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The North Face Etip Gloves keep my hands warm and make cold-weather texting easy

A hand wearing The North Face E-Tip Gloves in front of a pine tree — best gloves
It's currently 25° F in New York City, and the North Face Etip Gloves keep my hands warm. Amir Ismael/Business Insider
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The North Face Etip Gloves
The North Face Men's Recycled Etip Gloves
$45

The North Face Etip Gloves are made from a blend of polyester and four-way stretch fleece with UR Powered Conductive Technology.

The North Face Women's Etip
The North Face Women's Etip Recycled Gloves
$45

These stretchy fleece gloves not only have touchscreen compatibility in all five fingers, but also a strategically-placed grippy texture for a secure hold on your phone or steering wheel.

The North Face
The North Face Etip Trail Gloves
$55

The North Face’s Etip delivers touchscreen precision, pairing a streamlined build with a sleek, second-skin fit. Clever touches, like a wind-resistant stowaway mitten layer and silicone palms, elevate this everyday glove.

I've lived in the Northeast for my entire life, and even after 32 winters, I've never really gotten used to cold weather. When temperatures drop below freezing, you better believe I'm going all out with the warmest clothing and gear. But as much as I dislike the cold, there was always one winter essential that I couldn't stand to wear: gloves. 

More often than not, they were downright annoying to wear. I couldn't use my phone (or any touchscreen) in them, I couldn't comfortably grip a car steering wheel in them, and something as simple as taking my debit card out of my wallet was next to impossible.

After struggling to make it work, I'd usually find myself taking them off out of the desire to actually be able to use my hands, that is, until I came across The North Face Etip Gloves

They're so good that we named them the best touchscreen gloves in our guides to the best winter gloves for men and the best winter gloves for women.

The North Face E-Tip Gloves
The palms, thumb, index, and middle fingers feature silicone dots for grip.  Amir Ismael/Business Insider

How they work

As The North Face's flagship tech-friendly gloves, Etips are everything I've been looking for in a daily-use winter glove. They're made from a blend of polyester and four-way stretch fleece with a conductive polymer coating that allows you to use a touchscreen while wearing the gloves.

Unlike most other touch screen gloves that have conductivity in only one or two fingers, you'll be able to utilize all of your fingers on touch screen devices.

Most importantly, the Etip gloves work extremely well. I went to lunch the day of writing this review, and I didn't have to remove my gloves to check-in my mobile order. In the past, I've worn other gloves that were technically designed to work with touchscreens, but were such a pain to use efficiently that I still ended up taking them off. 

The North Face Etip Gloves
Using a tablet or a smartphone is super easy.  Amir Ismael/Business Insider

How they fit

My first impression of The North Face Etip Gloves was that they're very comfortable. The North Face designed them using radiometric articulation technology, which keeps your hands in their natural, relaxed resting position. They're not stiff; you'll have full mobility and plenty of dexterity. 

I had no issues with doing things like gripping a steering wheel, shifting gears, and things that are more difficult to do while wearing gloves.

The gloves come in a range of sizes for both men and women, so you don't have to worry about them being too big or small. I used a tape measure and followed the size chart to get my size, and it turned out to be accurate. 

The North Face Etip Gloves
With The North Face Etip Gloves, I don't have to freeze my hands on a cold steering wheel — and they're much more comfortable than bulky gloves.  Amir Ismael/Business Insider

The bottom line

The North Face Etip Gloves are warm, but not the absolute warmest gloves you can buy. If sheer warmth is all you're going for, then you'll probably end up with a pair that falls short in terms of comfort and usability. The temptation (or pure necessity) to use my phone is usually enough to get me to take my gloves off in the coldest of weather, but there's no reason to with Etips because they balance warmth, comfort, and usability.

The $50-$55 price tag might sound steep compared to a pair of $5 gloves you could buy, but let's be honest: You've probably purchased those kinds of gloves a handful of times because they wore out quickly or you lost them (they weren't special enough to keep track of).

I know they're two completely different products, but I value my Etip Gloves the same way I value my AirPods. Realistically, I could lose my AirPods just as easily as those wired headphones I don't really care about, but they're so good, I make sure I know where they are at all times. 

The North Face Etip Gloves
The North Face Men's Recycled Etip Gloves
$45

The North Face Etip Gloves are made from a blend of polyester and four-way stretch fleece with UR Powered Conductive Technology.

The North Face Women's Etip
The North Face Women's Etip Recycled Gloves
$45

These stretchy fleece gloves not only have touchscreen compatibility in all five fingers, but also a strategically-placed grippy texture for a secure hold on your phone or steering wheel.

The North Face
The North Face Etip Trail Gloves
$55

The North Face’s Etip delivers touchscreen precision, pairing a streamlined build with a sleek, second-skin fit. Clever touches, like a wind-resistant stowaway mitten layer and silicone palms, elevate this everyday glove.

 

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Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at reviews@bjinnox.com.

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Amir Ismael
Amir Ismael
Amir Ismael was an editor on Business Insider’s Reviews team specializing in men's style and grooming products. He joined the team (then called Insider Picks) in 2017, initially covering a wide range of subjects, including deals of the day, clothing, phone cases, headphones, and more, before leaning into his true passion — men’s style.ExperienceAmir began his journalism career at Complex Media in 2015, working as an intern and freelance writer for Complex Sneakers and Sole Collector. He joined Business Insider in July 2017. During his time on the Reviews team at BI, he’s covered all aspects of menswear and footwear, including the latest startups you should know about, brands focusing on sustainability, where to buy affordable work clothes for men, outerwear, watches, and more. He’s also continued to lead on style deal coverage for multiple key seasonal events each year, such as Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday. Why you can trust AmirAmir’s expertise in style is rooted in his personal love for collecting fashion, from vintage finds on eBay to new, innovative designs that spark his interest. Some of his favorite brands include Ralph Lauren, Timberland, The North Face, Nike, and Air Jordan. His enthusiasm focuses less on the materialistic side of consuming fashion, as he prefers delving into the stories behind them, be it their cultural significance, sports history, or impact on the outdoor/adventure space.Amir’s a passionate sneaker collector (and can tell you how to clean and restore them so you’re always looking your best), and he has you covered head-to-toe for everything you need to know in men’s style and grooming. He’s extensively tested glasses, wallets, watches, razors, skincare, and both casual and formal wear. For Amir, hunting for deals goes far beyond his coverage during shopping events like Black Friday. He prides himself on always being able to find great deals and attributes most of his personal collection to his deal-hunting prowess. If he says it’s a good deal, then it is!Expertise
  • Men’s street fashion
  • Footwear, including significant release dates, design history, construction, and materials
  • Menswear staples, including workwear, casual clothes, underwear, T-shirts, and more
  • Brand founder or designer interviews
  • Men’s grooming and shaving products
  • Prescription eyewear
EducationAmir graduated from William Paterson University with a BA in print journalism and public relations. Outside of workAmir has been a lifelong resident of New Jersey. When he’s not working, he enjoys working on and driving his small collection of classic BMWs.