Five on Friday: Tech Friendly Gloves

by Jacob Gordon.

Winter is here, and in State College we know how biting the weather can be. A nice pair of gloves are just what the doctor ordered to combat those icy gusts of wind. But what happens if you want to check your phone or change your music as you go about your day? The last thing you want to do when it’s below freezing outside is yank a glove off and expose your hands to chilly winds just to change your music or answer a call.

Thankfully, plenty of vendors have addressed this issue with their gloves this season, offering you tech-friendly gloves. That’s right! You’ll be able to keep your digits warm while still having access to your mp3 player or smartphone, even if you’re spending a day on the mountain.

1. Columbia Sportswear Thermarator Glove

The Thermarator Glove from Columbia Sportswear offers entry-level protection for tech-heads trying to fight off the winter elements. The index finger and thumb feature a special conductive material that gives you access to touch screens. The Thermarator Glove is made from cozy warm polyester and features Columbia’s patented Omni-Heat reflective material. Think of it like the shiny material made from space blankets to keep you nice and warm.

2. Manzella Productions Power Stretch Ultra TouchTip Gloves

The Power Stretch Ultra TouchTip Gloves from Manzella are perfect for anyone looking to add a smartphone-friendly liner to their ski or snowboard shell. These gloves aren’t meant to provide excellent warmth due to their lightweight material, but they do feature a four-way power stretch material that hugs your hand for a tight fit without the loss of dexterity. Much like our first glove in the list, the Power Stretch Ultra TouchTip features a conductive material at the thumb and index finger for touchscreen fun.

3. The North Face Etip Gloves

Let’s just make this discussion focus on the entire line of Etip gloves because there are A LOT of options out there. No matter which version you opt for, The North Face Etip glove provides a TKA U|R Powered palm that offers five finger touch capabilities. This gives you better accuracy with touchscreen devices and allows you to easily zoom in or out should you need to consult a map (or if you want to zoom in on that hilarious picture you just took). No matter what price point you’re looking for or what activity you want the gloves for, there’s an Etip just for you.

4. Outdoor Research Sensor Gloves 

The Sensor Gloves from Outdoor Research take touchscreen-friendly phones and adds a bit of class to it. The Sensor Gloves feature a soft goat leather palm that is completely touchscreen compatible, so if you want to use your palm, go right ahead!  The Sensor Glove is made from RadiantFleece and features just the right amount of spandex for the perfect stretch. The MirrorSeam and MotionWrap construction ensures you get a comfortable, yet snug fit from the first time you put these on. See why the Sensor Gloves were awarded Backpacker Magazine’s Editor’s Choice in 2011. And ladies, they have women’s Outdoor Research sensor gloves just for you!

5. Burton GORE-TEX Glove

Burton offers the GORE-TEX Glove in both a men- and women-specific design, so everyone’s going to be covered! Perfect for the skier or rider that just can’t get enough of the mountainside, the GORE-TEX Glove keeps your digits warm and bone dry thanks to the combination of its removable Thermarex liner and GORE-TEX construction. The Screen Grab Toughgrip palm offers complete touchscreen capabilities, so you can seamlessly change your tunes while continuing your rides.