American brand Outdoor Research has an excellent range of winter gloves, featuring numerous designs from ultralight liners to chunky ski mitts and everything in-between, with an impressive array of price, warmth and technicality options. But the brand’s best-seller is the Stormtracker Sensor Windbloc glove.
Why? Because it strikes an excellent balance for a broad range of activities and weather conditions, with first-rate versatility. It’s a cold stone bargain, too, at just £65 ($79).
The Stormtracker has been popular for many years, but it has been updated for the autumn/winter 2024 collection by Outdoor Research.
The main upgrade is that a Gore-Tex Windstopper fabric has been switched out for Polartec Windbloc.
While the two do very similar things – namely block out the harsh effects of the wind and provide weather-resistant protection from rain – the Polartec fabric is free from harmful PFAS chemicals, which enhances the all-round eco credentials of the glove.
Pros
- Superb value
- Lightweight
- Works with a touchscreen
- Versatile
Cons
- Could be warmer
- Lack of size adjustment
- Not fully waterproof
| RRP: | £65 / $79 |
| Men’s sizes: | S-XL |
| Women’s sizes: | S-L |
| Weight per glove: | 61g / 2.2 oz (men’s medium) |
Summary
Ultimately, the Outdoor Research Stormtracker Sensor Windbloc is a glove with big pros and cons, and it may polarise opinion.
The positives are the superb price, the ultralight design (at 61g per glove it’s half the weight of the Rab Guide 2 GTX, for example), the inclusion of touchscreen compatibility and the impressive versatility.
The latter is my favourite USP of the Stormtracker. Many winter gloves are so thick and warm you only end up using them on the coldest of winter days, meaning you spend a hefty chunk of cash for a product you rarely require, which feels inefficient.
But the Stormtracker strikes a lovely middle ground. It's just about warm enough for most wintry outings, but streamlined enough for the milder shoulder seasons, meaning it will be used for more of the year, thus providing better value for your money.
It's a mid-weight, mid-performance glove, suitable for everything from hiking and climbing to biking and skiing.
The cons? For the coldest of winter days it’s just not thick or warm enough, and some mountaineers will immediately view the Stormtracker as deficient in insulation.
Also, it’s not as protective in bleak weather as many others. The windproof fabric is only water-resistant, rather than waterproof, and there’s no waterproof membrane – so it’s not a glove for consistent downpours.
Plus, its adjustability is rather poor as there’s no way to cinch in the fit around the wrist or base of the gauntlet, and the all-round performance and technicality levels are not top-tier.
But, having said all of this, in my eyes the Outdoor Research Stormtracker Sensor Windbloc glove is a bona fide bargain and a superb all-rounder.
It’s dexterous, comfortable, grippy and weather-resistant, with a nice design and fit. If you only want one glove for all of October to March, it’s one of the best choices.
Design, materials and construction
The overall design of the Stormtracker Sensor Windbloc glove is quite minimalist, lightweight and streamlined for a winter-ready glove. It’s a regular five-fingered glove, not a mitt, and it's made from a number of different materials.
The outer fabric is a bluesign-approved, three-layer Polartec Windbloc, a stretchy, softshell-style fabric made from 93% polyester and 7% elastane.
Polartec describes this technology as “windproof, water-repellent, breathable and highly durable”, with “resilient stretch” and “versatile use”. The glove’s internal lining is 100% polyester and the super-stretchy cuff is 82% nylon and 18% elastane.
The palm and fingers, meanwhile, are made from 100% goat leather for added durability and grip. The leather also extends over the back of the hand, and across the base and knuckle of the forefinger.
But you don’t get added leather reinforcement panels over high-wear areas, like you do with heavier, full-on winter gloves, and the leather doesn’t fully wrap-over the top of the fingertips.
The Stormtracker is a gauntlet glove, with the material extending beyond the wrist down the forearm. However it is a relatively short gauntlet, lacking the length and coverage of more serious winter pairs.
Waterproofing and breathability
For light rain, sleet or snow, the Stormtracker glove is perfectly capable. The glove’s DWR treatment will block out initial precipitation and keep your hands dry.
The Polartec Windbloc membrane is also superb at 100% blocking out the chilling effects of a wind. But it’s important to note that the fabric is only water-resistant, not fully waterproof, and you don’t get a waterproof membrane that works in the same way as Gore-Tex.
Consequently, the Stormtracker is not designed for consistent, all-day-long rain and other higher-end gloves such as the Rab Guide 2 GTX will perform better in such conditions.
Breathability, however, is a strong point of the Stormtracker. Because it’s less-insulated than many others with a lighter, more minimalist design, your hands certainly feel less likely to over-heat or get clammy in the Stormtrackers, which is a positive.
Warmth and insulation
The Outdoor Research Stormtracker Sensor Windbloc provides a low-to-medium level of warmth, courtesy of the 100% polyester liner and the overall build of the glove.
