SealSkinz Stratton Waterproof Heated Gloves review: “plenty here to justify a closer look”

RRP at time of testing: £190 | Check price at Amazon or SealSkinz directly

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My verdict

At £190, there's no getting around the fact that the SealSkinz Stratton Waterproof Heated Gloves are an expensive way to keep your fingers warm. But after testing them on wet and windy dog walks, I think they're considerably more versatile than their skiing, cycling and mountaineering credentials might suggest.

They're warm even before you switch the heating on, completely waterproof in the conditions I've tested them in and, crucially, don't feel so bulky that I'd reserve them for particularly adventurous outings. I've worn them on everyday dog walks and the school run quite happily - where they've raised a few eyebrows, admittedly, but more of the 'ooh, I want some' variety.

The three heat settings give you plenty of scope to adjust the warmth. I've found the lowest setting more than sufficient in the relatively mild autumn temperatures I've been able to test them in so far, while the highest setting gets properly hot - and rather sweaty - surprisingly quickly. I suspect I'll appreciate that considerably more once December arrives.

The SealSkinz Stratton gloves arrive in a simple reusable zip pouch

There are compromises. The batteries add some weight around the wrists, although I stopped noticing them fairly quickly, and the heating isn't distributed completely evenly across the hand. They're also thicker than ordinary winter gloves, so fiddly jobs like fastening buttons and zips aren't particularly easy.

My biggest gripe, though, is the lack of touchscreen compatibility. At £190, I'd expect to be able to check my phone without taking a glove off. Then again, perhaps there's something to be said for occasionally putting the phone away and getting on with the dog walk.

Compared with the Ororo Twin Cities 3-in-1 Heated Gloves I've also tested, the Strattons feel more like a premium everyday winter glove. The Ororo's separate liner and protective shell make them more versatile when the weather gets properly horrible, but the SealSkinz strike a better balance of warmth, waterproofing, dexterity and bulk for everyday use.

If I could keep only one pair, I'd choose the SealSkinz. Part of that comes down to fit - my usual size medium fits perfectly, whereas the Ororo pair I tested were too large for me - but I also prefer the overall feel and finish. They're premium gloves with a suitably premium price tag, but for dog walkers, commuters, football-touchline parents and anyone who spends a lot of winter outside wishing their hands were warmer, there's plenty here to justify a closer look.

How I’ve tested

I've been testing the SealSkinz Stratton Waterproof Heated Gloves at home in Yorkshire, primarily on dog walks and everyday trips outside.

As with the Ororo heated gloves I've also been testing, timing hasn't exactly been on my side. The gloves arrived during a particularly warm August and September hasn't exactly rushed headlong into winter either, so finding genuinely cold conditions has required a certain amount of patience. I've taken advantage of the wettest and windiest days available - whether my dogs wanted to participate in another rainy testing walk or not.

Despite the heating elements and batteries, the Strattons don't look excessively bulky for heated gloves

I've worn the gloves for walks lasting at least 30 minutes, testing them both with and without the heating switched on. I've assessed fit, comfort, waterproofing, grip, dexterity and the three different heat settings, as well as using them for everyday tasks including holding dog leads, picking up keys and opening the car.

I've also carried out a separate battery test on the highest heat setting, leaving both gloves switched on continuously until the batteries ran flat.

What are the Stratton waterproof heated gloves?

The Stratton is a premium heated winter glove designed to combine proper weather protection with battery-powered warmth.

Each glove contains a built-in heating element powered by a removable rechargeable battery, with three heat settings controlled using a button on the wrist. They're insulated with PrimaLoft® Gold and use SealSkinz's three-layer Aquasealz™ membrane for waterproofing, while the goatskin leather palm provides grip.

I tested the SealSkinz Stratton gloves in my usual size medium and found the fit spot on 

At £190 RRP, they're firmly at the premium end of the glove market. But unlike some heated gloves that look and feel like fairly specialist outdoor kit, I found the Strattons surprisingly easy to incorporate into normal winter life.

They're substantial, certainly, but not so enormous that you feel as though you ought to be halfway up a mountain simply to justify wearing them.

How warm do the SealSkinz Stratton gloves actually get?

Very. There are three heat settings, indicated by green, amber and red lights on the control button. Green is the lowest setting, amber is medium and red is the hottest.

One thing worth knowing before you switch them on for the first time is that they automatically start on the hottest red setting. I didn't initially realise this and briefly wondered quite how hot these gloves were planning to get. Press and hold the button to turn the heating on, then press again to cycle through the three temperatures.

The heating kicks in rapidly - I could feel warmth developing within around 15 to 20 seconds.

In the relatively mild conditions I've been able to test them in so far, green has been my preferred setting. It provides a noticeable, snug warmth without leaving my hands excessively sweaty. Amber turns things up another notch, while red gets genuinely hot. After a while on full power, sweaty fingertips are very much part of the experience.

The soft goatskin leather palms provide good grip, while adjustable wrist straps help secure the gloves in place

That isn't necessarily a criticism. We've yet to reach the depths of a British winter and I suspect the highest setting will make considerably more sense between December and March than it does during an unusually warm September.

