I find multiple types of gloves useful, as how cold it is varies. As well as other conditions — wind, snow, rain. Your own reaction to cold, and seasonal conditioning to it, can also vary. I live in Minnesota and do winter photography here, as well as in other cold places. So I am often looking for the right gloves and mittens.
When it is cool, but not too cold (for me this is in the 30s F), I have a light pair of Manzela goretex infinium gloves. The goretex blocks wind. The finger tips do not fold back, but they are light enough that it is easy to operate a camera (Z9, Z8, Z7II) with them on. They have touch sensitive finger tips (not really a feature I use outdoors in winter). You may also be able to use glove liners in these conditions — I have some merino ones I like (from the Heat Company).
I also have some Sealskinz and Outdoor Research mittens which fold back to reveal thumb and finger tips. They are warmer than the Manzela gloves and work pretty well in moderate cold.
For significantly colder conditions, I often use a pair of Outdoor Research gloves with a shell overmitten (which I don't always need) sold as a set. The gloves have a synthetic insulation (primaloft, I think). Light in weight, but warm and block wind. Again, the finger tips do not fold back. (I like this fact, as my hands stay warmer when using the camera if my finder tips are not exposed.) But I can easily work camera controls (again, a Z9, Z8 and Z7II) with them on. I used them last November on Hudson Bay. Ambient temps were as low as -15 F, with windchills down to -35 F. I was comfortable on 3-4 hour outings where we walked/hiked to look for polar bears and Arctic foxes. I also had handwarmers with me, as noted below, and warm boots, hat, neck gaiter, down parka and down pants.
I also have a pair of Vallerret gloves. Warm, but only the thumb and index finger tips fold back, which is not ideal — I would like at least one more tip to fold back. Vallerret may have other models that do this. They are heavy enough that they do not work well with camera controls without folding back the thumb & finger tips.
For really cold conditions, I have a set of Heat Company glove liners, mittens and overmittens. A bit spendy, but well made and warm. They have a number of models. Given the OR gloves I mentioned above, I’m finding I do not use the Heat Company system as much as I thought I would. But again, they are very warm and well made.
I bought a pair of electric-warmed gloves on the recommendation of someone on a winter trip. Warm while batteries last (1-2 hours, depending on settings), but this particular pair does not block wind. So not as useful as I had hoped.
On cold days I often take handwarmers. Either the chemical ones (based on the oxidation of iron) or electronic ones (recommended by the leader of my Hudson Bay trip). They help when your hands get cold even with gloves/mittens on. Depending on the
gloves/mittens, you can sometimes put the chemical ones in the gloves/mittens, which can be nice.
Keeping the rest of you warm helps too. But I find it is often the hands that get cold first.
Good luck with your choice.
us.photographygloves.com
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