The North Face Summit Series Patrol Gore-Tex Gloves review: powerful paw protection for long, cold, big mountain adventures

The North Face Summit Series Patrol Gore-Tex Gloves: first impressions 

The North Face Summit Series Patrol Gore-Tex Gloves are burly, but not bulky or heavy. These mountaineering gloves boast the rugged advantages of a leather shell to stand up against rock and rope, extra padding on the knuckles and a Gore-Tex waterproof lining all in a lightweight and comfortable construction.

The Heatseeker Eco Pro High-Performance Synthetic Insulation has worked for us in whiteout conditions at high altitude while the soft fleece lining is breathable enough that you can wear them in milder conditions too. Curved fingers mean you can wear them comfortably all day long.

In addition to weather protection, mountaineering gloves really need to be easy to get on and off in a hurry, and without being dropped, and this pair has all the bells and whistles needed to keep them functional. Wrist leashes ensure you can remove them to take photos or check your GPS without losing them and a cuff pull makes them easy to get on in a hurry or over liner gloves. There's also a carabiner loop on the ring finger if you want to attach them to your pack and keep them close to hand.

A soft nose wipe on the thumb means there's no need to go digging for tissues when you're climbing up a steep slope and your nose is running faster than your legs.

These gloves are more about protection than they are about dexterity, and you shouldn't expect to be able to operate your phone with them, but you can adjust the buckles on your ski boots no problem.

If you compare them to a pair of ski gloves, they're eye-wateringly expensive, but bear in mind these are meant for alpine expeditions where you'll face the toughest conditions. If that's what's next for you, you'll be warm and comfortable in these gloves, but if you're just going hiking, they're overkill.

The North Face Summit Series Patrol Gore-Tex Gloves: in the field 

I first tested these gloves out in whiteout conditions in the Italian Alps during a glacier trek. I also took them to Verbier recently for a ski trip where I wore them for both alpine skiing and ski touring, and have even worn them on a few frigid hikes and for a long day of Nordic skiing during the coldest January in 15 years here in Scotland.

Here's how they performed:

Sizing, fit and comfort

Though the rest of me is quite small, I have long fingers which occasionally means small gloves don't fit, however, I tested these in a small and they're a perfect fit. There's about a centimeter of extra space at the tip of each finger and they're close-fitting without inhibiting my ability to bend and stretch my fingers. I haven't needed to wear them with liner gloves as they're quite warm enough, but there's room to do so without sizing up.

They have a nice, soft fleece lining with no annoying seams to rub, and I've been able to wear them for long periods without feeling like I need to take them off. The fingers are designed with so-called Precurve which is exactly what it sounds like and seems a bit gimmicky, but since they're quite tough gloves, I think it actually does help that my hands and fingers can just relax when I'm wearing them. It feels nice anyway.

Temperature regulation and moisture management

The first time I wore these was my coldest adventure in them, as we ascended the famous Skyway Monte Bianco in Italy to Punta Helbronner at 11,300 feet where we emerged to whiteout conditions for our glacier trek. I couldn't resist taking my gloves off a lot to take photographs and, yes, my fingers quickly froze when I did, but I was pleased at how quickly and effectively they warmed back up when I put them back on.

Since they had kept me warm and safe at such high altitude in bad weather, I figured they were a safe bet for a ski trip to Verbier, and they were for my first day of alpine skiing. The next day I decided to rent an AT setup and go touring uphill, however, and the weather was relatively mild but these were the only gloves I had. Would they be too warm?

I was pleased to discover that they're really breathable, so even though I could have done most of the tour with no gloves, I was quite comfortable wearing them and it meant my hands got some protection from my poles.

Durability and other details

These gloves are certainly built to last and I'd expect to be able to wear them for years, even for rocky scrambles, roped ascents and handling mountaineering gear like ice axes and crampons.

This isn't true for all gloves, but they're easy to pull on thanks to the cuff pull and easy to secure with a hook and loop fastening that seems to work even when I'm wearing multiple layers. I'm a big fan of using the wrist leash so I don't drop them when I'm taking photographs.

I haven't used the carabiner tab on the ring finger, but it's probably handy for keeping them more closely secured to a pack than using the wrist leash. There's also a nose wipe, if that's your sort of thing.

The North Face Summit Series Patrol Gore-Tex Gloves: the bottom line

Do these gloves do what they promise? Absolutely. They're ultra warm, breathable, waterproof, tough and comfortable.

Are they worth the price? If you're going mountaineering and want a pair of gloves that will stand up to the toughest conditions and keep you safe and warm, then you might consider them, especially if you have money to burn.

But if you're just looking for a high-quality hiking or ski glove, there are plenty of others that will do the job without breaking the bank. Check out the Rab Khroma Tour Infinium Gloves for touring and winter hiking and the Helly Hansen Swift HT Ski Gloves for alpine skiing.

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