Outdoor Research Prevail Heated Gore-Tex Gloves Review

These gloves set themselves apart from the competition by offering the highest level of dexterity we've experienced in a heated glove. In addition to this, their great functionality as a normal ski glove and quality construction make them an all-around great wear.

Performance Comparison

Warmth

The Prevail gloves feature a rechargeable battery pack to power heating elements that are distributed throughout the back of the hands and out to the fingertips. The highest setting is warm enough to help our hands recover from day-ending chill, and the medium setting maintains a comfortable all-day warmth in colder climates. To be honest, the low setting is very light. We didn't find it made much of a difference on super cold days, but in more temperate winter weather, the lowest setting provided good all-day warmth. Our lead tester, Jeff Dobronyi, said, “The battery life on these gloves is impressive. I don't have to ration battery on cold days.”

In addition to an artificial heat source, these gloves are packed with tons of synthetic insulation, and both sides of the hand enjoy a thin, cozy fleece lining. These gloves kept us warm on our coldest ski days, and we think they would also be a good choice for snowmobilers, ice fishers, and outdoor workers. The gloves take a few minutes to heat up, so we got used to starting the heaters about 10 minutes prior to use. The batteries last about 6 hours on the medium setting and 2-3 hours on the highest setting, so if you have a full day planned in frigid temps, you might have to ration your energy. However, the battery life is much better than other heated options, and in most cases, you won't have to think about it too much.

Dexterity

In the past, most heated gloves we have tried were not very dexterous, largely due to large amounts of insulation packed into the fingers, heating elements, and thick leather meant to withstand abrasion and extend the lifespan of an expensive investment. With the Prevail, we find no sacrifice in warmth or durability, but somehow, the fingers work better for detailed tasks than other heated gloves. The fingers are slightly narrower, but they aren't tapered or pre-curved. Whatever the reason, there is enough dexterity here to impress us.

That said, these gloves can't compete with the dexterity of thinner gloves, but considering their warmth, we were pleasantly surprised. These emerged as our go-to pair on colder days when we had to use our hands for chores and jobs. We even put these gloves to the test on ski patrollers and ski guides who work all day long in the cold, and they all seemed surprised by how infrequently they had to take their gloves off. We can pull zipper tabs and buckle our boots without taking them off, but tying boot laces is still a little too much to ask.

Water Resistance

With a Gore-Tex insert and tightly sewn seams, water has a hard time getting inside these gloves. In our dunk test, we didn't notice any water permeation. A large wrist gauntlet extends coverage up the forearms, and a secure drawstring closes the wrist, opening over the top of a jacket cuff to keep powder snow out of the gloves and sleeves on powder days or while snowmobiling.

The softshell exterior on the back of the hands can start to absorb some water during extended submersions, but these gloves are most helpful in temperatures well below freezing. That said, if snow turns to rain, these gloves will keep you dry in almost any weather. As our lead tester notes, “These gloves are impervious to wet weather, which makes them seem even warmer.”

Durability

These gloves have an impressively high-quality construction, and we found very few signs of wear during our testing period. The fingertips and thumbs are covered with leather reinforcements in areas of high wear, so your fingers shouldn't come popping through these gloves anytime soon. The most vulnerable seams are feature double-stitching, and the wrist gauntlet is made of a durable nylon material that was able to hold up against abrasive encounters.

These gloves are expensive, and as is the case with all leather gloves, they will wear out over time. However, with proper care and treatment, it is easy to realize the investment. In the backcountry, we had to pick and choose which days to use these gloves to increase their lifespan. If we anticipated digging snow pits, pulling on branches, or rappelling and belaying into technical lines, we brought other gloves, reserving these for use on the coldest powder days.

Features

These gloves have a full set of features to make your day on the ski hill easy and convenient. A soft nose wipe patch on each thumb helps you comfortably get rid of drips in cold weather. There's a nylon loop at the end of each wrist gauntlet that helps you pull the gloves on, and a wrist leash prevents you from dropping these expensive gloves off the chairlift. There is a plastic clip to keep the pair together during storage and travel, and the three heat settings are an obvious perk as well.

However, it's not just about the number of features; they have to be well-designed and functional for us to care, and the Prevail delivers a complete set of great features that we can't fault. The glove also comes with a mesh travel bag, wall charger and cord, as well as converters for travel in the UK and Europe.

Should You Buy the Outdoor Research Prevail Heated Gore-Tex?

At a lower price than similar competitors, these gloves are a great deal if you are looking for the warmest solution for cold hands. They perform well across the board and surprised us with their decent dexterity for a heated glove. If you spend lots of time skiing in very cold climates or need warm gloves for other cold-weather activities, we feel these are one of the best options out there. That said, they are likely overkill for occasional skiers or people who only go on a couple of ski vacations each year.

What Other Ski Gloves Should You Consider?

If you want maximum warmth but don't want to deal with charging batteries every time you ski, the Black Diamond Guide is the warmest glove we tested without an electrical heating component. The Rab Khroma Freeride is pretty darn warm as well, and overall, it's our favorite. If you are looking for a much less expensive glove, the Gordini GTX Storm costs a fraction of the price of the Prevail and offers enough warmth for most users and situations. For users who want an inexpensive glove with battery-powered heat, the Savior Heat Rechargeable is a great value.