You’ve Got To Hand It To smarTouch

Alan Stewart photo

Here in Hawaii it’s not cold enough to even think about wearing gloves, but if you’re planning to travel where snow is falling, you need to know about these gloves I found. If you’ve been in the cold while trying to use a touchscreen device, you’re well aware that it’s quite frustrating to have to take your glove off in the freezing cold just to tap a button on your iPhone. These ISOTONER smarTouch gloves I discovered at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) make it possible to use your touchscreen gadgets while keeping your gloves on.

SmarTouch gloves feature a conductive thread, which is embroidered on each glove’s index finger and thumb. The thread conveys the electrical impulse from your fingers to your touch screen device (including most smartphones, GPS devices, mp3 players and even gas pumps). A nonslip palm design improves grip, while ISOTONER’s signature Stretch materials provide superior fit and flexibility.

By looking at the gloves you’d never know they’re special. I tested out my purple/black pair while living in the cold and snow for the last couple of weeks. These actually look quite stylish and are very comfortable. I don’t have much meat on my hands to make the gloves tight, but in order for them to work properly you have to make sure they fit snugly around your hands, especially the fingertips that have the conductive thread. This was no problem for me since I have the S size. For those with bigger hands, sizes go up to XL. If size is an issue, the gloves will stretch out with the flexible material. The insides are lined with a soft fleece and feel nice and toasty. I did not have to remove the gloves once to play with my iPhone or my iPad when I was outside.

If you are going to a cold place soon, I would highly suggest purchasing a pair of these smarTouch gloves. The suggested retail price is $42, but they’re going for $30 on the ISOTONER website (totesisotoner.com) or Amazon.com. Other than purple/black, colors available are blue/black, red/black, pink/black, turquoise/black, green/black, brown, red, black and more.