Easy-On Mittens: The North Face Montana Pro GORE-TEX Review

Our group of backcountry skiers and snowboarders lined up edge to edge at the top of the narrow couloir. One of our guides descended the ridge to check out a lower, wider entrance. Half of the riders followed.

As I leaned over to strap into my snowboard binding, another gust whipped a cloud of sugary snow around my hooded, covered face. As we waited patiently to hear from the other half over the radio, my feet started to get cold.

We were backcountry skiing in the Valhalla Range, in the Selkirk mountains of British Columbia’s West Kootenays region. And it was blustery. Temps sat around 10 degrees plus windchill. I was happy to be bundled with four layers, including a puffy beneath my shell and toasty winter mittens.

Every time we loaded and unloaded the cat, operated by Baldface, the dip of movement dropped my body temp. But the gear kept me content — especially these mittens.

In short: With premium leather, The North Face Montana GORE-TEX Mitts ($150) are loaded with insulation and lined with extremely soft fabric. These detailed winter mittens are easy to pull on thanks to the preshaped design and large, lean pull tabs on each cuff. These mitts quickly became my go-to pair for -10 to 10-degree days. I wore them backcountry and resort riding in Canada, Wyoming, Montana, and Colorado.

Read the full lineup of our favorite mitts in The Best Winter Mittens buyer’s guide.

The North Face Montana GORE-TEX Mittens Review: Testing Conditions

“We’re good to go down here,” our ski guide green-lit over the radio. “All right, Morgan — you look ready. Open it up.” I’d been nominated to drop first and guinea pig the snow quality. I focused on my toasty hands versus how chilled my quads felt.

Fortunately, I snagged a pair of The North Face Montana GORE-TEX Mitts, right as January’s polar vortex from Canada plummeted temps across the U.S. The cold front dropped temps in Crested Butte, Colo., to -34 degrees Fahrenheit. Over 2 weeks, I took a few back-to-back North American ski trips — none of which evaded the arctic conditions.

All said, I tested these mitts for 7 days in the backcountry and frontcountry. The days were long, with a cumulative tally of more than 30,000 feet, 100 miles, and 33 hours of riding. Even more, I used these mitts while winter camping in windy conditions. They also stayed on during a subzero 2-hour après dance party at Big Sky Resort.

I first pulled on the Montana Mitts while standing on deck for backcountry lines at Baldface Valhalla in British Columbia. Cat skiing with a crew is both fast and slow: Utilizing a vehicle to climb steep terrain makes it quick.

As a large group — of journalists, athletes, and product designers — dropping one-by-one or as duos inevitably slows the pace. Your extremities start to feel chilled, especially if you don’t don the right layers.

That week included 2 days of riding at Whitewater Ski Resort and RED Mountain Ski Resort. At both resorts, the sun hid behind steep slopes in the early morning and afternoon, blocking the sun.

Next, I traveled through Jackson, Wyo., where I toured with friends in Grand Teton National Park. Then, I had two very cold powder days shredding at Big Sky Resort in Montana. The ski mornings started at -10 degrees and didn’t warm much. Despite persistent freezing temps, these mitts never disappointed me, and I kept bringing them along.

Highly Insulated Winter Mittens

Given that I was cat skiing at Baldface Valhalla, I considered leaving behind these oven mitts. We’d rotate in and out of the cat, so I thought I’d overheat. Wow, was I wrong.

Sitting in the cat, unloading and loading gear onto the racks, and waiting with my group at the top of ski lines kept my body temp in a steady state. My hands would have been very cold without mittens.

The Montana Mitts are built with 300 g of insulation on the back of the hand. Another 150 g is located in the palm, which felt like an ample amount while lapping moguls and groomers at Canada’s Whitewater Ski Resort and RED Mountain Ski Resort. It’s worth noting that the insulation, called Heatseeker Eco, is made of post-consumer recycled polyester, which keeps my green thumb happy.

My hands only started to feel chilled with these mitts toward the end of my days at Big Sky Resort, where the temps hovered around -10 to 0 degrees. I was also fighting off a head cold, and it was generally harder for me to stay fueled up, which affected my circulation.

