Outdoor Research Revolution II Gore-Tex - Women's Review

The Outdoor Research Revolution II Women's is a women-specific glove with a slim fit, good dexterity, and medium loft synthetic insulation. The Diamond PU faux leather palm and fingertips provide good grip without letting any moisture through, and likewise, the recycled polyester with Gore-Tex inserts keeps water out in most conditions. Primaloft insulation adds warmth, and these gloves breathe fairly well, giving them a wide effective temperature range. They feature a zippered handwarmer pocket, nose wipe, wrist adjustment and leashes, and touchscreen compatibility.

Performance Comparison

Warmth

The Revolution II features synthetic “Enduraloft” polyester insulation that provides decent warmth without impeding comfort or movement. The soft-feel Gore-Tex and nylon exterior allow the glove to breathe, so you don't build up extra moisture when you're working hard, only to freeze later on. Overall, these have solid temperature regulation and can keep your hands comfortable in a wide range of temperatures. They lost minimal heat throughout a ski run. In our objective tests, they also performed relatively well. In our R-value test, where we measured internal glove temps before and after placing them in a freezer for five minutes, they lost only about 7 degrees.

In the field, our hands stayed warm even on the harshest of days. Our lead tester noted: “I wore these on a long stretch of sub-zero days, multiple ski-guiding side-country days, and during long backcountry days. Even when riding lifts in the cold, these kept me warm — and even warmer still since I never had to take them up to fasten boots, zip zippers, or get in and out of my pack.” If you end up needing an extra boost of warmth, you can add a hand warmer to the pocket on the back of the hand, which lends a heated glove-like feel.

Dexterity

The Revolution II is notably good in the dexterity department, especially considering that it isn't a particularly low-profile glove. It outperformed other options that have less warmth and less insulation, mostly thanks to the finger fit and tailoring. We were able to perform all objective dexterity tests in the lab with ease and found the same to be true in our field testing; we could do most tasks with these gloves on. It's worth noting that if the fit isn't as precise for you, you may not find that they have as good of dexterity. “I was able to get through all of the dexterity tests pretty easily. I'm also able to get out and assemble my beacon, shovel, and probe, as well as buckle up boots with these gloves on,” said our lead tester.

A true women's specific fit is hard to find, so the narrower profile of this glove is great for those with slimmer hands. If you're a frequent climber with particularly strong fingers, it might be worth sizing up for a better fit. Aside from fit, the polyurethane palm material extends all the way to the fingertips, and the slightly pointed fingers improve precision and feel when grabbing small objects.

Water Resistance

While not a chart-topping glove for water resistance, the Revolution II still had respectable performance when it came to keeping our hands dry on the mountain. We wore these gloves on snowy powder days, while digging snowpits, and during wet multi-pitch ice climbs, and they kept our hands dry without complaint. Snow and colder precipitation seem to be no problem, especially in the fingers and palm area, but the nylon backer on the back of the hand can absorb water when things get exceptionally damp.

Although they performed well in our field testing, the Revolution II suffered a bit in our more objective lab-style submersion test. We dunked our entire hand in a bucket of water while wearing the glove and held it there for two minutes. We recorded the weight before and after the dunk to get an accurate and comparable measurement of how much water was absorbed by the glove. “They're not nearly as waterproof towards the end of the testing period as they were at the beginning,” lamented our main tester, referring to the increase in water absorbed during the submersion test. While they still kept out snow and drier precipitation, the fabric on the backside of the glove tended to absorb water much more easily. Thankfully, as noted, the palm and fingers of this glove have an additional PU/faux leather coating, which does not absorb water whatsoever. Generally, we're not sticking our hands in creeks when we're out skiing, and we're also not skiing in pouring rain, so we feel their performance here is acceptable — but not outstanding.

Construction Quality

In general, the Revolution II is a well-constructed glove that didn't show many signs of wear throughout the testing period, even though we used it heavily in the backcountry and for ice climbing. When inspecting the fingers and palms at the end of our testing period, they looked the same as the day we received them. We would wager that having the Diamond PU faux leather reinforcements around the fingertips helps them hold up well through time, and we appreciate that it doesn't demand the same consistent upkeep as real leather.

While these gloves are unquestionably high quality, there are some minor shortcomings. With the light grey color that we tested, the nylon exterior shows stains and can be challenging to clean. While it didn't manifest during the testing period, we do have worries that the softer material on the back of the hand may potentially wear out with time. However, all of the higher-use areas are reinforced, which gives us confidence that these gloves will last for many seasons.

Features

The Revolution II isn't over the top when it comes to features, but we found that it had essentially everything we could need and want in a good ski glove. The adjustable cuff and wrist cinch allowed us to get a secure and protective fit, and the nose wipe and heat pocket helped us stay comfortable on the slopes. One great feature of these is the touchscreen compatibility, which we found to work reasonably well, especially for a thicker glove; we could rely on it about 75% of the time.

If we were truly searching for perfection, there are a couple of minor details we'd love to see included on these gloves. We found that they worked pretty well for ice climbing, but they lack a carabiner loop on the finger to conveniently store them on a harness; you can use the wrist leash, but it doesn't work as well. Of course, it is not an essential feature for your average skier, but this glove is so versatile that it appeals to a broader crowd, and we think it would benefit from a carabiner loop. As mentioned above, the touchscreen compatibility is also fairly hit or miss, but that's generally the case with heavier gloves.

Should You Buy the Outdoor Research Revolution II?

We think that most resort skiers will be pretty darn happy with the Revolution II. If you're after a very specialized glove that tops the charts in one particular metric, these might not be for you. While they provide well-rounded performance in most metrics, they aren't the top scorer in any one. Alternatively, skiers who only make it to the slopes a couple of times per year could consider cheaper options, but if you don't mind the investment, we still think they're worth it. If you ski in a very wet snow climate or do a lot of ice climbing, you may want to look into other, more comprehensively waterproof gloves or mittens, considering the water absorbtion we experienced in the back of the hand.

What Other Women's Ski Gloves Should You Consider?

If you're after a glove with better waterproofing, check out the Arc'teryx Fission SV — but take note that the unisex fit runs very large. For even more warmth but less dexterity and versatility, look into the Outdoor Research Prevail Heated gloves, which have battery-powered heat. For a glove with similar construction but a more budget-friendly price tag, check out the Dakine Camino.