Gloves, mittens, or wrist warmers: which do you prefer?

Dear community,

if you have the choice between gloves, mittens, or wrist warmers, which do you prefer?

Dear Josefa,

it really depends on the weather and the material. 

• I think gloves are elegant—each finger has its own space. But sometimes your fingers get cold faster in them. They’re my favorite for the mild winters we have here.
• I only wore mittens as a child. The fingers met inside the mitten, so they could keep each other warm. Plus, my hands were always moving—I was rolling those big snowballs for the snowman. You can’t grip things very well with mittens, but they’re perfect for kids. Afterward, the wet mittens would go on the stove door to dry. They always had a very distinctive smell afterward. Over time, they became felted from the moisture, friction, and drying, making them even more “winter-ready.” 
• I only wear wrist warmers during the transitional season because my fingers are exposed. Back in my office days, I’d sometimes put them on in the chilly office. Then I always had to knit some for my coworkers, too.
• And for all three styles, my rule is:
  They have to be made of real wool—otherwise, they won’t keep you warm.

Best regards, Ina

I usually wear wrist warmers. Since I’ve already designed several patterns for wrist warmers, I have a large collection of different styles and colors. 

But when it gets really cold and we go to the Christmas market, for example, I pull my fur gloves out of the closet. 

I never wear finger gloves. 

Best regards, Petra

Most of all, I like wearing mittens; they’re very versatile, and your fingers keep each other warm. They’re ideal for a nice winter walk. At the Christmas market, it’s hard to hold a mug of punch with them on. But you can manage without gloves for a bit, too. Then you warm your fingers on the mug.

I only have one pair of finger gloves in black, for when things need to be a bit more elegant in winter. Some time ago, when I was still working and didn’t have much time for knitting, I bought knitted wool finger gloves. After the first winter, they were already worn out on some fingers. Since the wool for the fingers was rather thin, individual strands had already worn through.

I almost never wear wrist warmers, although I do find them quite practical in the transitional seasons.

Best regards, Sabine

I love my wrist warmers—I find them very practical. I don’t have any mittens anymore because they’re just no use to me, and with gloves my fingers always get freezing cold, but strangely enough, that never happens with wrist warmers 

Best, Inge

I like wrist warmers best—they keep my hands warmer, fit snugly, and keep my wrists warm. 

The other day, while I was working on a pair of wrist warmers at an appointment, I got into a conversation with a geriatric nurse; she told me that the residents at the nursing home feel warmer and don’t get cold as quickly when they wear wrist warmers or fingerless gloves. 

I’ve knitted 3 or 4 pairs of wrist warmers myself—they’re in my closet. I also have several pairs of gloves, both leather and other kinds. I never wear the leather gloves—they don’t keep my hands warm at all. I also hardly ever wear gloves in the winter—I just don’t like them. But when it’s really freezing, I’d rather wear wool gloves or just wrist warmers. When I’m biking, I wear cycling gloves—the fingers stick out, too.😉

Best regards, Regina 

My favorite gloves are the fingerless ones, but they have to reach at least to the bottom knuckle. They also have to have a separate “compartment” for the thumb. I once had a pair that only had a slit for the thumb—that just doesn’t work for me. My thumb is always freezing cold that way. 

Fingerless gloves work best for me—I can grab whatever I need and even use the car’s touchscreen, and my hands stay warm. 

Best regards from Krümelmonster

I can confirm what inge1310 wrote and what the geriatric nurse said.

If you keep the areas where the arteries run—at the wrists or ankles—warm, then the entire hand or foot stays warm. The skin is particularly thin in these areas, and the large blood vessels run close to the skin’s surface. When you warm these areas with a warm glove or wrist warmer, the blood flowing through them doesn’t cool down, and the warmth is transported directly to the hands or feet.

That’s why I always wore wrist warmers in the chilly office. My fingers were always warm, and I could still type on my keyboard.

Best regards, Ina