Best Hiking Gloves of 2026

Black Diamond's Midweight Screentap Gloves occupy the sweet spot between warmth, dexterity, and price. The four-way stretch knit shell flexes with your hand rather than fighting it, making trekking pole grip and pack strap adjustment feel natural rather than clumsy. The fleece backer adds just enough insulation for temperatures down to around 35°F without making the gloves feel bulky.

The DWR finish sheds light rain and morning dew effectively. These are not waterproof gloves — in sustained downpour they will eventually wet out — but for the shoulder season hiking where most people wear them, the treatment is more than adequate. When they do get damp they dry quickly thanks to the thin material.

Touchscreen compatibility works reliably across all five fingers, not just the index fingertip. This is a detail that separates a functional touchscreen glove from a frustrating one. Navigation on a phone or GPS watch remains uninterrupted.

At $35 these are essentially a no-brainer purchase for any three-season hiker. They pack to nothing, slip into any hip belt pocket, and cover the conditions where bare hands are too cold but a heavier glove is overkill. Our top recommendation for general trail use.

Outdoor Research built the Vigor around their Thermopro stretch fleece, a proprietary fabric that maintains warmth longer than standard polyester when damp. In wet Pacific Northwest conditions — persistent drizzle, damp brush, morning fog — this difference is tangible. Where a standard fleece glove progressively loses insulation as moisture accumulates, the Vigor holds on longer.

The silicone print grip pattern on the palm and fingers improves purchase on trekking poles and scrambling holds without sacrificing the tactile feel of the gloves. The grippy zones are positioned specifically where you grip poles and rope, a functional rather than decorative design choice.

Outdoor Research includes their sensor technology across all fingertips and the thumb, and the system works cleanly with both touchscreen gloves and capacitive watch faces. A long cuff provides wrist coverage and tucks securely under jacket sleeves to prevent cold air intrusion.

At $38 the Vigor is only marginally more expensive than the Black Diamond option and justifies the premium if you hike in reliably wet environments. For hikers in drier western mountain ranges, either glove performs equally well.

When trail conditions turn genuinely wet — river crossings, all-day rain, early spring snowmelt — you need a glove with a waterproof insert rather than just a DWR coating. REI's Co-op Waterproof Hiking Gloves use a laminated waterproof breathable insert bonded to the liner, keeping hands dry even during extended rain exposure.

The trade-off is dexterity. The insert and insulation layer add bulk that makes fine motor tasks — map handling, buckle adjustment, camera controls — slightly more deliberate. This is an acceptable trade-off for cold wet conditions where keeping hands functional matters more than precise touch.

The extended cuff features an adjustable wrist strap and a zippered pocket large enough to stash a small trail snack or spare headlamp batteries. The palm patch uses a grippy synthetic leather that resists abrasion from trekking pole cork handles.

These are a purpose-built wet weather glove, not an everyday trail glove. Wear them when rain or snow is forecast and store them when conditions are dry. Paired with a lightweight liner glove underneath, they cover temperatures down to the low 20s°F effectively.

Wind chill is the most underestimated cold weather hazard in hiking. At 30°F with 20 mph wind, exposed hands feel like 15°F in still air. Marmot's Windstopper Gloves use Gore Windstopper fabric, a dense wind-blocking membrane that eliminates convective cooling entirely. The difference compared to a standard fleece glove in exposed ridge conditions is dramatic.

Despite the Windstopper membrane, these gloves breathe remarkably well during high-output climbs. The membrane blocks wind rather than all vapor transmission, so hands stay drier than in a fully waterproof glove during sustained aerobic effort. For fast-and-light hiking where you go from sweating on climbs to exposed ridgeline cold, this breathing balance is ideal.

The four-way stretch shell maintains excellent dexterity for trekking pole use and map handling. Marmot's leather palm patch is pre-curved for a natural grip position, and the wrist cinch seals effectively under jacket cuffs.

These are alpine-oriented gloves — slightly over-specified for casual trail hiking in moderate conditions, but worth every dollar for ridge hiking, winter day hikes, and any route with significant exposed travel. The $65 price is fair for Gore Windstopper construction.

A merino liner glove is one of the most versatile pieces of hiking kit you can own. The Smartwool Active Fleece Liner uses a merino-polyester blend that provides surprising warmth for its 40-gram weight, resists odor for multi-day wear, and dries fast when wet. As a standalone glove it works down to around 45°F; layered under a shell glove it extends coverage into sub-freezing temperatures.

The thin construction delivers maximum dexterity — you can handle maps, operate cameras, manage buckles, and use touchscreens as naturally as with bare hands. For shoulder-season hiking where you want hand protection without sacrificing feel, these are the right choice.

Merino's natural odor resistance means you can wear these for multiple days on a backpacking trip without them becoming unpleasant. This is not a minor detail when you are trying to minimize washing needs on a week-long route.

The $30 price makes these an easy addition to any hiking kit. Buy two pairs: one to wear, one to rotate in your pack as a spare and sleeping camp glove. They take up almost no space and weigh nothing.