Short answer: The medical and patient-education pages we read recommend keeping your hands warm: mittens (which are warmer than gloves), a thin glove under a mitten, chemical hand warmers, warm layers and a hat, and nothing too tight. One of them, NIAMS (part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health), also suggests considering heated gloves or hand warmers. Heated gloves can make sense when the simple steps are not enough, when you cannot avoid the cold, or when you need your fingers free. They are not a treatment for Raynaud’s.
If your attacks last hours, the color does not return after warming, or you get sores on your fingertips, see a doctor before buying anything.
Disclosure: we sell heated gloves. That is a conflict of interest, and here is what we do about it. Every passage in quotation marks on this page is the source’s exact wording, and every source is linked so you can check it. Where mittens beat gloves, this page says so, and it includes a section on when you probably do not need heated gloves at all. Product specifications come from our published technology and product pages. We are not clinicians, and this is not medical advice.
Raynaud’s — also called Raynaud’s phenomenon — is a condition where cold narrows the blood vessels in areas such as the fingers and toes. Affected areas may feel cold and numb until blood flow improves, usually after warming up (Mayo Clinic). Raynaud’s is called primary when it develops on its own, and secondary when it is linked to another condition, usually an autoimmune one; the secondary form is the one more likely to cause complications such as sores on the fingertips (American College of Rheumatology).
On this page: What medical sources say · Start with the simple layers · When heated gloves may be worth it · When you probably do not need them · How to choose · Why the palm matters · Which Ololar series fits which situation · Safety and comfort · FAQ · Sources
What medical sources say about keeping hands warm
| Source | Date shown | What it says |
|---|---|---|
| American College of Rheumatology (patient blog by Marcy Bolster, MD) | May 1, 2023 | Keep your hands warm with gloves, mittens or hand warmers, and mittens are generally more efficient than gloves. Limit time in the cold, keep your core warm with layers, and avoid tobacco. Some people find heavy use of air conditioning a problem. |
| Cleveland Clinic | January 17, 2024 | Keep hands and feet warm and dry with gloves, mittens or mitten caps, and keep hand and foot warmers handy. Layer up and wear a hat, avoid handling cold objects, and avoid sudden temperature changes such as coming in from the cold. Vascular medicine specialist Meghann McCarthy, DO, calls keeping the hands and feet warm “one of the mainstays in the management of Raynaud’s.” |
| Kaiser Permanente (care instructions, content by WebMD Ignite) | — | Mittens are warmer than gloves because they keep your fingers together, and a glove under a mitten is warmer than a glove alone. Chemical hand warmers can go inside. Avoid clothing that is too tight, and stay dry. Contact a doctor for severe pain, color that does not return, or hands that do not warm up after home care. |
| NIAMS (U.S. National Institutes of Health) | — | For most people, avoiding getting cold prevents attacks and keeps symptoms under control. Keep your whole body warm, not just your hands and feet: dress in layers, wear a hat or hood, and “Consider heated gloves or hand warmers.” Bring a sweater or jacket to air-conditioned indoor spaces. |
| Mayo Clinic | November 16, 2024 | Raynaud’s most commonly affects the fingers and toes. Affected areas may feel cold and numb until blood flow improves, usually after warming up. Cold is the most likely trigger, and air conditioning can also set off an attack. In cold weather it suggests two sets of mittens or gloves. |
| American Society for Surgery of the Hand (blog by a certified hand therapist) | — | “Mittens tend to keep hands warmer than fingered gloves.” “Fingerless gloves with mitten caps are a great option” and can also be used indoors. Keep your body warm with layers, and consider hand warmers. |
| Scleroderma & Raynaud’s UK | — | Its healthcare specialist Jill says “Keeping your body warm keeps your circulation working well” and lowers the chance of an attack. Avoid sudden temperature changes, for example from a hot day into an air-conditioned car, and keep gloves and an extra layer handy at work. |
| Raynaud’s Association (post on heated gloves) | January 19, 2022 | Notes that some heated gloves neglect heating down to the fingertips, which it calls an important feature for people with Raynaud’s, and lists bulky design and poor dexterity among the drawbacks of heated gloves. |
Passages in quotation marks are the sources’ exact words; everything else is our paraphrase. Follow the links for the full text. Of the medical and patient-education pages above, only NIAMS suggests heated gloves; the others do not specifically discuss them.
Every medical source we read starts in the same place: keep the hands warm, and start with the simplest layers that work.
Start with the simple layers
- Mittens, with room inside. Kaiser Permanente’s care instructions are blunt: “Mittens are warmer than gloves because they keep your fingers together.” More on gloves vs. mittens for Raynaud’s.
- A thin glove under the mitten. “Gloves underneath mittens will keep your hands warmer than gloves alone,” says Kaiser Permanente — and your hand stays covered when the mitten comes off. See how to layer gloves for Raynaud’s.
