Carhartt Quilts Insulated Glove (women’s) review: warm, dry, and a size small
A first winter glove has to do three things well: keep your hands warm, keep them dry, and survive a season of snow, slush and chores without falling apart. Carhartt's women's Quilts glove does all three at a modest price, with a quilted shell and a waterproof insert, which makes it a sensible first winter glove for casual cold-weather hiking. The one thing to get right is the size.
Quick take
A warm, waterproof, affordable women's winter glove with a quilted ripstop shell, a waterproof insert and a grippy palm. It keeps hands warm and dry on cold walks and during snow clearing, and the wrist strap keeps snow out. It runs small, so size up, it is stiff until it breaks in, and the light shell can snag or tear under hard use. A good first winter glove for casual cold-weather outings.
What it does
The Quilts glove (Carhartt style WA575) has a recycled ripstop taffeta shell with quilted stitching and a polyurethane-coated palm for grip. A waterproof insert sits under the shell, soft polyester fill provides the insulation, and a wicking lining moves sweat away from the skin. A knit cuff and a hook-and-loop wrist strap seal out snow. It comes in women's small to large.
What verified buyers say
Across verified-purchase reviews, the same points come up:
- Warm and dry. Owners report warm hands for snow shoveling, outdoor work and winter trips, and the waterproof insert keeps melting snow out.
- Comfortable, and good looking. Owners like that the glove is not overly bulky and that the quilted shell looks smart enough for everyday wear.
- The wrist strap works. Several owners note that snow stays out once the strap is snugged down.
- They run small. This is the most common complaint by far. Many owners size up, and a few with long fingers found even the larger size tight in the fingers.
- Stiff at first. Some owners find them stiff and awkward for fine tasks such as driving until they break in.
- The shell is light. A minority report the outer fabric tearing or wearing through on the fingers after hard use such as shoveling or snowboarding, and a few found them not warm enough for long spells of standing around in the cold.
Worth knowing
Order a size up from your usual glove size, and if your fingers are long, check the fit before the tags come off. A tight glove is a cold glove, because it compresses the insulation and restricts circulation to the fingers. The ripstop shell is lighter than a work glove's, so it suits walking and snow clearing better than hauling firewood or scrambling on rock. Like most waterproof insulated gloves, it breathes poorly on hard climbs: wear a thin glove such as the Etip Recycled while you are working hard, and switch to the Quilts when you stop.
Who it is for
The Quilts glove is for women buying their first winter glove for day walks, snowshoeing on packed trails, winter camp chores and cold commutes. The men's equivalent is the Carhartt W.P. (men's). If you are heading out for longer, colder days or into deep snow, the Dakine Camino (women's) adds a gauntlet cuff and a removable liner, and for serious cold the Hestra Army Leather Heli 3-Finger is the step up.
Specs at a glance
- Typewaterproof insulated winter glove
- Shellrecycled ripstop taffeta, quilted, polyurethane palm
- Waterproofingwaterproof insert
- Insulationpolyester fill, wicking lining
- Cuffknit cuff, hook-and-loop wrist strap
- Sizeswomen's S to L, runs small
- Trade-offsruns small, stiff at first, light shell
- Listed weight4.6 oz (130 g) · pair, women's S
- Best forfirst winter glove, cold day walks, snowshoeing, camp chores
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The Verdict
The Carhartt Quilts is a warm, dry, affordable first winter glove that looks as good in town as it works on a snowy trail. Get the size right, give it a few outings to soften, and keep it for walking rather than rough work, and it will see you through a winter of casual outings. Men's sizing is covered in our Carhartt W.P. (men's) review, and how gloves fit into a full layering system is in what to wear in the bush.
