Gordini Storm Trooper II - Review 2023

Warm and Affordable with some Dexterity Drawbacks

We’ve tried and tested quite a few budget gloves over the years. While each has its merits, they always seem to come with caveats that make them more niche options. I think that the Storm Trooper II is the most well-rounded out of all the gloves I’ve tested in its price range.

It offers impressive warmth and features, including high quality materials such as Gore-Tex inserts and goat leather strips. Where it lacks in dexterity, making it less ideal for snowboarding and backcountry, it’ll nonetheless serve you well a few seasons on the slopes.

Warmth

I did quite a bit of research about the Storm Trooper II in anticipation of trying it out. Over and over again, I read the reports of reviewers surprised by how toasty these ski gloves kept their fingers on average ski days.

Of course, I wasn’t about to take their word for it, so my first experience with the Storm Trooper II was on an extended sidecountry hike to ski some low elevation trees. It wasn’t long before I stripped off my mid-layer and was quickly sweating through the gloves’ plush liners. They were definitely the wrong choice for the occasion, but I was left with a definitive impression- dang, these are some warm gloves.

But just how warm are they? Compared to other budget models that I’ve tested, there’s no competition. We’ll dig a little more into the construction details below, but the Storm Trooper II is built more like a premium resort glove than something cheap or a repurposed work glove.

Stacked up against premium alternatives, you can see where it flags slightly in performance. The Storm Trooper II can’t compare to high-end models such as these, but only when the weather is exceptionally cold. My gold standards for warmth are the Black Diamond Guide Glove and the Hestra Army Leather Extreme Mitt.

I’ve never had an issue with cold fingers, regardless of the mercury levels. But, if you should find yourself in need of a little more than what the glove’s fill can provide, there’s a zippered handwarmer pouch on the top side of each glove—more on that to come.

Dexterity

With great warmth comes greatly limited mobility. This is a very real rule of ski gloves. One should consider how much they need to use their hands before deciding on gloves they want to use for the day- or season.

The Storm Trooper II is no exception to this rule, and their very liberal use of synthetic insulation can make it rather difficult to accomplish any delicate motor tasks while you’re wearing them. I could tighten my boot’s cuff strap in more concrete terms but couldn’t do much with the buckles. Similarly, I could get my pockets unzipped if I needed to but couldn’t fish my pass out of them for the life of me.

They suffer from sausage finger syndrome- but they’re far from the least dexterous pair that I’ve ever tried. Other reviews that I’ve gone over have noted that the gauntlet cuff isn’t insulated on the supposition that this makes a big difference in wrist mobility. It’s not something that’s stood out to me, although the more compact gauntlet can be tucked under your jacket sleeve if you should feel the need.

Weather Resistance

Any glove worth its salt needs to shine when the sun isn’t. Fortunately for all of us up in the country’s rainy corner, the Storm Trooper II is ready to weather whatever weather decides to roll through.

On wet and windy days, the Storm Trooper II effectively insulated my fingers so long as I kept them on. The cuff, mentioned above, can be cinched up high above the wrist to provide a dependable weatherproof seal. The Gore-Tex insert let my sometimes sweaty hands dry out and prevented wind from biting through on bumpy chairlift rides.

The only place I’ve noticed any points of failure is the zippered handwarmer pouch. This was only after an entire day of skiing in the rain- but a point of failure nonetheless.

For fair-weather riders or for those of us who don’t ski in the alpine equivalent of swamplands- the Storm Trooper II should be more than enough to keep you warm and dry most days of the season.

Durability and Materials

When you look at the materials that go into the Storm Trooper II, it’s easy to see why it holds up so well. Its build specs look like most of the premium models I’ve reviewed, and the integrity of its build reads right out of the packaging.

Stitching is a common point of failure in gloves, and is an easy indicator of their overall quality. The Storm Trooper II takes some major preventative measures in their stitching- the seams are hearty and have held up even when I’ve had to hold onto a sapling or two trying to sideslip into a sketchy, iced-over chute.

Gordini has also strategically reinforced high-use areas with goat leather to add an element of robustness where you’re most likely to rub through the nylon. I’ve noticed the Megaloft synthetic fill packing down a little bit as the weeks have worn on- but that’s not in any way exceptional. If Gordini had invented an insulative layer that never loses its loft, I’m sure the Storm Trooper II would be going for a whole not more than the humble price tag it currently holds.

I think the average skier can expect many seasons from a pair. The additional research I’ve done on these gloves corroborates this hypothesis. I’ve yet to spend the years required with the Storm Trooper to give it the true bombproof seal of approval but based on how well it’s held up under the nylon shredding conditions I’ve run it through- I’m impressed.

