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Gordini Gore-Tex Down III Women's Review

A high value warm glove ready for the resort.
The Gordini Gore-Tex Down III
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Price:  $90 List | $90.00 at Amazon
Pros:  Great warmth, durable construction, water resistant, high value
Cons:  Few features, less breathable construct, poor dexterity
Manufacturer:   Gordini
By Amber King ⋅ Senior Review Editor  ⋅  Dec 18, 2019
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63
OVERALL
SCORE

RANKED
#6 of 12
  • Warmth - 25% 7
  • Water Resistance - 25% 6
  • Dexterity - 25% 6
  • Durability - 15% 5
  • Features - 10% 8

Our Verdict

The Gordini Gore-Tex Down III Glove offers a superior amount of warmth to any of the gloves tested in this review. Loaded with down insulation, it offers ample loft and water-resistant when tackling double black diamonds at the ski hill. This glove is ripe with features, including a handy hand-warming packet pocket, so you can ensure your paws achieve top-tier toastiness at the resort. This is a single glove, without a removable liner. While we do love the comfortable and durable construction of this ski glove, the liner bunches when damp hands are taken out of the glove, and we struggled to put it back in. It's also not the most dexterous design. That said, it's one of the highest value options out there, winning our Best Buy award in past years.


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Pros Great warmth, durable construction, water resistant, high valueWarm, lightweight and packable, breathable, waterproof, single construction, dextrousSuper warm, water-resistant liner, insulated shell, weather-proofVery warm, dexterous for a mitt, durable shell, waterproof, removable and water resistant linerGreat value, durable, breathable, protective from water, simple features, smartphone compatible liner
Cons Few features, less breathable construct, poor dexterityExpensive, won't fit super small hands.Expensive, too warm and bulky (overkill?) for the average skier, large fitLiner packs out after a season, split finger design leaves index finger cold, no leashes includedNot the most dexterous option out there
Bottom Line A high value warm glove ready for the resort.Our favorite ski glove tested with a unisex fit. Despite not being gender-specific, this glove is off the charts for any adult, noticeably feeling different (and better) than other gloves on the market.Built to wear on the tallest mountains and coldest places.Our favorite all-around mitten for backcountry and resort skiing.A high value glove that excels in most of our metrics.
Rating Categories Gore-Tex Down III Women's Arc'teryx Fission SV Glove Alti Mitt Black Diamond Mercury Mitt Deluxe Gore-Tex
Warmth (25%)
10
0
7
10
0
8
10
0
10
10
0
9
10
0
5
Water Resistance (25%)
10
0
6
10
0
8
10
0
10
10
0
9
10
0
7
Dexterity (25%)
10
0
6
10
0
10
10
0
2
10
0
5
10
0
8
Durability (15%)
10
0
5
10
0
9
10
0
9
10
0
7
10
0
5
Features (10%)
10
0
8
10
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6
10
0
7
10
0
6
10
0
8
Specs Gore-Tex Down III... Arc'teryx Fission... Alti Mitt Black Diamond... Deluxe Gore-Tex
Waterproof Material Gore-Tex waterproof/windproof membrane 84% nylon/16% elastane, Gore-Tex GORE-TEX 2.5 Layer/Leather palm Pertex Shield DryRide w/ Gore-Tex
Insulation Type 600-fill of 70% goose down 30% waterfowl feathers on back of hand, Megaloft on palm side 200g PrimaLoft Silver and 133g Gold synthetic fibers PrimaLoft® Gold Insulation 170g in shell, 340g in liner 340-grams Primaloft Gold w/ high loft synthetic insulation Thermacore
Palm Material Goat skin (leather) Goat leather Pittards® Armortan® leather Goat leather Gnar Guard
Inner Glove Material (if applicable) Polyester fleece liner Octa Loft Moonlite Pile™ fleece High-loft fleece Brushed Microfiber
Double or Single Construction? Single Single Double Double Double
Gauntlet or Cuff Length? Medium cuff Medium Cuff Long cuff (shell) Guantlet (liner) Gauntlet Medium Cuff
Special features Adjustable wrist closure, nose wipe, pocket for handwarmer on the top of the glove, removable leash Unisex fit, kevlar stitching, removable wrist leash, carabiner loop Kevlar stitching, carabiner loop, removable wrist leash Nose wipe, trigger-finger liner, carabiner loop, no wrist leash, foam padding on knuckles, kevlar stitching Touch-screen compatible liners, removable wrist leash, nose wipe
Sizes (Women's) S, M, L XS, S, M, L, XL S,M,L XS, S, M, L S, M, L
Fit True to size Fits large (unisex sizing) Fits large Fit true to size Fit true to size
Treatment Required? No Yes No No No
Warranty 1 year Lifetime Lifetime 1 year Lifetime

