Outdoor Research Women's Arete II Gore-Tex Gloves Review

The Outdoor Research Women's Arete II Gore-Tex Gloves impressed us with their thoughtful design, removable merino wool liners, water resistance, and appealing price point.

Performance Comparison

Warmth

The Arete II Gore-Tex Gloves kept our fingers warm until the temperatures began dropping into the single digits. At this point, the tips of our fingers began to get a little chilly when inactive. The 100g of Enduraloft insulation remained lofty and warm for the duration of our testing period.

Where this glove really shines is in the functionality of its double construction. Not only does the merino wool blend liner glove add an additional layer of warmth, but it also does an incredible job of wicking moisture. Testing this glove while ski touring and hiking, we found that our hands could get quite warm before the glove started feeling clammy, which is key to all-day warmth. The Gore-tex insert and the synthetic fabric outer on the back of the glove help to regulate moisture.

While testing this glove on the coldest stormy days, we found that the synthetic outer of the glove between the fingers is where drafts could creep in. The tall, cinch-able gauntlet, however, helps counteract drafts that want to creep into your jacket. Overall, we found this glove appropriately warm for most testing conditions.

Water Resistance

The OR Arete II has several layers of water resistance. They start with a 40-denier stretch-woven nylon outer treated with a Durable Water Repellant (DWR) finish. This helps to bead and shed snow and moisture before it can saturate the outer. The palm also has a water-resistant finish on the goat leather, which should be re-treated periodically.

We found that this glove resisted wetting out on the exterior in day-to-day skiing, but when we spent hours with our hands in the snow shoveling or digging snow pits, the exterior began to wet through at the seams between the fingers. When this happened, however, we found the Gore-tex insert did an excellent job of keeping our hands dry and warm. To keep this performance, we suggest re-treating the nylon exterior with DWR periodically and applying a leather treatment to the palm.

Dexterity

Considering the level of lofty insulation, this glove is impressively dexterous. The stretchy nylon outer material makes flexion of this glove easy, and the supple goat leather palm does not impede motion.

We found that the Arete II glove was capable of performing all but the fiddliest tasks. We had trouble picking up a pencil and tying shoes in this glove. We think this is due to the single thickness of the insulation, which created a feeling of extra fabric around fingers even in a well-fitting glove.

Noteworthy in the OR Arete II Glove is the removable liner. On its own, this thin liner is extremely dexterous and grippy. However, its lack of water resistance makes it impractical to use for many in-snow applications.

Durability

The OR Arete II appears well constructed and held up well over the course of our testing. The stitching on the synthetic part of the glove is tight and doesn't show any signs of loosening or pulling after rigorous testing. The tradeoff for the dexterity and breathability of a 40-denier stretch material is that it is less resistant to friction than a full leather or heavier nylon weave construction.

We love how the 40-denier weave is reinforced with leather at the high-use points of this glove like the first and second fingers, the tips of fingers, and the entire palm. The seam across the palm of the glove is directly across a high-use part of the hand, and we are curious how this will hold up over time. That said, the stitching in this section of the glove is turned inward so it is protected from the elements.

Features

The OR Arete II Glove is absolutely loaded with features. This glove is one of the most feature-packed of all gloves we tested in this review.

Our favorite feature of this glove is its extremely functional removable merino wool liner. We found ourselves reaching for this glove on high aerobic output days cross country skiing or strenuous uphill tours. Additionally, it has a functioning touchscreen-compatible material on the thumb and pointer finger.

We also love the adjustable wrist loops that are easy to take on and off even with the large gauntlet-style glove. Speaking of, the large gauntlet has an oversized, grippy pull tab and easy-to-use drawstring that allows one to cinch the glove comfortably over almost any jacket. The nose wipe patch and two carabiner loops round out the myriad features of this feature-laden glove.

Should You Buy the Outdoor Research Women's Arete II Gore-Tex Glove?

The OR Arete II is one of the most featured gloves on the market. If you love this style of glove, beefed up for all of your mountain adventures, then this is a great pick. This is also one of the nicest removable liners we've seen, making it an excellent option for you if you prefer a double construction.

What Other Women's Ski Gloves Should You Consider?

If you are looking for a featured and dexterous glove and money is no object, consider the Arc'teryx Fission SV Glove. It's definitely at the premium end of the price spectrum, but when it comes to warmth and dexterity it can't be beaten. If you are looking for another featured glove on a tight budget, the double construction Dakine Camino is our favorite budget option.