Outdoor Research Alpinite Gore-Tex Glove Review

These gloves don't stand out in any particular performance metric, but their solid performance across the board was appreciated by our testers.

Performance Comparison

Warmth

The OR Alpinite has plenty of synthetic insulation to keep your hands warm on most cold days. We tested these gloves in the below-freezing cold and biting wind of Colorado's front-range ski resorts, and only testers with chronically cold hands didn't think these were warm enough for the coldest days. They also have a soft fleece lining on the inside of the hand for a cozy feel, and plenty of insulation through the fingers. Overall, these gloves are warm enough for most days on the hill and warm enough for snow professionals like ski patrollers and backcountry ski guides.

Dexterity

These gloves are surprisingly dexterous, given how warm they are. The fingers feel a bit bulky, but the supple leather and smart stitching patterns allow a decent feel. We could tie our shoes and operate zippers in these gloves, but we couldn't manipulate smaller tools or pull credit cards out of our wallets. Considering the substantial insulation and waterproof membrane that are layered throughout the gloves, they have good dexterity and are a good choice for snow professionals on cold days.

Water Resistance

These gloves do a good job of keeping the elements out. Their main waterproof feature is a waterproof Gore-Tex insert, which prevents water from seeping into the glove's insulation. The glove has lots of leather, which is easily treated with waterproofing wax, but as the leather breaks down, it must be treated every season or so to maintain its weather resistance. The wrist cuff has good coverage up the forearm, but the opening is too small to fit over the outside of a jacket cuff meaning that it will always need to be under the cuff of your jacket.

Durability

The downside to such supple leather on the Alpinite's exterior is that this leather tends to wear out relatively quickly. The seams on the palm and inside of the fingers are all single-stitched, making them susceptible to blowing out as soon as a stitch is compromised. There are leather reinforcements on the outside of the pinky side of the hand, and on the knuckles of the index and middle fingers, but in our experience, these areas don't see as much wear and tear as the fingertips. In our relatively short testing period, we noticed some wear in the fingertip leather, mostly around the seams, which doesn't bode well for long-term durability. And, the hook-and-loop closure on the wrist strap may be susceptible to wearing out after a season or two of heavy use.

Features

The Alpinite has some useful features, but they don't help the glove stand out from the competition. There is a nose wipe on the outside of the thumb, but it is placed a bit low for ergonomic use. The thumb and index fingers have leather that is supposed to be touchscreen compatible, but these leather features didn't always work as advertised, especially in cold weather. There is a small fabric loop on the back of the middle fingers that allows the gloves to be hung from a carabiner on a harness, making these somewhat useful as belay gloves for winter climbing. But overall, there aren't any features that make this glove stand out.

Should You Buy the Outdoor Research Alpinite?

These gloves aren't cheap, but they do perform decently well across the board. In the same price bracket, however, we prefer other options. That said, these gloves are comfortable everyday companions for long winters at the ski resort, and they provide good weather resistance for most users whether at the resort or in the backcountry.

What Other Ski Gloves Should You Consider?

These gloves are almost identical to the Black Diamond Legend. If you are looking for an even warmer glove, the Arc'teryx Fission SV is our favorite glove on the market, and the Gordini GTX Storm Trooper II is the best value for a warm glove.