- Two sets, if it is very cold. Mayo Clinic suggests wearing two sets of mittens or gloves in cold weather.
- Chemical hand warmers. Kaiser Permanente, Cleveland Clinic and NIAMS all mention hand warmers; see how to use hand warmers.
- Keep the rest of you warm. Layers and a hat, per Cleveland Clinic, the American College of Rheumatology and NIAMS.
- Nothing tight. Kaiser Permanente warns that clothing that is too tight can decrease or cut off blood flow — including gloves that are too tight.
- Stay dry. Mentioned by both Kaiser Permanente and Cleveland Clinic.
- Avoid cold objects and sudden temperature changes. Cleveland Clinic lists both, and Scleroderma & Raynaud’s UK also advises avoiding sudden temperature changes.
Scleroderma & Raynaud’s UK puts the emphasis on prevention: “Do all you can to prepare well if you need to go into cold environments, touch cold items or spend time in places where temperatures fluctuate,” and “Even a slight change in temperature can cause an attack for some people.” Its healthcare specialist Jill says “Keeping your body warm keeps your circulation working well” and reduces the chance of an attack.
Our view: if you want active heat and still need your fingers, a thin heated glove inside a roomy mitten is one way to combine the two. The American Society for Surgery of the Hand says “Fingerless gloves with mitten caps are a great option” for a similar reason: they keep the mitten’s warmth and still free your fingers. A thin heated glove gives you warmth you can switch on and fingers you can still use, and the mitten on top traps that heat and lets you slip a hand out without exposing bare skin. If maximum warmth is all that matters, remember that mittens are generally warmer than gloves.
Try the simple layers for a few cold days. If attacks still start on your commute, at the bus stop or in a cold office, that is when active heat can earn its place.
When heated gloves may be worth it
NIAMS includes active heat among its suggestions: “Consider heated gloves or hand warmers.” It also makes a point that is easy to miss — that keeping your hands and feet warm is often not enough on its own, because you need to keep your core body warm too.
The rest of this section is our view, not guidance from the sources above.
Our view, in one line: heated gloves earn their place when the simple layers stop being enough — not before.
- Attacks still happen even with mittens, a liner and hand warmers.
- You cannot avoid the cold: a daily commute, outdoor work, school runs, dog walking.
- You need your fingers free for typing, tools, a phone or keys.
- The cold is indoors. The American College of Rheumatology, Mayo Clinic and NIAMS all mention air conditioning or air-conditioned spaces — see air conditioning and Raynaud’s.
- You want heat as one layer in the system: a thin heated glove can sit under a mitten.
When you probably do not need heated gloves
- Simple layers already keep you comfortable. Mittens, a thin liner and hand warmers cost far less, have no battery and may be all you need.
- Your symptoms need a doctor first. If attacks last hours, color does not return after warming, or you get sores on your fingertips, see a doctor before a glove. The American College of Rheumatology notes that secondary Raynaud’s can cause fingertip sores, and Kaiser Permanente lists warning signs for seeking care.
- You cannot feel heat well. If your hands are numb or have reduced sensation, talk to your doctor before using any heated product. In its advice about warm water, Kaiser Permanente warns that numb hands can be burned without feeling it; the same logic applies to any heat source.
- You will not charge or carry a battery. A product you leave at home does not help. Simple layers may suit you better.
- You are looking for a treatment. Heated gloves are consumer apparel. They keep your hands warm; they do not treat Raynaud’s.
How to choose heated gloves for Raynaud’s
If you have read this far and decided heated gloves make sense for you, our heated gloves buying guide walks through the same checklist with specific models. The short version:
| What to check | Why it matters | How Ololar answers |
|---|---|---|
| Does the heat reach the fingertips? | The Raynaud’s Association calls fingertip heating an important feature and notes some brands neglect it. | Carbon-fiber composite heating elements follow the contours of each finger and extend across the palm and the back of the hand, including the thumb and fingertips. |
| Does anything press on your fingers or wrist? | Kaiser Permanente warns that clothing that is too tight can reduce blood flow. | Try gloves on with your hand relaxed, and size up if anything presses. Air is the thinnest in the range (0.2 mm fabric) and can be worn as a liner inside a roomy mitten or glove. |
| Can you control the heat? | Numb hands may not signal heat well, so a low setting is a gentler place to start. | Every model has three heat levels: Low, Medium and High. On the Air series, the published figures are 104–113°F (40–45°C) on Low, 122–131°F (50–55°C) on Medium and 140–149°F (60–65°C) on High. The temperature you feel varies with ambient conditions, fit and how long you wear the gloves. |
| Can you still use your hands? | The Raynaud’s Association lists bulky design and poor dexterity among the drawbacks of heated gloves. | Every model is touchscreen compatible. One Flex version has magnetic flip-back caps that expose one section of the thumb and two sections of the index finger. |
| Where is the battery, and how long does it last? | Battery capacity and runtime decide whether you will actually wear them. Watt-hours (volts × amp-hours) let you compare across brands, so we publish both. | Every model has a published battery spec: Air and Flex use a 7.4 V, 2,200 mAh battery (16.3 Wh), and Shield uses a 7.4 V, 3,000 mAh battery (22.2 Wh). On Air, runtime is 2–3 hours on High, 4–5 hours on Medium and 6–7 hours on Low. |
| Is the information checkable? | Published specifications let you compare products. | Heat levels, battery capacity, heating zones and recommended temperature ranges are published on our technology page. |
For Raynaud’s, the spec that matters most is whether the heat reaches the fingertips — not the total wattage.