The warmth isn't distributed entirely evenly. I found it most noticeable across the back of my hands, with less intense heat around the fingers. Wiggling my fingers against the heated lining makes it more apparent, but you don't get the sensation that every part of every finger is being heated equally.

Overall, though, the gloves feel sufficiently warm - and they're impressively insulating even before you switch the heating on.

Are the SealSkinz Stratton gloves waterproof?

Yes - and this is one of their biggest strengths. SealSkinz uses its three-layer Aquasealz™ waterproof membrane in the Stratton, and my wet-weather testing has backed up the claim so far.

I've worn them during some determinedly rainy dog walks and watched water bead on the outside rather than soak through. More importantly, my hands remained completely dry inside.

SealSkinz is well known for its waterproof outdoor clothing and accessories 

Wind protection has been similarly good. I haven't noticed cold air finding its way through the glove or around my fingers during testing.

That combination of waterproofing and insulation is part of what makes the Strattons feel useful beyond skiing or serious outdoor pursuits. A freezing, wet football touchline or a dog walk in horizontal rain may not feature heavily in mountaineering catalogues, but your hands don't particularly care.

Battery life and charging: how long do they last?

Battery life inevitably drops as you turn up the heat. SealSkinz states that you can expect around four to 4.5 hours on the lowest setting, three to 3.5 hours on medium and two to 2.5 hours on the highest.

It's admittedly quite difficult to engineer a dog walk long enough to run a pair of heated gloves completely flat, so I tested the highest setting from the comfort of my sofa instead.

I left both gloves switched on beside me at full power one evening while re-watching Game of Thrones and they kept going for more than two hours before the batteries finally ran out. So, while I haven't independently verified the longer runtimes on the lower settings, my experience on full power broadly supports SealSkinz's claim.

Each glove has its own compact rechargeable battery, which sits inside a zipped wrist pocket 

Charging is straightforward. The batteries are removable and fit neatly into zipped pockets at the wrists. For the initial charge, I left them plugged in for around three hours to make sure they were fully topped up.

The charging indicator changes from red to green once the batteries are fully charged

Removing and replacing the batteries isn't particularly fiddly either. You can feel their weight around your wrists when you first put the gloves on, but I found I stopped noticing them fairly quickly.

Once your batteries are fully charged, the charging indicator light switches from red to green to let you know they’re ready to go. 

SealSkinz Stratton heated gloves: comfort and dexterity

There's no way around it: heated gloves are going to be thicker than your average pair of winter gloves.

That said, I think the Strattons find a good middle ground. They're substantially less cumbersome than wearing both parts of the Ororo Twin Cities together, while offering more protection and bulk than the Ororo heated liner on its own.

I've comfortably worn the Strattons for dog walks lasting at least half an hour. On the highest heat setting my hands become decidedly sweaty, but the lower setting has been much more comfortable in the temperatures I've tested them in.

The Strattons use SealSkinz's Aquasealz waterproof membrane; my hands stayed completely dry during wet-weather testing

Everyday dexterity is surprisingly good considering what's packed inside them. I can pick up my keys, open the car door and hold dog leads without much difficulty. More intricate jobs are trickier: fastening a small zip or button, for example, reminds you that you're still wearing a substantial winter glove.

The goatskin palm provides good grip, although I do find myself consciously gripping the dog's lead a little more firmly than usual. With a roaming puppy attached to the other end, this feels like a reasonable precaution.

Getting the gloves on requires a little shoving to get your hands through the wrist section, but once they're on they're comfortable. Tightening the wrist strap neatly can also be slightly fiddly when you've already got one glove on.

Sizing: do the SealSkinz Stratton gloves run true to size? 

For me, yes. I tested the Stratton in a medium, which is my usual glove size, and the fit is spot on. There's no excess space at the fingertips, no uncomfortable tightness around my hands and no restriction when I make a fist.

That makes quite a difference to dexterity and is one reason I've preferred wearing the SealSkinz over the size-large Ororo gloves I tested. The latter fitted my husband much better than they fitted me, whereas the Strattons feel properly proportioned to my hands.

SealSkinz recommends measuring around the widest part of your hand, excluding the thumb, and checking its size guide before ordering. Given how much fit affects both comfort and dexterity with substantial heated gloves, it's worth actually doing rather than relying entirely on whatever size you normally grab.

Are the SealSkinz Stratton gloves touchscreen compatible?

No - and this is probably my biggest disappointment with them. The goatskin palm feels lovely and premium, but there's no touchscreen-compatible material on the fingertips. Every time you want to properly use your phone, a glove needs to come off.

Perhaps we should all slow down, put our phones away and accept that not every dog walk needs to involve checking WhatsApp.

But also: these gloves cost £190. At that price, touchscreen compatibility feels like a pretty reasonable expectation, particularly when the Ororo Twin Cities I've tested manages to offer it on both its liner and outer shell.

It's not enough to undo everything the Stratton gets right, but it does feel like an odd omission from an otherwise very well-considered glove.