Waterproof & Windproof

The conditions were very windy in the Valhallas, where I cat skied and camped overnight in the backcountry, as well as storm riding at Big Sky Resort. But the Montanas fully blocked gusts, in addition to providing adequate insulation. Made with 100% goat leather, the exterior felt smooth and durable but fairly malleable. Other mitts I’ve tested felt stiffer out of the box, such as the Dakine Women’s Galaxy GORE-TEX Mitt.

Flurries and powder slashes greeted us in Big Sky. Despite two snowy days of ski turns and lift rides, these mitts never wetted out. This design beautifully bridged backcountry camping between two cat skiing days with snowy spurts and a few powder pillows.

The glove dryer was (clearly) left at home, but these mitts didn’t feel damp inside, nor did they lose any insulation power. They kept my hands warm on the sleigh-like shuttle from the parking lot to the base of Big Sky. That performance hinges on the GORE-TEX waterproof insert and a PFC-free DWR coating that surrounds the leather.

Easy-to-Pull-On Winter Mittens

One detail that really sets apart this design is the slender pull loop on each cuff. It’s lean and doesn’t snag or get in the way. But it’s wide enough that I can fit four fingers side by side inside the loop, making it really easy to grab while wearing the mitts. I wouldn’t label these mitts as ergonomic, but the silhouette is slightly precurved, which helps with grabbing the cuffs or pull loops.

Leash designs can sometimes be too long or wide, in my opinion, leading to a general floppiness. These elastic leashes are slender, simple, comfortable, and gentle to pull around each wrist.

Soft Interior, Soft Nose Wipe

In addition to the waterproofness and windproofness, my hands equally appreciated the super-soft fleece liner. I also liked the generous nose wipe on each thumb, which went to good use in the frigid conditions.

Another unique detail I haven’t seen on other mitts is the basic yet strong snap that secures the pair. I wasn’t sure if it’d hold, but it does. I could quickly toss the duo into my ski pack or mountaineering tent. There are also carabiner loops near the top of the index finger, where the mitt is ergonomically precurved.

Overall Fit & Closure

I don’t have the largest or smallest hands, and these mittens felt just right. They’re not overly roomy, but my fingers could move around inside. The length didn’t leave my hands swimming like some mitts do.

And the gauntlets were a nice moderate length that could go over or under a jacket cuff. I appreciate being able to snug up the mitts with the webbing strap on the back of each hand, which I could easily grab while wearing the mitts. There’s also a locking shockcord at the hem. I used both of these features to help keep the cold air and snow out of my mitts.

Critiques

I’m hard pressed to find dislikes about this design. One drawback for some skiers and riders is that there are no options for colors. This mitt comes in a classic black. That’s what you get!

These mitts are not bulky. But as leather, they are inherently a bit thicker than the Arc’teryx Sabre Mitten, which has a hybrid leather-synthetic upper. They’re also denser than the two-layer Burton Women’s GORE-TEX Under Mittens, which lack leather altogether.

There’s no touchscreen compatibility like on the Burton Women’s GORE-TEX Under Mittens. But to be honest, I haven’t successfully used touchscreen fabric in a mitten. The shape doesn’t work well with a phone.

One ding is that these mitts don’t include five-finger glove liners. I didn’t need an additional layer while wearing the mittens. But it’s helpful to have liners for detailed tasks like pulling on my snowboard boots in the parking lot in -10 degrees. That would be a nice perk for the package, especially at this price. Ideally, the liners should be digitally compatible, too.

Who’s Best for the Montana Mittens

Without a doubt, The North Face Montana GORE-TEX Mitts entered my repertoire at exactly the right time. The conditions throughout Canada and the Western U.S. were absolutely polar while I tested this pair. Facing frigid temps, harsh wind, and snowfall, these mitts kept my hands happy, allowing me to ride 6-plus hours a day.

The Montana Mitts are not a good choice for warm, spring-like conditions or the season’s tail ends. These are what you want for core, cold winter days. With no vents or five-finger liners included, the insulation value is committing, which is perfect if you’re outside in the elements in subzero to freezing temps. The mitts are also an excellent choice for windy conditions.

If you are looking for toasty, durable, and premium winter mittens that are easier to pull on and off, thanks to a well-designed and simple pull tab, don’t overlook The North Face Montana GORE-TEX Mitts. They should be at the top of your list.