When the temperatures start to drop and the snow starts to fall, there’s only one thing to do: get out and ice climb.
In a gear intensive pursuit like ice climbing, however, it’s imperative that you have the right equipment to keep you warm and comfortable in harsh conditions. That being said, choosing the right pair of gloves can be particularly challenging since ice climbing gloves need to be warm, dexterous, and waterproof all at the same time.
We understand how difficult it can be to find the best ice climbing gloves, so we’ve created this guide to do just that. Up next, we’ll discuss the finer points of our top 5 favorite pairs of ice climbing mitts and offer some tips to help you make your decision.
The top 5 ice climbing gloves we recommend for 2026:
- Editor’s Choice: Rab Pivot GTX Gloves
- Upgrade Pick: Arc’teryx Alpha SL Gloves
- Best Value: Rab M14 Gloves
- Best For Mixed Climbing: Black Diamond Torque Gloves
- Best For Dexterity: CAMP USA Ice Pro Gloves
The Top 5 Best Ice Climbing Gloves Reviewed
Editor’s Choice: Rab Pivot GTX Gloves
- Single handed adjustments and pull-on tabs
- Pre-curved for an improved grip
- Built-in knuckle protection
- Extra-durable materials
- High-traction leather palm
- Fairly pricey
Fully featured for ample protection in the worst possible conditions, the Rab Pivot GTX glove is a do-anything ice climbing glove for mountain use.
These gloves are made with a layer of Gore-Tex Active, which provides unparalleled waterproofing and breathability, all at the same time. Meanwhile, they have a generous, yet not bulky, layer of 170g/m2 PrimaLoft Gold Insulation and a Bemberg lining, which provides plenty of warmth on frigid winter days.
Durability-wise, the Pivot GTX is built with a Pittards Armortan leather palm for extra grip and ruggedness. Additionally, these gloves have padded knuckle protection and digital leather reinforcement technology to prevent wear in tear in high-impact areas.
When it comes to dexterity, the Pivot GTX doesn’t disappoint. They are pre-curved for better tool gripping and they have a mapped 3D construction for increased suppleness for intricate rope handling.
For ease of use, these gloves have a single handed adjustable cuff for a secure fit. Moreover, they have a set of integrated pull on tabs so it’s easier to put on and take off your gloves, even when the conditions won’t cooperate.
Features:
- Gore-Tex Active technology
- Pittards Armotran leather
- PrimaLoft Gold insulation
- Bemberg lining
- Digital leather reinforcement
Technical Specs:
- Best Use: Ice climbing, Mountaineering
- Palm Fabric: Pittards Armotran leather
- Outer Fabric: Nylon stretch fabric
- Inner Lining: Bemberg fabric
- Insulation Type: PrimaLoft Gold
Upgrade Pick: Arc’teryx Alpha SL Gloves
- Highly breathable material
- Lightweight and packable
- Low volume profile for better dexterity
- Leather palm provides excellent grip
- Comfortable lined fleece interior
- Sizing runs very small
- Not completely waterproof
For technical ice climbing in mild conditions where performance is key, the Arc’teryx Alpha SL Gloves are hard to be.
These super lightweight gloves were designed specifically with fast missions into the alpine in mind, so they’re a solid choice for ice climbing, mixed climbing, and other high-octane pursuits.
Featuring a highly breathable, yet water-resistant Gore Windstopper outer fabric, the Alpha SL are a versatile set of gloves that excels in mild winter conditions. At the same time, this fabric allows for great range of motion and dexterity, making it easier to place ice screws, belay, and to do general rope handling.
For insulation, the Alpha SL Gloves even feature a brushed fleece lining and a low-volume layer of polyester fleece to help keep your hands warm mid-climb.
Additionally, these gloves have a unique laminated construction which prevents the various fabric layers of the gloves from sliding back and forth. When combined with the Alpha SL’s stick leather palm, this innovative construction helps to improve your grip and security as you climb.
Features:
- Gore Windstopper fabric
- Brushed fleece liner
- Sticky leather palm
- Unique non-slip construction
- Fleece insulation
Technical Specs:
- Best Use: Ice climbing, mixed climbing
- Palm Fabric: Leather
- Outer Fabric: Gore Windstopper
- Inner Lining: Brushed fleece
- Insulation Type: Polyester fleece
Best Value: Rab M14 Gloves
- Highly packable
- Affordable
- Very breathable
- Lots of range of motion
- Not very warm
- Only water-resistant, not waterproof
Providing impeccable performance without sacrificing affordability, the Rab M14 Gloves are a budget-friendly option for ice and mixed climbing as well as dry tooling.
Crafted with warmer weather conditions at the forefront of the design process, the M14 Gloves feature a low-profile distribution of fleece insulation to provide ample dexterity and grip while you climb.
