Montane Supercell Waterproof Glove review: tough protection in a compact package

Montane Supercell Waterproof Glove: first impressions 

These tough gloves are built for protection from the elements, with full waterproofing, a long elasticated gauntlet cuff and a quick drying fleece lining. All of this is packed into quite a streamlined fit, and the stretchy softshell outer and addition of curved fingers means you’ll still be able to adjust your poles and helmet without removing them on a cold day. Reinforced leather panels means they’ll stand up against sharp edges and abrasive surfaces too.

The Montane Supercell Waterproof gloves have loops at the wrist and the middle finger, so you’re not tempted to use your teeth to pull these off and damage the fabric over time plus they’re armed with a handy leash strap to keep you from losing them on the lift. 

These gloves do run a little small and with a thick, insulated lining, you might lose some of the built-in dexterity if you order your usual size, but size up and you’ll be happy on the hill during cold days. You can also check out our guide to the best hiking gloves you can buy.

Montane Supercell Waterproof Glove: on the slopes 

Though there’s nothing showy about these gloves when you pull them out of the packaging, they feature lots of hidden surprises that show you Montane have actually thought about what skiers look for in a glove. 

Most importantly, they are completely waterproof and well-insulated with a quick drying lining, so they’ll be all you need whether you’re working up a sweat on a powder day or just skiing groomers in sub zero temps. Leather reinforcements on the palm, fingers and inner hand means they hold up against ski poles, sharp edges and abrasive surfaces if you're in exciting terrain in the backcountry.

Handy loops on the wrist and middle finger tip make them easy to pull off when you hope on the lift without using your teeth, and quick to get back on again when you reach the top of the hill, and the handy wrist leash means you’ll never lose another ski glove again.

With all of these features, you might be surprised to find that they come in such a snug, streamlined fit. While that, combined with curved fingers, gives them pretty good dexterity for handling your gear, I found the medium size of these gloves to be a bit small – which may in part be due to the thick fleece lining – which meant I lost some of that mobility. However, size up and you’ll be pretty pleased with the protections these compact gloves offer.

Here’s how they performed:

Sizing

These run small, I suggest sizing up. 

Fit

These are snug and fairly compact gloves. 

Comfort 

Pile fleece isn’t quite as cosy as brushed fleece, but there’s no annoying seams or rub anywhere. 

Temperature regulation 

These gloves will keep your hands warm on the coldest days, and the quick drying lining helps with overheating too. 

Breathability 

The porous lining wicks sweat away, so on hard working powder days you won’t get chilly when you stop or have to take them off on the lift. 

Durability 

These are tough gloves with reinforced palms and fingers so they stand up to ski poles, lift bars and sharp ski edges.