I know I’m being dramatic, but winter is coming which means we are READY for winter riding apparel and holiday sales!! As someone who worked in a barn 360 days of the year in New York, I became a self proclaimed winter riding expert.
Whether you’re daily glove gal or you tend to go without – I think we can all agree that the winter months (especially in the northeast) allow for exception. The two things I hate about winter gloves are some just don’t keep me warm enough and the ones that do, are too bulky to be able to keep on.
After trying many and failing some miserably, I complied my favorites! Mind you I had a little head start working at a popular tack store that rhymes with Grover… I always kept track of the things that were constantly returned and avoided those to start!
- SSG Soft Touch Winter Gloves/Roeckl Roeck-Grip Winter Gloves
I put these in the same category because frankly I couldn’t tell much of a difference between the two. These are my favorite as far as not looking like a winter glove and being able to easy transition from stable to show. They are probably my top favorite as far as dexterity is concerned. I had zero problem with these gloves adjusting bridles or even helping kids with their hairnets.
The down side to these gloves were only that when it was VERY cold (I’m talking 30 and below), I just don’t think they were warm enough. They are also not waterproof and I wouldn’t say the material is necessarily “barn proof”. I think they are great for general cold weather riding and keeping you warm in the show ring.
Roeckl Roeck-Grip Winter Gloves
2. SSG Pro Show Leather Winter Riding Gloves
These are still my favorite intermediate weather gloves. I do think they are a step above as far as warmth is concern without horrible bulkiness.They are thicker, but I was still able to do a lot of things without taking them off. These are definitely gloves I could stay in all day at the barn and I really do think the 40 grams of Thinsulate make a big difference.
They are not quite waterproof, but I think the thicker material and leather outside does create a barrier which is nice. If they get truly WET WET, you’re in trouble. They are durable enough, but I think it would depend on how much barn work you’re truly doing.
SSG Pro SHow Leather Winter Riding Gloves
3. Heritage Extreme Winter Gloves
I honestly used these more around the barn than in the saddle. These were very warm and the most waterproof gloves I had for working in the barn. When I first got them they were quite stiff, and I even had a hard time clipping halters on horses. They aren’t as conservative looking as some other options out there, so they never saw the show ring.
I ended up taking these on and off a lot, even when they broke in to do more fine motor tasks. However, they were great for doing barn chores, lunging horses, and shoveling snow. The coolest features is the small zipper pocket that is on opposite surface of the palm that is used to store hand warmers. It’s honestly a really thoughtful feature, and at horse shows I’d actually stick a few dollars in there as well to run and get hot soup.
Heritage Extreme Winter Gloves
4. SSG Winter Training Gloves
I love these gloves so much so that I would talk about them constantly and I had non-horsey people coming to get them. They are 70g of Thinsulate which was exactly what I needed for the sub 30 days. They are bulky compared to the 40g Thinsulate gloves, but for what you gain in bulk you also gain in warmth .
I will say there is a break in period with these gloves where they can feel stiff and you will feel that the bulk is not worth it. Believe me if you can wear them for a few days, you won’t regret it. I think my only complaint is that these gloves are not very touchscreen compatible, so I did find myself taking them off at times which does defeat the purpose.
5. Ariat Insulated Tek Grip Gloves
These are great gloves mostly because they are very washer-machine friendly on a delicate cycle. They do wear really well and I had the same pair for years that I ended up frankly losing before they showed any signs of significant wear. They have moderate durability and I often did a lot of other things in them besides riding without much worry.
They were somewhat water resistant, so I had to pick and choose the elements I wanted to be out in. I also really appreciated the fit of these gloves which had some stretch, so you could absolutely wear a glove liner for added warmth or stuff a hand warmer in there.
Ariat Insulated Tek Grip Gloves
These 5 pairs of gloves are EASILY my favorites, but I do have a few honorable mentions…
– SSG Winter Lined Rancher Gloves
These gloves were actually one of the best selling gloves in the tack store I worked at, so I did test them out one winter. I liked these gloves because I felt like they didn’t necessarily look like riding gloves.
They come in some different colors which always excited people and the leather on the outside was perfectly soft. They too took some break in time, but they were globally a crowd favorite. I love the cute little plaid on the inside of the glove.
– Roeckl Weldon Winter Fleece Glove
These gloves are a very basic fleece riding glove, but they are still one of my favorites that I often wore out of the barn. They are just the perfect amount of stretchy and the fleece is great. I also thought they were really easy to ride in, and the grip was perfect for when you couldn’t feel your hands.
That being said I wouldn’t call them an extreme weather glove, as they are just simply fleece. The outside is beautiful and soft, but I ripped a few pairs getting caught on barn doors. Additionally, I had a gray horse at the time and these gloves seemed to attract hair. I really overall did like them, and sometimes I would “work” in one pair of gloves and ride in these because of how comfortable they were.
– Roeckl Willow Winter Gloves
These are one of my unexpected favorite gloves. Imagine wearing a soft shell jacket, and then make it a glove! I really like these for that in between fall to winter transitional weather. I find them to be the most “almost waterproof” without being waterproof and they are my go to show glove outside in the cold/wet weather.
They are super easy to keep clean and often times I just take a baby wipe to them and they look great. I have recently found these are hard to find (as I tried to buy a second pair) – but I think the Roeckl’s JULIA winter glove is probably it’s replacement.
Roeckl Julia Winter Gloves – multiple colors
I tend to to gravitate towards one or two brands of gloves, and I’m willing to invest when it comes to keeping my hands warm. Gone are the days that I would spend 16+ hours in the barn, but I still dress the same.
Some other gloves I’ve been dying to try are the Samshield W-Skin Winter gloves, the LeMieux Waterproof Gloves, and the Kunkle Winter gloves.
Do you have a favorite? I’d love to hear! Leave a comment below!
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