A note on temperatures: the heat-level figures on this page are our published product figures. The temperature you feel will vary with ambient conditions, fit and how long you wear the gloves, so if you are unsure, start on Low. What you can check on any brand is heating coverage, heat settings and battery capacity — we publish all three.
Why the palm matters
Heated gloves differ in which zones they heat: some heat the back of the hand and the fingers, others add the palm. It is a specification that is easy to skip in a product listing, and it changes how a glove feels.
Our view: for Raynaud’s, where a glove heats matters at least as much as how hot it gets.
We learned this the slow way. Our second-generation gloves heated the back of the hand and the fingers but not the palm, and we found they could not keep the whole hand at a balanced temperature. The third generation moved to a dual-sided architecture with heating across the back of the hand, fingers and palm. More detail is on our technology page.
Keeping hands dry matters too. Kaiser Permanente and Cleveland Clinic both advise staying dry, and Scleroderma & Raynaud’s UK notes, in its exercise advice, that sweat cooling on the skin can change the temperature enough to bring on an attack. A lower heat level may be the better place to start.
If you are comparing gloves, ask which zones are heated before you compare peak temperatures.
For the detail behind each zone — fingers, fingertips, palm and back of the hand — see where heated gloves should provide heat for Raynaud’s.
Which Ololar series fits which situation
| Series | Designed for | Recommended ambient temperature | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air | Indoor use such as typing and writing | 41°F (5°C) and above | Thinnest in the range; can be worn as a liner |
| Flex | Commuting, walking and shopping | 23°F (-5°C) and above | Two versions: full-finger, and flip-top thumb and index |
| Shield | Snow removal, outdoor work and extended time in the cold | 5°F (-15°C) and above | Larger 7.4 V, 3,000 mAh battery |
Recommended temperature ranges are based on measured results and set conservatively. See the full comparison on our technology page.
Safety and comfort
If you have reduced sensation in your hands, start on Low, check your skin regularly, and talk to your doctor before using any heated product.
Ololar gloves are designed to provide warmth and comfort. They are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any medical condition.
For a closer look at heat levels, fit and battery safety, see heated glove safety for Raynaud’s.
Frequently asked questions
Are heated gloves good for Raynaud’s?
They can be a way to keep your hands warm more actively. NIAMS, part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, suggests considering heated gloves or hand warmers, while the American College of Rheumatology, Cleveland Clinic and Kaiser Permanente focus on mittens, layers and chemical hand warmers and do not specifically discuss battery-heated gloves. Heated gloves can make sense when those simple steps are not enough, when you cannot avoid the cold, or when you need your fingers free. They are not a treatment.
What kind of gloves are best for Raynaud’s?
Start with mittens. Kaiser Permanente says mittens are warmer than gloves because they keep your fingers together, and that a glove under a mitten is warmer than a glove alone. Chemical hand warmers can go inside, and nothing should be tight.
Should I wear mittens or gloves?
Mittens are warmer, according to Kaiser Permanente, the American College of Rheumatology and the American Society for Surgery of the Hand. Choose gloves when you need your fingers, and consider a thin glove under a mitten so your hand stays covered when the mitten comes off.
Can I wear heated gloves under mittens?
Yes. A thin heated glove under a roomy mitten keeps your hand covered when the mitten comes off, and Kaiser Permanente notes that a glove under a mitten is warmer than a glove alone. Ololar Air is our thinnest model, with 0.2 mm fabric, and can be worn as a liner inside a roomy mitten or glove. Leave room so nothing presses on your fingers or wrist.
Are heated gloves safe if my hands are numb?
Take care. In its advice about running warm water over cold hands, Kaiser Permanente warns that you could burn your hands or feet without feeling it because they are numb. The same logic applies to any heated product: start on the lowest level, check your skin regularly, and ask your doctor if you have reduced sensation.
Can heated gloves help in an air-conditioned office?
