Gordini AquaBloc Down Gauntlet Glove Review

Performance Comparison

Warmth

These gloves use 600 fill-power down in the back of the hand and synthetic insulation in the palm and fingers to provide warmth. The down component is good marketing, but there just isn't enough space for the feathers to puff up and make a difference compared to synthetic insulation. A thin fleece lining on the inside of the glove adds a cozy touch, but overall, these gloves aren't that warm compared to the high-performance competition. But for the price, they are decently warm.

Dexterity

The AquaBloc Down Gauntlet isn't very dexterous. The fingers are blocky and don't have tapered fingertips, meaning there is a lot of extra shell material that gets in the way when the fingers are called into action. We notice about half an inch of extra material on the tip of each finger, and the faux leather on the inside of the hand is too soft to transfer force effectively. These gloves aren't the best choice for anyone who needs to use their hands a lot on the ski hill, like patrollers or instructors. They do, however, have enough dexterity for average resort skiers.

Water Resistance

These gloves use Gordini's proprietary AquaBloc waterproof/breathable membrane to keep water out. This works relatively well, but the softshell outer and faux leather palm soak through faster than other gloves we tested. On cold chairlift rides, we also noticed how icy winds seemed to penetrate easier than other gloves. On the other hand, these gloves have large, high-coverage wrist gauntlets with drawstring closures that easily fit over jacket cuffs. These keep snow out of the hands on powder days.

Durability

Our experience with Gordini's faux-leather palm material is that it wears out relatively quickly compared to gloves with real leather. Some key seams on the palm are double-stitched, and the down insulation on the back of the hand will last a long time. Still, these gloves lack the construction quality of other high-performance gloves, largely due to the lack of high-quality components, but the price reflects this difference. These gloves are built well enough for most skiers and riders who make it to the resort for a handful of weekends each year.

Features

The AquaBloc Down has plenty of features that make this glove useful on the ski hill. The large wrist gauntlets have an easy-to-use drawstring tab, and there is a wide and comfortable nose wipe on the outside of each thumb. There is no wrist leash, but there is a nylon wrist cinch strap that keeps the glove tight on the wrist. This last feature doesn't feel totally necessary, and most other gloves use a thin elastic strap around the entire wrist here.

Should You Buy the Gordini AquaBloc Down Gauntlet?

This glove has average performance across the board, and it comes at a price that is much lower than the rest of the competition. However, you get what you pay for, and most discerning skiers will likely want more performance out of their gloves. If you ski or ride often, these gloves will leave you wanting more. But if you are looking for a glove that will perform well enough for a few ski vacations per year, and don't want to pay too much for it, this could be a good choice.

What Other Ski Gloves Should You Consider?

For a similar price, the Gordini GTX Storm Trooper II provides a lot more performance across the board and is our choice for the best budget ski glove. If cost isn't an issue, we recommend the Arc'teryx Fission SV as the best overall ski glove. If you want the utmost in warmth and weather resistance, and don't care too much about dexterity, the Black Diamond Guide will protect you in all conditions. The Rab Khroma Freeride Gore-Tex also provides great all-around performance, at a slightly lower price than the best gloves.