Features

Another metric we use to measure the quality of a given glove (aside from warmth and dexterity) is the number of features packed into the shell. The Storm Trooper II comes equipped with a generous array of features for its price range. Below we’ll break them down piece by piece.

Nylon and Goatskin Shell

Nylon and leather are a classic combination used in nearly every top-performing glove I’ve ever tested. The moisture-resistant properties of a nylon shell, along with its comparative resistance to tears and snags, make it an ideal textile choice for a harsh alpine environment.

Goatskin, and any quality leather for that matter, help add some much-needed resilience in high-wear areas. Places like the palm, thumb pad, and around the knuckles are prone to degradation after extended use- a few cleverly placed strips of leather help a great deal. There isn’t as much here as in some premium selections, but certainly enough to make a difference.

Gore-Tex Inserts

If you haven’t heard, Gore-Tex is one of the outdoor industry’s favorite materials for balancing waterproofing with breathability. I’ve noticed that the inserts, in this case, make a big difference on wet and windy days.

There’s no concrete comparison I can draw between the inserts in the Storm Trooper II and other gloves, but I’m glad they’re there nonetheless.

Synthetic Fill Liner

Synthetic insulation is a no-brainer for gloves. There’s nothing exceptional about the Megaloft fill that the Storm Trooper uses to keep you warm. It’s generously applied and more than adequate for most days on the mountain. It’s more durable than down, and it stays warm while wet.

Critiques I have for the insulation are how much it cuts down on your ability to move around and that it’s not removable. The fill starts to break in nicely at around the week mark and adds a modicum of dexterity- but not enough to make much of a practical difference. It would also be nice to wash the liner separately from the rest of the glove.

Handwarmer Pocket

A handwarmer pocket is a nice thought. But it tends to complicate things more than the worth of the heat it provides. The handwarmer pocket stood out as a point of failure in wet conditions, and I sometimes found myself forgetting to keep it zipped and ended up scooping out snow after a fall.

There’s a reason that the two warmest gloves that I’ve tested haven’t featured a dedicated handwarmer pocket. Not only are these single-use solutions likely to end up ground down into the snow of the base area at the end of the day, but they’re also at best a temporary solution. Most people on most days will be fine with what the Storm Trooper II can provide, and if you need more, I’d steer you to a glove warmer.

Gauntleted Cuff

Again there’s nothing exceptional about the Storm Trooper II’s cuff. I found it adequate in all respects to keep me protected from wind and snow. I mentioned above that other reviewers thought the lack of insulation was a nice touch for layering the gunter under jacket cuffs. To me, this seemed like more of a coincidence and not an approach to layering that I would usually take.

Removable Leash

I love having a wrist leash for my gloves- they’ve saved me a lot of trouble dropping my gloves off the chairlift or down the hill while I make gear adjustments or dig for something in my pockets.

There are longer, more elastic leashes out there, but the Storm Trooper II is more than adequate for daily usage. I’ve never found a reason to take them off- but it’s nice to know that you can if the need should arise.

Who’s it for?

Given the great value and enduring practicality of the Storm Trooper II, it’s easier to address who it’s not for.

First and foremost, this isn’t a glove for any technical applications. I took it in the backcountry, so you don’t have to, and I would be hard-pressed into giving it another go-round. It’s simply too warm and lacks the mobility for use off of the ski resort. Similarly, industry professionals or ski parents with an arsenal of tiny gear to adjust may run into dexterity issues.

While I was impressed with the warmth that the Storm Trooper II offered, you don’t get the same degree provided by significantly pricer alternatives. If you often have issues staying warm enough- you may want to consider options beyond a handwarmer pocket.

All told, the Storm Trooper II is an excellent choice for not just skiers on a budget but anyone seeking a warm, dependable glove to last through several seasons. We’ll dig into some of the alternatives below, but anyone curious for more on how we rate our gloves and side-by-side comparisons of more of our favorites can check out our best-of page here.

The Competition

The Storm Trooper II is a longstanding budget favorite for a reason. You’ll have a hard time finding anything that does what the Storm Trooper II is capable of in a similar price range. That being said, Kinco brand work gloves are even more affordable and can arguably outcompete the Storm Trooper in terms of toughness and staying power.

If you want more warmth- the closest thing I can direct you toward is the Black Diamond Guide Glove, an expedition-ready bomb shelter worthy of the most inclement weather in the world. You’ll pay a premium and suffer from the same limited mobility- but get exactly what you pay for in terms of keeping your fingers warm and protected.

If you like the sound of the Storm Trooper II but are considering more of a lateral move in quality, the Burton Gore-Tex Glove has many of the same features and selling points as the Storm Trooper II, for a comparable price. It may even hold up a little better in exceptionally wet conditions.