The American College of Rheumatology and Mayo Clinic both note that air conditioning can be a problem for people with Raynaud’s, and NIAMS advises bringing a sweater or jacket to air-conditioned indoor spaces. Ololar Air is our series for indoor use such as typing and writing. It has three heat levels and is touchscreen compatible.
When should I see a doctor?
Kaiser Permanente advises contacting a doctor for severe pain, color that does not return, or hands and feet that do not warm up after home care. The American College of Rheumatology notes that secondary Raynaud’s can cause sores on the fingertips. See a doctor before buying gloves if any of this sounds like you.
Do heated gloves heat the fingertips?
Not all of them. The Raynaud’s Association notes that some heated gloves neglect heating down to the fingertips, which it calls an important feature for people with Raynaud’s. Ololar gloves use carbon-fiber composite heating elements that follow the contours of each finger and extend across the palm and the back of the hand, including the thumb and fingertips — so check any glove’s heating-zone description before you buy.
Are there heated gloves thin enough for typing and touchscreens?
Some are. Look for thin fabric and touchscreen-compatible fingertips. Ololar Air is the thinnest in the range at 0.2 mm fabric and is designed for indoor use such as typing and writing; every Ololar model is touchscreen compatible and has three heat levels.
For indoor-specific guidance — which heat level to use at a desk, how to size a thin glove, and when regular gloves are enough — see Are Heated Gloves Good for Indoor Raynaud’s?
How warm do heated gloves get, and how long does the battery last?
On the Air series, the published figures are 140–149°F (60–65°C) on High for 2–3 hours, 122–131°F (50–55°C) on Medium for 4–5 hours, and 104–113°F (40–45°C) on Low for 6–7 hours, on a 7.4 V, 2,200 mAh battery (16.3 Wh). Flex uses the same battery, and Shield uses a 7.4 V, 3,000 mAh battery (22.2 Wh). Actual temperature and runtime vary with ambient conditions.
Do heated gloves help with secondary Raynaud’s?
They keep hands warm, but they do not treat the condition behind it. Secondary Raynaud’s happens as part of another disease, and Cleveland Clinic vascular medicine specialist Meghann McCarthy, DO, notes that severe symptoms such as ulcers and skin sores are very rare in primary Raynaud’s but may be seen more often in secondary Raynaud’s. If that is your situation, managing it with a doctor comes first. Not sure which form you have? That is a question for a clinician, not a glove.
Do heated gloves make your hands sweaty?
They can, especially at higher settings or when you are active. Kaiser Permanente and Cleveland Clinic both advise keeping hands dry, and Scleroderma & Raynaud’s UK notes, in its exercise advice, that sweat cooling on the skin can change the temperature enough to bring on an attack. If your hands feel damp, try a lower heat level, and choose a glove with more than one level.
Why do some heated gloves heat the palm and others do not?
Heating coverage differs between products: some heat the back of the hand and fingers, others also heat the palm. Our second-generation gloves heated the back of the hand and fingers but not the palm, and they could not keep the whole hand at a balanced temperature, so our third generation added palm heating. Check which zones are heated before you compare peak temperatures.
Can heated gloves make Raynaud’s worse?
Nothing in the sources we read says gloves worsen Raynaud’s. The two real risks are fit and sensation. Kaiser Permanente warns that clothing that is too tight can decrease or cut off blood flow, so leave room at the wrist and fingers. And numb hands can be burned without feeling it, so start on Low and check your skin. Kaiser Permanente and NIAMS also note that some medicines can make Raynaud’s worse; that is a conversation for your doctor.
Sources
- American College of Rheumatology, “All About Raynaud’s Phenomenon” (patient blog by Marcy Bolster, MD, May 1, 2023)
- Cleveland Clinic, “10 Cold Weather Tips for Managing Raynaud’s During Winter” (January 17, 2024)
- Kaiser Permanente, “Raynaud’s Phenomenon: Care Instructions” (current as of March 10, 2026)
- NIAMS (National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases), “Raynaud’s Phenomenon: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Steps to Take”
- Mayo Clinic, “Raynaud’s disease: Symptoms and causes” (November 16, 2024)
- American Society for Surgery of the Hand, “Advice from a Certified Hand Therapist: Cold Weather Tips for Raynaud’s”
- Scleroderma & Raynaud’s UK, “Managing your Raynaud’s symptoms” (last reviewed January 2026)
- Raynaud’s Association, post on heated gloves for Raynaud’s (January 19, 2022)
How this page was made: we read the eight sources above on October 16, 2026; passages in quotation marks are the sources’ exact words, and everything else is our paraphrase. Product specifications (heat levels, battery capacity, heating zones, temperature ranges) come from our published technology and product pages; watt-hours are calculated as volts × amp-hours. If a source updates, we update this page — the date above shows the last check.
Find the right Ololar series →
How Ololar gloves are designed for Raynaud’s →
Why Ololar’s design differs from standard heated gloves →