I used to think gloves were the most inconvenient winter accessory, but because of the most first-world problem ever—the inability to text. One of my friends used to always get on my case about not giving real-time updates as to when I’d be arriving at a destination. Sorry, girl, but not getting frostbite is more important than texting every five minutes.
There eventually came a day when I just couldn’t stand removing my gloves to use my smartphone anymore, and I knew that I needed to invest in a solution. I always knew about touchscreen gloves—in the sort-of abstract way that I technically know the Large Hadron Collider exists—but had never owned a pair, and wouldn’t have been able to explain how they actually worked. But I did a deep dive on the best options out there when it comes to gloves that are compatible with touchscreen use, and now I’m someone who can say they’ve done the extensive research to find what she wants. The winner? The North Face’s Etip Recycled Gloves.
Videos by VICE
Women’s Etip Recycled Gloves (opens in a new window)
Men's Etip Recycled Gloves (opens in a new window)
How exactly do “Etip” gloves work?
Touchscreen gloves use conductive material to transfer energy from your fingers to the screen. That means no more taking off your gloves in below-freezing temperatures to shoot a text or scroll through your TikTok feed. Etip™ is The North Face’s more elevated way of saying touchscreen gloves. Traditional leather or synthetic gloves do not work with touchscreens, but each fingertip of these gloves is compatible with any touchscreen device, from your beloved iPhone to your Samsung tablet.
First impressions
If I’m being completely transparent, I’d already had a bad experience with a different set of Etip gloves. I found my first pair, the Denali Etip Kids’ Gloves (I have small hands!), did not work at all. It could be due to the super-thick material or some other defect specific to the pair I owned, but either way, I couldn’t text while using them. But this was around five years ago—I figured it was also possible that technology had improved. I love The North Face so much that I wanted to give the brand a chance to prove me wrong. It didn’t hurt that the brand had a great selection of fleece gloves, which was exactly what I was in the market for.
For starters, the Etip Recycled Gloves are a top-seller with a very impressive rating compared to the Denali Etip Kid’s Gloves. They have a near-perfect five-star rating from more than 1,200 reviews on The North Face’s website. The Denali kids’ model? Just over three stars, which I clearly didn’t pay much attention to the first time around. (It’s important to note that doesn’t mean the adult Denali gloves are also bad; those have a nearly five-star rating.)
The North Face also describes the Etip Recycled Gloves as a “runner’s favorite,” so I didn’t need much additional convincing given running is my entire personality.
Why I love these gloves
At first, they looked concerningly thin when I finally got my mitts on them, but I’ve learned to not judge a book by its cover. I have fantastic news: These gloves didn’t disappoint me when trying to urgently change Bee Gee’s “Stayin’ Alive” on my mobile Spotify account when it was playing on a loop. Tapping, swiping, texting—it all happened effortlessly. The only hiccup came when I spilled hot chocolate on my poor gloves. The crusty cocoa blocked the conductive material from working, but the issue was fixed once I cleaned them up.
I’ve been wearing these on every single one of my winter runs in addition to everyday casual strolls. The North Face only ranks these as one out of three on its warmth scale, but I find these gloves to be incredibly insulating. Trust me, this is coming from someone whose hands burn and lock up when it’s too damn cold.
Based on reviews, they’re true to size, and I agree. They have a snug fit for maintaining the ideal warmth while keeping out moisture, and come in five different sizes for women and six for men to ensure a proper fit. The stretchy double-knit fleece is what makes these so warm and toasty. Other key features? Recycled polyester construction, silicone grips at the palm, and signature Radiametric Articulation to help your hands maintain a relaxed position (and a full range of motion).
TL;DR: The North Face’s Etip Recycled Gloves have everything I want in a pair of gloves—namely, touchscreen compatibility and cozy warmth. Plus, my friend finally got off my back about being a bad texter. Just make sure to keep them clean so the conductive material works. That means I need to stop ordering hot chocolate [sigh].
Purchase the Etip Recycled Gloves at The North Face’s website and Amazon.
The Rec Room staff independently selected all of the stuff featured in this story. Want more reviews, recommendations, and red-hot deals? Sign up for our newsletter.
