Gloves vs Mittens, and Why Beginners Should Wear Wrist Guards

Your hands take a beating when you are learning to snowboard. You will plant them in the snow constantly — to push up, to balance, to break falls. So your hand gear matters more for beginners than for almost anyone else. Two decisions to make: gloves or mittens, and whether to add wrist guards.

Gloves vs Mittens

• Gloves. Separate fingers give you dexterity for strapping in, handling zips, and using a phone. They are slightly less warm because each finger loses heat on its own.
• Mittens. Fingers share one space and warm each other, making mittens noticeably warmer. The trade-off is less dexterity for fiddly tasks.
• Lobster mitts. A hybrid that pairs fingers together — warmer than gloves, handier than mittens. A nice middle ground.

Why Wrist Guards Are Non-Negotiable

The most common beginner snowboard injury is a wrist injury, and it happens for an obvious reason: when you fall, you instinctively throw your hands out to catch yourself. A wrist guard braces the joint and spreads that impact, dramatically reducing the chance of a sprain or break.

1. Built-in guards. Some snowboard gloves and mittens have wrist support sewn in — the simplest option.
2. Standalone guards. Worn under any glove, these offer the strongest protection.
3. Either way, wear them. A wrist injury can end your trip on day one. The guards cost very little by comparison.

Warm hands and protected wrists keep you confident enough to keep practising falls and recoveries. Plan a low-stakes beginner area on Bonvo's 3D maps, where you can drill those first turns and tumbles in safety.