Can you wash the SealSkinz Stratton gloves?

No. SealSkinz's care instructions say the Strattons shouldn't be washed, tumble dried, ironed or bleached.

On paper, that sounds fairly inconvenient for something designed to be worn outdoors in winter. In practice, it hasn't caused me much trouble so far.

I've been able to wipe away everyday dirt after dog walks without needing to do anything more dramatic. I'd still be slightly wary of getting them properly filthy, but given the batteries, leather and heating elements involved, they're probably not the pair I'd choose for rummaging around in mud anyway.

Are the SealSkinz Stratton gloves vegan?

No. The Stratton gloves have a goatskin leather palm, so they're not suitable for vegans or anyone who prefers to avoid animal-derived materials. The leather feels soft and premium and provides good grip in use, but it's worth bearing in mind if material sourcing is an important consideration for you.

How much do the SealSkinz Stratton gloves cost, and are they worth it?

The Strattons have an RRP of £190. And yes, £190 is steep for a pair of gloves, isn't it?

There's no clever way around that. These are firmly a premium purchase rather than something most people are going to casually throw into their basket because the forecast says six degrees.

What you are paying for is a combination of excellent waterproofing, premium materials, substantial insulation and rechargeable heating. The overall construction feels appropriately high quality, too. I've found no loose threads, premature wear or obvious weak points during testing.

I found the Strattons comfortable enough for everyday winter wear, with less bulk than you might expect from heated gloves (also note: my roots need fixing, I know)

Whether they're worth £190 therefore comes down largely to how much use you're likely to get from them. For someone who spends very little time outside during winter, it's difficult to make the sums work. For someone walking a dog twice a day, commuting on foot, standing beside sports pitches every weekend or simply struggling to keep their hands warm, the calculation is rather different.

They're considerably easier to recommend when discounted. At around £123.50, the sale price available during my research, the premium proposition starts to look much more tempting.

Who are the SealSkinz Stratton gloves best for?

SealSkinz positions the Stratton towards activities including skiing, mountaineering and cycling, but having worn them myself, I think that undersells their everyday usefulness slightly.

They're certainly capable of more serious winter use, but they're not so cumbersome that you need an outdoor hobby to justify owning them.

Dog walkers are an obvious audience, particularly given the full waterproofing. They're also well suited to commuters, people working outside and parents who spend winter weekends standing beside football or rugby pitches wondering how children can apparently be immune to cold.

They're also worth considering if you particularly struggle with cold hands and ordinary insulated gloves don't provide enough warmth. The ability to switch the heating on as temperatures drop gives you something conventional gloves simply can't offer.

Are the SealSkinz Stratton gloves good for Raynaud's?

SealSkinz specifically highlights the Stratton's heating system as potentially useful for people with Raynaud's because it's designed to provide additional warmth across the hands and fingers.

Mumsnet discussions around SealSkinz also regularly mention the brand in conversations about keeping particularly cold hands warm.

However, I haven't tested the Strattons as a treatment for Raynaud's and wouldn't treat heated gloves as a substitute for medical advice. What I can say from my testing is that they provide substantially more controllable warmth than an ordinary winter glove, with three different settings depending on how much heat you want.

SealSkinz Stratton vs Ororo Twin Cities: how do they compare?

Our verdict: should you buy the SealSkinz Stratton Waterproof Heated Gloves?

The SealSkinz Stratton Waterproof Heated Gloves aren't cheap, and they're not perfect. I'd particularly like touchscreen-compatible fingertips, while £190 is a significant investment in something most of us have spent our lives buying for considerably less. But they're also very good at the things that actually matter.

They're warm before you've even switched them on, genuinely waterproof in the wet conditions I've tested them in and comfortable enough to wear for normal winter life. The heating kicks in quickly, the lowest setting provides plenty of warmth for milder cold days and my full-power battery test broadly matched SealSkinz's claimed runtime.

Most importantly, they don't feel like specialist equipment masquerading as everyday gloves. Yes, they're thicker than a conventional pair, but I can walk the dogs, drive, pick up keys and generally get on with things without feeling as though I've attached a pair of oven mitts to my hands.

That makes them easier to recommend to a much broader group than skiers and mountaineers. Dog walkers, commuters and parents slowly freezing beside children's sports pitches could all get plenty of use from them.

Would I prefer them to cost less than £190? Obviously. But if I had to choose between these and the other heated gloves I've tested, the SealSkinz would be the pair staying by my front door.

About the author

Rebecca Roberts is a writer, editor, and content marketing expert hailing from Leeds. Here at Mumsnet, she brings parents content designed to make life easier. With two kids, a dog, husband and a home to run, she knows all too well just how easy it is to rack up high utility bills when you’re trying to keep everyone warm, so she’s constantly on the lookout for products that are affordable, long-lasting and cost-efficient. 

Beyond her role as an editor here at Mumsnet, Rebecca can be found balancing life as a working mum of two toddlers and when she’s not at her desk, you’ll likely find her at a local playgroup, in a nearby coffee shop, or walking the dog.

About Mumsnet Reviews

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