They also have padded reinforcements around sensitive and high-wear areas to prevent discomfort as well as unnecessary wear and tear in the mountains. Meanwhile, the M14 Gloves are made with Rab’s proprietary Matrix fabric, which offers maximum soundproofing and plenty of water-resistance without sacrificing breathability.
To ensure a quality grip on your ice tools and while placing screws, Rab engineered these gloves to have super sticky Pittards Oiltac leather throughout key areas of the palm and fingers.
Finally, in keeping with the theme of weight savings and packability, the M14 Gloves come with a low-bulk cuff that has a simple to use closure for added convenience on your adventures.
Features:
- Pittards Oiltac leather palm
- Matrix windproof fabric
- Reinforced padding for protection
- Low-bulk cuff
- Fleece insulation
Technical Specs:
- Best Use: Ice climbing, mixed climbing, dry tooling
- Palm Fabric: Pittards Oiltac leather
- Outer Fabric: Matrix windproof fabric
- Inner Lining: N/A
- Insulation Type: Fleece
Best For Mixed Climbing: Black Diamond Torque Gloves
- Large carabiner hole for transport
- Super sticky palm and fingers
- Integrated padding and protection
- Lightweight
- Highly breathable
- Limited warmth
If bluebird skies and mixed climbing sound like your cup of tea, then the Black Diamond Torque Gloves should be high on your list of must-haves.
These highly technical gloves are made primarily with an extra-burly softshell fabric, which provides plenty of range of motion and comfort on your climbs. The Torque Gloves are even pre-curved and they have articulated fingers to allow for a more ergonomic fit with your ice tools.
For added comfort, Black Diamond crafted these gloves with their seamless pinky technology, which removes seams along the pinky to prevent pressure points along the pommel of your ice tool.
Moreover, they thoughtfully placed TPU padding around the gloves to protect your hands from ice and other hazards while climbing.
Thanks to their grippy Slip-Stop leather palm construction, the Torque Gloves offer superb traction, even in icy, wet conditions. Their hypalon hook and loop closure system also functions even when fully iced up while the large carabiner clip loop built into the cuff allows for easier transport to and from the crag.
Features:
- Slip-Stop palm construction
- Seamless pinky design
- TPU protective inserts
- Articulated fingers
- Durable soft-shell fabric
Technical Specs:
- Best Use: Ice climbing, mixed climbing
- Palm Fabric: Leather
- Outer Fabric: Softshell fabric
- Inner Lining: Brushed tricot
- Insulation Type: Knit polyester
Best For Dexterity: CAMP USA Ice Pro Gloves
- Fully waterproof construction
- Highly dexterous fingers
- High grip leather palm
- Lightweight and packable
- Touch screen-compatible
- Lack of insulation on palm can feel cold
Cold conditions and wet weather are no match for the über-dexterous CAMP USA Ice Pro Gloves.
Designed by ice climbers, for ice climbers, these gloves feature CAMP USA’s DRYZONE waterproof/breathable membrane that keeps wind and moisture at bay. To battle the cold, however, the Ice Pro Gloves have a hefty layer of PrimaLoft Gold 60g/m2 synthetic insulation that can still keep you warm when wet.
As far as grip and dexterity goes, the Ice Pro Gloves are no slouches. They’re made with Pittards Armortan leather throughout the palm and fingers to optimize your grip, even in icy environments.
However, the palm of these gloves is insulation free, to prevent anything from getting in the way of your dexterity. The Ice Pro Gloves also have a set of shaped and gusseted fingers to provide you with remarkable dexterity in the mountains.
If that wasn’t enough, CAMP USA crafted these gloves with a set of conductor pads on the thumb and index finger for touch-screen compatibility as well as large clipping loops for easier transport on your harness.
Features:
- Pittards Armortan leather
- PrimaLoft Gold insulation
- Large clipping loops for packability
- Gusseted and pre-shaped fingers
Technical Specs:
- Best Use: Ice climbing, mountaineering
- Palm Fabric: Pittards Armortan leather
- Outer Fabric: DRYZONE fabric
- Inner Lining: N/A
- Insulation Type: PrimaLoft Gold
How To Choose The Right Ice Climbing Gloves
Ice climbing gloves are one of the most notoriously difficult pieces of gear to shop for, simply because they have to be versatile enough to handle rapidly changing conditions and demands. So, here are some of the most important things to keep in mind as you shop for your own pair of ice climbing gloves.
Weather Resistance
This may come as a surprise, but not all ice climbing gloves are waterproof. While winter is, indeed, a cold and snowy time, some ice climbing gloves are purposefully designed not to be waterproof so that they are more breathable and functional for use in warm weather or during high-octane climbs.
Unfortunately, each year, ice climbers fall into the trap of purchasing ice climbing gloves that aren’t waterproof, only to be disappointed and frustrated when their hands get wet during the middle of a climb.
There’s, of course, nothing wrong with these gloves (that’s how they were designed), but if you’re looking for a pair of waterproof gloves, you’ll need to be very conscientious when you shop.
Most truly waterproof ice cl