are therefore a must when working in the wet during winter. Coatings such as a dual nitrile coating provide excellent liquid resistance so that hands stay dry and warm and have the added benefit of protecting hands from a range of other hazards.
Cut, tear and abrasion resistance:
Keeping hands protected in the cold weather means more than simply selecting a pair of warm gloves. Work gloves must also offer protection against the other hazards present in the workplace, such as sharp or abrasive materials. Selected winter gloves from Unigloves also offer excellent tear and abrasion resistance as well as cut resistance.
Be sure to check the level of cut, tear, and abrasion resistance offered by the gloves, according to the manufacturer's website (look for testing standard EN388 for cut resistance rating).
Flexibility:
Some of the warmest gloves can be cumbersome and inflexible, which can make it hard to perform certain tasks. However, the best winter gloves for all conditions from Unigloves are expertly crafted to provide the flexibility and dexterity you need. Our winter gloves are available in a range of gauges and feature a variety of coatings, to offer our customers the most suitably flexible glove for their application.
Comfort:
When choosing the best winter gloves, comfort should be front of mind. After all, long hours at work can mean tired and fatigued hands, which lead to lost productivity as well as irritation or damage to hands.
Look for seamless liners that reduce the chances of irritation; knitted wrists for added protection against the cold and assurance against dust and particle ingress; a close fitting glove for a comfortable fit and enhanced dexterity; and consider a breathable liner that wicks away sweat and moisture to prevent irritation.
Unigloves advanced technologies for the best winter gloves
Finding the ideal winter gloves means considering more than just warmth, water resistance, and comfort. Our winter gloves range benefits from the inclusion of two featured technologies:
NitreGrip® technology:
Unigloves’ NitreGrip technology is an advanced surface treatment that provides excellent grip in dry, wet, or oily conditions. Reducing the need for a forced grip, the technology helps to reduce hand fatigue and results in added protection for workers, materials, and tools.
Sanitized Hygiene and Odour Control Function:
Keeping hands warm often means added perspiration within the glove. Even with breathable and lightweight liners, gloves can produce harmful microbial growth and result in unpleasant odours. Unigloves’ Sanitized Hygiene and Odour Control Function contains a biocidal product with the active substance zinc pyrithione to reduce microbial growth and neutralise odours – making for a more pleasant wearer experience and, ultimately, healthier hands.
Our top picks for best winter gloves
As a leading manufacturer of safety gloves for over 30 years, Unigloves understands that both safety and performance are critical for workplace productivity. Our range of industrial thermal gloves has been developed utilizing the latest in glove manufacturing technologies and the highest quality materials to bring our customers the best winter gloves, for a range of applications.
Nitrex 299T:
Nitrex 299T winter gloves offer fantastic warmth and comfort thanks to their seamless and breathable fleece thermal lining. The crinkle latex coating featured in these gloves ensures excellent grip in dry or wet conditions, while the elasticated wrists protect against dust and particle ingress.
Also featuring Unigloves’ Sanitized Hygiene and Odour Control Function, which reduces microbial growth and neutralises odours, Nitrex 299T winter gloves mean healthier hands, even after long hours of use.
Nitrex 370W:
For protection against both heat and cold, Nitrex 370W makes for an excellent winter work glove. Featuring full foam nitrile coating for excellent abrasion resistance, superior flexibility, and enhanced grip, the 370W also offers complete 360° liquid protection and protection against heat contact up to 100°C.
The inclusion of Unigloves’ Sanitized Hygiene and Odour Control function means reduced microbial growth and neutralised odours, while the nylon and Spandex® liner with acrylic terry brushed inner makes Nitrex 370W incredibly warm and comfortable.
Nitrex 360FCT:
Unigloves Nitrex 360FCT thermal winter gloves feature a double dipped sandy nitrile coating for liquid resistance and full 360° hand protection.
The specially developed, double lined, brushed acrylic thermal liner provides both excellent thermal protection against the cold as well as comfort, whilst the application of Unigloves’ NitreGrip technology affords these winter gloves excellent grip in dry, wet, or oily conditions.
Working closely with our industry partners over the last 30 years, Unigloves is committed to developing high quality, robust, and versatile safety glove solutions that are ideal for your workplace. Our range of thermal gloves range features quality materials and benefits from the inclusion of our NitreGrip technology and Sanitized Hygiene and Odour Control Function, for unrivalled performance even in the most challenging conditions.
For the best winter gloves, look no further than Unigloves thermal gloves range. Reach out to our team for assistance finding the ideal winter glove for your workplace today.