Our Analysis and Test Results

The Gore-Tex Down III Glove by Gordini is perfectly suited for ladies who want a warm glove at a great price. The down insulation will keep you warm during the coldest days at the resort, while the gloved design offers more dexterity than you'd get with any mitten.

Performance Comparison


Keep your fingers warm and your wallet padded with one of our favorite budget options from Gordini.
Keep your fingers warm and your wallet padded with one of our favorite budget options from Gordini.

Warmth


Of all the gloves tested, the Gordini Gore-Tex Down III Glove (rated to 10F) is the warmest. It's loaded with 600-fill goose down (75% goose down, 25% goose feathers) on the back of the palm, with a less bulky MegaLoft insulation on the palm (providing a little more dexterity). In addition to the insulation, we love the ultra-plush and soft inner liner that is sewn into the construct of the glove. This makes it a wonderful option for sitting on an ice-cold chairlift, or while hunkering down at your favorite ice fishing hole. If you run extra cold, slip in a hand warmer into the pocket to stay roasty toasty.

Beef up this pair's warmth by sticking a hand-warmer in the pocket designed just for this purpose. The Gordini Gore-Tex Down offers a nice little pocket to incorporate a handwarmer.
Beef up this pair's warmth by sticking a hand-warmer in the pocket designed just for this purpose. The Gordini Gore-Tex Down offers a nice little pocket to incorporate a handwarmer.

This glove does a decent job in the breathability metric. The Gore-Tex liner allows water vapor to escape slowly, but the loft and insulation almost do too good a job of keeping heat trapped inside. As a result, we noticed our hands getting clammy during aerobic or warm days. It's a wonderful resort option, but we wouldn't recommend it for skiing in the backcountry.

We put each glove into the freezer for 5 minutes to look at insulative value. In the tests with this super warm glove we saw a temperature drop that in comparison to the rest was quite small. Above shows the temperatures before and after the test.
We put each glove into the freezer for 5 minutes to look at insulative value. In the tests with this super warm glove, we saw a temperature drop, that in comparison to the rest, was quite small. Above shows the temperatures before and after the test.

Water Resistance


In addition to providing a heap of warmth, this glove does an impeccable job of resisting water. The highly durable and water-resistant goatskin palm and reinforced thumb keep moisture out when playing in the snow. The HydroWick Denier lining keeps water out of the glove throughout the day. During blustery wintery days when the snow was wet, we skied the resort for hours, without feeling cold or discomfort. These gloves are water-resistant!

After our water tests we learn that this durable glove is pretty awesome at repelling water. While the shell and nose wipe material did absorb some water it wasn't much. This glove has a dry weight of 4.0 ounces.
After our water tests, we learn that this durable glove is pretty awesome at repelling water. While the shell and nose wipe material did absorb some water, it wasn't much. This glove has a dry weight of 4.0 ounces.

A use issue that we commonly encountered is associated with the liner. When hands get wet from sweat or damp for another reason, the liner is very 'grabby', bunching up and sticking. Getting a wet hand into this glove can feel near impossible, which lost it some points with us.

