THINGS TO DO

Best touchscreen gloves: 6 pairs put to the test

Amy Haneline, and Amy Bartner
INDY
We tried six varieties of touchscreen gloves to figure out which ones were the most effective.

It's probably no surprise we're always on our smartphones at The Star, regardless of whether we're in the warmth of the newsroom or taking iPhone photos of a breaking news scene.

We're not about to let freakishly frigid vortexes of icy polar frostbite stop us. So we've made it our mission to find the touchiest touchsreen gloves out there — but before we go any farther, we've come to an important conclusion: No touchscreen gloves will give you the touch dexterity of your naked digits. The technology just isn't there yet.

In the meantime, we'll keep trying them out.

Here are the six gloves we tested.

1. The Best Buy: Target's Xhilaration Solid Tech Touch Glove

These retail for $3 and come in a color and pattern to match everything in your wardrobe.

Where to buy:www.target.com.

Price: $3.

Verdict: These come in just about every style and color, and they're so cheap, you can buy a pair to match every coat you have. The drawback is that they're thin, so they're not going to do a whole lot to protect your hands from the elements. That also works in their favor, too — the thin material allows the touchscreen technology to be more effective.

2. The Splurge: The North Face eTip gloves

$45 from www.thenorthface.com, or $30 from www.nordstrom.com

Where to buy:www.thenorthface.com or shop.nordstrom.com.

Price: $30 to $45.

Verdict: These are thin enough to toss in a pocket without being bulky, but warm enough to wear for extended periods outside. The eTip makes using a touchscreen phone a breeze. The synthetic martial is stain resistant and holds up well, even after a season of use and are washable.

3. The Most Versatile: Agloves

Available at www.amazon.com, $2.99 to $14.99.

Where to buy:www.amazon.com.

Price: $2.99 to $15.99.

Verdict: These don't come in a ton of styles or colors, but the touchscreen fibers are woven throughout the entire glove (not just two or three fingers), so if you're the type to fist-bump your smartphone, you're in luck. They also come in sizes — if your hands are on the small or large side, these are right for you. They're not the warmest in the bunch, however.

4. The Warmest: ISOTONER's smarTouch fleece-lined gloves

Available at http://shop.totes-isotoner.com, in a wide range of styles, from $15 to $55.

Where to buy:shop.totes-isotoner.com.

Price: $15 to $50 (if leather's your thing).

Verdict: The gloves fit snugly, which is important for holding onto the steering wheel before you car heater kicks in. They're also nice and toasty because they're fleece-lined. ISOTONER offers a number of different styles, colors and materials for whatever you're looking for. As with all our touchscreen gloves, the capability is OK — but not perfect.

5. The Stylish Choice: Miles and Co.'s snowflake gloves

$39 for two pairs at www.milescofashion.com.

Where to buy:www.milescofashion.com.

Price: $39 for a pair (you can't buy individually).

Verdict: Two of us at The Star bought this set for $14.95 from a DealChicken deal, so for $7.50 apiece, this was a good buy. The retro snowflake pattern makes for more than just a cute glove: These suckers are made from a thick knit, and they're much warmer than the two other knit gloves (Target's and Agloves) we reviewed. The only issue: They seem to be losing their touch-screen effectiveness after just a couple of weeks.

6. The Least Effective: 180s

Available at www.180s.com in a variety of styles, ranging in price from $12 to $32.

Where to buy:www.180s.com.

Price: $12 to $32.

Verdict: This older model of 180s (no longer available on their website) may look sleek, but the tiny touch-enabled tips at the end of the pointer fingers just isn't enough to easily work an iPhone. Look for gloves that offer more surface area of touch compatibility. Some of the newer ALLTOUCH 180s gloves boast touch compatibility on all five fingers. Now that's better.