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Gordini GTX Storm Trooper II Review

One of the better gloves in its price range that only very narrowly missed our Best Buy Award; it should be considered for folks looking for a slightly warmer glove.
Gordini GTX Storm Trooper II
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Price:  $65 List | $42.30 at Backcountry
Compare prices at 2 resellers
Pros:  Good weather resistance, warm, bomb proof, killer price
Cons:  Slightly tighter fit around the knuckle, dexterity
Manufacturer:   Gordini
By Ian Nicholson ⋅ Review Editor  ⋅  Mar 30, 2017
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72
OVERALL
SCORE

RANKED
#13 of 17
  • Warmth - 25% 7
  • Dexterity - 25% 6
  • Water Resistance - 25% 8
  • Durability - 15% 8
  • Features - 10% 7

Our Verdict

The Gordini GTX Storm Trooper II is easily one of the best ski gloves you can buy for the price. It was nearly our OutdoorGearLab Best Buy Award winner, narrowly missing the award, which was taken by the Outdoor Research Revolution. The Storm Trooper II remains a rad glove that offers above average warmth and fantastic weather resistance at a very respectable price. We found that during our side-by-side comparisons, the Storm Trooper II was slightly warmer than the Outdoor Research Revolution ($69). While this glove offered better durability and warmth, it scored similarly to the OR Revolution. Folks with wider than average hands won't like the width around the knuckles. The Storm Trooper II was marginally warmer than similarly priced contenders, but a little stiffer overall, though it does break in with time.


Compare to Similar Products

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Awards  Editors' Choice Award Top Pick Award  Top Pick Award 
Price $42.30 at Backcountry
Compare at 2 sellers		$189 ListCheck Price at Amazon
Compare at 3 sellers		$174.95 at Backcountry
Compare at 2 sellers		$149.95 at Amazon
Compare at 3 sellers
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Star Rating
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Pros Good weather resistance, warm, bomb proof, killer priceVersatility, durable palm, lightweight and packable, dexterous, ergonomic shape, freedom of movementSuper warm, extremely tough, great weather resistance, removable liners help them dry quicker, our go-to expedition gloveWell designed features, tough as nails, dexterousWARM, lifetime warranty, basically two gloves in one, super water resistant
Cons Slightly tighter fit around the knuckle, dexterityLong gauntlet tricky to get under jacket, gauntlet can slowly open, expensiveNot very dexterous, take time to break in, if in between sizes you should consider sizing upNot as warm as other high-end ski glovesNot super dexterous, inner glove not as durable
Bottom Line One of the better gloves in its price range that only very narrowly missed our Best Buy Award; it should be considered for folks looking for a slightly warmer glove.Easily the most versatile model for conditions, climates, and activities with top-tier performance across the board make this glove our favorite overall.For really cold activities, where giving up some dexterity for some serious warmth is a must, these gloves are hard to beat.This is an excellent day in day out resort glove for skiing in milder climates.You'll love this glove if you do multi day tours and spend a lot of time in the backcountry.
Rating Categories Gordini GTX Storm Trooper II Arc'teryx Fission Black Diamond Guide Marmot Ultimate Outdoor Research Alti
Warmth (25%)
10
0
7
10
0
8
10
0
9
10
0
7
10
0
9
Dexterity (25%)
10
0
6
10
0
10
10
0
6
10
0
8
10
0
6
Water Resistance (25%)
10
0
8
10
0
9
10
0
9
10
0
9
10
0
10
Durability (15%)
10
0
8
10
0
8
10
0
10
10
0
10
10
0
8
Features (10%)
10
0
7
10
0
9
10
0
9
10
0
9
10
0
9
Specs Gordini GTX Storm... Arc'teryx Fission Black Diamond Guide Marmot Ultimate Outdoor Research...
Waterproof Material Gore-Tex insert Gore-Tex Gore-Tex insert Gor-Tex insert Gor-Tex insert
Palm Material Goatskin leather palm Leather Goat leather Cow-hide leather Alpengrip
Gaunlet or Cuff? Gauntlet Gauntlet Gauntlet Gauntlet Gauntlet
Insulation Type Megaloft insulation Primaloft Gold Insulation Eco and primaloft silver eco PrimaLoft Gold and boiled wool PrimaLoft® Gold PrimaLoft® HiLoft Silver 100% polyester
Double or Single Glove single single double single double
Nose Wipe? No Yes Yes (thumb) Yes Yes (thumb)

Our Analysis and Test Results

One of the best ski gloves for the price the Storm Trooper II was very nearly our Best Buy Award winner and remains a solid glove that few downhill skiers and snowboarders won't be happy with. The Storm Trooper II offered some of the better weather resistance, warm, and durability for its price and overall respectable dexterity for its price range.

Performance Comparison



Warmth


Despite being offered for a low price, we felt these were some of the warmer single gloves in our review. They were easily among the warmest models in the price range, with The North Face Montana Mitt, Outdoor Research Revolution, and Dakine Titan trailing closely behind. While this contender is obviously not as warm as our Top Pick for Cold Weather, the Black Diamond Guide, we found it respectable among single gloves. We felt comfortable using these gloves while resort riding down to around 10F or maybe even a little colder.


Dexterity


Among the $70 and under gloves, the Storm Trooper II offers better dexterity than the Dakine Titan but not the OR Revolution. This surprised our review team who expected it to function a bit stiffer than it did, in both real-world use and during a series of side-by-side tests. For those interested in a cheaper option with greater dexterity, the Outdoor Research Revolution will provide.

Water Resistance


These gloves scored well in both our side-by-side bucket of water tests and in real-world use. Of the gloves with a Gore-Tex insert, these are one of the least expensive tested. The insert certainly helped their overall weather resistance performance. Price aside, the GTX Storm Trooper compares to more expensive competitors.


Durability


This glove is bomber. After intense use during the winter, our testing team was impressed with how well its weather resistance held up. They are nearly as waterproof as when we first purchased them. We were impressed with how well its warmth held up, especially considering the Storm Trooper II uses a proprietary insulation for which we did not have high expectations. However, after extensive real-world use, we can honestly say that this insulation will last through years of abuse.


Features


This glove doesn't have a million features, but generally speaking, our review team was okay with that, as the Storm Trooper performed well in more important categories, like warmth and weather resistance. This contender just isn't feature rich.


Best Applications


The Storm Trooper II is a rad all-around ski glove. It's warm enough for single digit days but weather resistant enough for serious storms. These gloves are durable, and we'd easily ride snowmobiles using them. They are one of the better resort ski or snowboard gloves for the price.

Value


At $65, this glove is an incredibly rad deal. While there are ton of other gloves in this price range, the Gordini is one of the best.


Conclusion


We found this glove to be close in overall performance to the Outdoor Research Revolution. These gloves are in the same price category but have slight advantages and disadvantages. The GTX Storm Trooper II is the warmer of the two and offers marginally better weather resistance. However, if you have medium to large hands, we think you'll likely enjoy the OR gloves better. If warmth isn't your highest priority, you might like the superior dexterity of the Revolution more.


— Ian Nicholson