Gloves for ice climbing are used to keep your hands warm, but they must also be supple enough to handle the unwieldy equipment used for this sport. A variety of gloves are available for climbers of all levels, from rank beginner ice or mixed climbers to experts. Ice climbers often take two (or more) pairs of gloves--one pair to wear while climbing and another that will stay dry stashed inside a jacket that can be pulled out for belays. Some climbers bring extra liners and some bring multiple pairs, and you might even want to bring one fitted pair of reasonably warm, weatherproof gloves for climbing and a pair of big down mittens for belaying, plus an extra light windproof pair for the hike in. Your personal system will develop as you climb more.
What to Look for
Gloves that you use while actually whacking ice should be close fitting and super durable, and have a good grip, a warm fleece layer and knuckle protection, whether from foam or something else. Drawcords on the gauntlets should keep snow out of the gloves and be easy to manipulate with gloves on or with cold fingers. Elastic wrists should help keep gloves in place, and there should be a clip-in loop or drawcord that you attach to your harness or wrist so you don't drop the gloves. A clip-in loop on the middle finger helps the gloves hang upside down so they don't fill with snow. Look for gloves that offer a combination of weather resistance and warmth to match your capacity to suffer cold. If you have poor circulation, bring a variety of really warm gloves.
Common Pitfalls
Warm gloves are generally thicker, so they allow for less dexterity when placing or removing ice gear and clipping and unclipping carabiners. Thin gloves are great for leading, but they trade warmth for dexterity, and it's especially noticeable, say, when your arms are over your head for long periods of time (as they are when you are whacking at ice) and blood tends to rush out of your hands. It is dangerous to use cheap, used or insufficiently warm gloves because you can get frostnip or frostbite, and you may also have your first of many miserable experiences with the "screaming barfies," which occur when the blood vessels in your fingertips freeze and then thaw, causing incredible pain. Buying a single pair of gloves is also a common mistake: The gloves you wear as you belay and climb will inevitably become wet as the day progresses, and you'll want an extra warm and dry pair stashed in your jacket as you climb.
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