Depending on how badly you feel the cold, we’d estimate this is suitable for single digit temperatures and maybe down to 0°C for some hardy users. But there’s only a small amount of insulation and it’s certainly not a particularly warm winter glove.
For some it will feel deficient in terms of warmth, and for those who want a bit more cosiness at a similar(ish) weight and price, the Montane Supercell may be a better option.
The Stormtracker doesn’t feature any PrimaLoft or down insulation, and there is no high-pile fleecy toastiness to the interior. This is probably the biggest drawback to the Stormtracker. If you suffer from particularly cold fingers, or your priority is warmth, this is not the glove for you.
Fit, grip and dexterity
The Stormtracker performs solidly in terms of dexterity and grip. It’s not outstanding, but it’s far from lacking, too, providing mid-range performance across both metrics, in line with its price point.
The all-round fit contours the hand nicely, and the well-shaped fingers deliver good flexibility and nimbleness, while the goat leather palm adds decent levels of grippy traction.
However, this leather has a smoother finish, compared to the textured, almost grid-like finish of the Pittards leather on the Rab Guide 2 GTX. The latter definitely enhances grip, with a tackier, more secure feel.
I found the fit of the Stormtracker true to size and it fitted my hand shape nicely, with a close but non-restrictive fit. However the adjustability options are poor. There is no strap or toggle for adjusting the fit around the wrist, which is annoying.
The fabric around the wrist is elasticised for a stretchy, variable fit, but this can never be as bespoke as a glove with adjustability. Similarly, the gauntlet has an odd design with poor adjustability.
A short zipper, backed by a stormflap, enables the opening to be loosened, but it doesn’t really tighten the fit very much when full zipped-up.
In fact, the zipper (when opened fully) is probably better for helping you get the gloves on and off (for this purpose it works quite well), but for cinching in the gauntlet fit it’s redundant.
I'd much prefer to see a drawcord for adjusting the fit closely around the wrist. The lack of this feature is a frustrating omission.
Weight and sizes
On my scales, the Outdoor Research Stormtracker Sensor Windbloc weighs 61g per glove (men’s medium). That undoubtedly classes as ultralight for a winter-ready glove, although remember that it’s clearly not as warm as some fully-featured, full-on-winter pairs.
For comparison the Stormtracker is 60g lighter per glove (literally half the weight) of the Rab Guide 2 GTX, 47g lighter than the Extremities Torres Peak and 35g lighter than the Montane Supercell. The weight saving compared to the PHD Kappa Mitts is less, but still 11g per glove.
This lightweight, minimalist design will appeal to many – it enhances comfort, dexterity and fit – and crucially adds versatility.
Unlike many winter gloves, which are so thick and warm they’re only really suitable for the coldest of winter days, the Stormtracker feels usable in a broader range of months and weather conditions. The downside is that it lack the warmth and protection some hardcore winter mountaineers will desire.
In terms of sizes, the Stormtracker is available from small to extra-large in the men’s version and small to large in the women’s.
As is common practice, Outdoor Research publishes a comprehensive size guide for the gloves, based on the length and circumference of your hand. The men’s medium is described as suitable for hands with an 8-8.5 inch circumference and a 7.5-8 inch length.
Features
A standout feature of the Stormtracker Sensor Windbloc is the touchscreen compatibility. This technology is quite common now in ultralight, thin, liner-style gloves, but it’s rarely included with winter gloves, so it’s a differentiating USP for the Stormtracker.
On both gloves the thumb and forefinger can be used to operate the screen of your smartphone. I tested this out during one on my test hikes and it worked absolutely fine.
I was easily able to open up OS Maps, scroll through menu options, select a route, zoom in and out of the map (using the two-fingered pinching in-and-out technique) and click various buttons – it worked very well.
I also tested dexterity and accuracy for sending a message on WhatsApp, and while it felt a little clunkier, slower and less precise than normal, it was simple enough to send a message with zero spelling errors using the gloves. So, all in all, it was a thumbs up for the touchscreen system.
There are two other features of note. Firstly, you get a little clip for connecting the two gloves together, which enables simpler storage in your backpack. This avoids that annoyingly common scenario where you can easily find one glove but the other has somehow hidden itself in the deep, dark depths of your winter backpack.
Secondly, each glove has a robust pull-on loop located at the base of the gauntlet and embroidered with the Outdoor Research logo – using it makes getting the gloves on smooth and straight-forward.
Verdict
The Outdoor Research Stormtracker Sensor Windbloc glove is a mid-weight, mid-performance, multi-purpose option with superb versatility and touchscreen functionality at a bargain price – but it lacks warmth.
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About the author
James Forrest is a prolific peak bagger and long-distance walker who’s one of the most high-profile outdoor writers in the UK.
He writes regular features and route guides for Trail and has been one of our main gear testers for the last few years. James is based on the edge of the Lake District so when he isn’t off on his latest crazy adventure or challenge, he’s walking in his local fells.
James reviews every type of outdoor kit for Trail and is a real authority on everything you need for wild camping and packing light for a multi-day walk.