Snowboard Gloves

Due to the nature of snowboarding, your snowboard gloves will be subjected to plenty of punishment from regular contact with the snow and your board. As with other forms of clothing, your snowboarding gloves must keep your hands warm and dry. Having soaking wet freezing hands while you are snowboarding is a torturous experience best left only to your worst enemy.

You should consider the following factors when deciding on a pair of gloves to buy.

Gloves or Mittens

Mittens are built to cover your whole hand with only a separate section for your thumb while gloves have individual sockets for all five fingers. Some gloves also come in a special hybrid three-finger model.

In terms of water resistance, mittens generally have an advantage over gloves due to the fact that they have less seams which means less possibilities for water to seep in. Being able to keep your fingers together within a mitt will also help provide to provide you with some extra warmth.

Many people, however, prefer gloves as they provide you with the extra feel and grip you can get with your fingers to easily grasp your board, clothing and accessories.

Waterproofing and Durability

If you are planning on snowboarding for many years to come, get the toughest and most waterproof gloves you can afford. Due to the beating that snowboard gloves take, a badly-assembled pair will probably fall apart after a few rides while a good-quality set can last for hundreds of sessions over a few seasons.

Look for snowboard gloves made from highly waterproof fabric such as Gor-tex with double-, triple-stitched or taped seams and reinforced palms and fingers. Check that the cuffs of the gloves have been effectively designed to keep the snow out when worn with your jacket.

Inner Liner

Apart from keeping your hands warm and providing some degree of comfort, a removable inner liner will help to wick away any internal moisture or perspiration generated during the day. Removing them at the end of the day or even during a lunch break (while indoors) will allow your gloves to dry quicker.

Safety and Injury-Prevention

If you are a beginner who hasn't quite mastered the technique for falling safely, you'd best be advised to wear wrist guards to prevent injuring or breaking your wrist after a hard fall. If possible, you should consider purchasing snowboard gloves which come with built-in wrist guards.

A wrist guard consists of a flat, long, tough and thick piece of plastic which is positioned onto the back of your wrist to prevent you from bending it too far backward from the force of a fall. Using them could well mean the difference between an enjoyable trip and spending the next month or so with a cast on your arm.