The shell is made up of stretch-woven Nylon and leather. Nylon is known to absorb water which accounts for the little water taken in during this test.
The shell is made up of stretch-woven Nylon and leather. Nylon is known to absorb water, which accounts for the little water taken in during this test.

During our water dunk tests, we were happy to learn that the Gore-Tex Down III gloves did not leak, just like other gloves with a Gore-Tex insert. It also only absorbed 2.4 oz of water during our tests. We recommend this glove for all types of climates and all weather conditions.

Dexterity


This glove is not as mobile as other thinner options on the market. It does offer more dexterity than a mitt, but because it is loaded with so much insulation throughout its construction, it's harder to use for finer tasks. We do appreciate that most of the insulation is concentrated to the back of the glove, allowing for more mobility in the palm, and that the leather palm is quite buttery, which adds more to the dexterity. It's a fine glove for the basics at the resort — putting on your boots, zipping up jackets, or grasping your ski pole, but for more technical purposes, a thinner, more mobile glove would be a better option.

The Down III has enough dexterity to get the job done but the insulation-infused craftsmanship limits its uses. Don't expect to use these glove for super fine tasks or technical purposes. It truly does best at the resort.
The Down III has enough dexterity to get the job done, but the insulation-infused craftsmanship limits its uses. Don't expect to use these glove for super fine tasks or technical purposes. It truly does best at the resort.

Features


The Gore-Tex Down III glove has all the features you need for playing in the snow at the resort. An integrated wrist leash is handy when you need to remove your gloves quickly without having to store them in a pocket. No fear of dropping a glove from a chairlift with the leash attached, the gloves just hang off the wrists. The back of the hand has a small pocket that perfectly fits a hand warmer. On extra-frigid mornings, we like the small addition of warmth.

Wrist leashes are all kinds of convenient.
Wrist leashes are all kinds of convenient.

The wrist cinch is simple, and we love the quick cinch and release around the gauntlet. There are also quick clips that hold the gloves together when not in use. The nose wipe on the thumb also kept us happy during snotty days on the mountain.

Simple and effective wrist cinching.
Simple and effective wrist cinching.

Our wishlist? With technology being such an important part of our lives these days, we wish this glove had touchscreen compatibility as well as a removable leash. A longer gauntlet would be helpful to keep snow out during super deep days in the mountains. We also like that we could use a super-thin glove liner with this glove to provide additional warmth and versatility.

Heat injection.
Heat injection.

Durability


We are impressed with the craftsmanship and durability of this glove. Throughout the testing period, the insulation did not pack out or lose warmth, even after washing and our dunk tests. The stitching is very precise, but not seamless.

Also, we love the goatskin leather palm — one of the most durable leathers out there. Even though it only comes with a one-year warranty, we think it will last a few seasons at the least. In general, it was more durable than most contenders.

Make it a point to treat the goatskin palm with a leather sealant to ensure the longevity of this glove. Treat it before use and one to two more times a season.

These Gordinis raise the roof on quality performance and value.
These Gordinis raise the roof on quality performance and value.

Value


In our humble opinion, we think this glove offers some of the best value of any of the gloves in this review. It's a high scoring ski glove with great warmth and overall performance on the ski hill. It is definitely worth the value, and if you seek an affordable and very warm glove for resort skiing, this is the one to get.

Nothing like an empty resort with warm dry and mobile fingers! The Gordini Gore-Tex Down III stands out as one of the warmest gloves you'll find infused with down insulation.
Nothing like an empty resort with warm, dry, and mobile fingers! The Gordini Gore-Tex Down III stands out as one of the warmest gloves you'll find, infused with down insulation.

Conclusion


The Gordini Gore-Tex Down III Glove offers an amazing amount of warmth wrapped into a well-constructed glove-shaped package. Its single glove-construction is simple to use, and it's loaded with useful features you'll appreciate during cold days on the ski hill.


— Amber King