Lara Dunn shares her verdict on the Outdoor Research Arete Modular Gore-Tex gloves after rigorous testing.
First impressions of the Arete Modular Gore-Tex Glove are that it’s impressively blessed in the insulation department, thanks to a combination of Gore-Tex EnduraLoftÔ insulation throughout the glove with a fleece liner glove. The liner simply pulls out and secures to the shell with a couple of Velcro tabs.
Lara Dunn’s verdict
An impressive looking pair of gloves that promise a lot at a high price, but with some design and performance still to be resolved.- Versatile modular design with separate liners
- somewhat bulky
- liners tricky to get back in
| Quick specs |
|---|
| Price: $120 | £130 (available from Outdoor Research) |
| Weight: 261g (pair size M) |
| Materials: Gore-Tex shell with Gore-Tex EnduraLoftÔ insulation, polyester fleece liners |
| Features: Waterproof shell with waterproof breathable insulation, removable fleece liner gloves with touchscreen finger, wrist adjustment, security lanyards, leather palm, clip together |
| Sizes: S-XL |
| Men’s version: Unisex |
| www.outdoorresearch.com |
Designed for cold variable conditions, they are fully featured and well made with adjustable tabs to cinch in the wrists, generous cuffs and lanyards to make sure they don’t get dropped when not on. They also clip together. These gloves do deliver on warmth, especially when both layers are worn together. But, with both layers on they are bulky and limit dexterity, making it very difficult to operate any buckles, straps, zips or unwrap food wrappers.
They have quite a loose boxy fit when worn as just the insulated outer shell, and the fleece liner gloves when worn alone are also loose fitting, making them less than perfect in terms of insulation or dexterity. It’s also quite tricky to get the outers back on if you have taken them off, leaving the liners on. There’s little spare space between them and they take some wriggling to get the fingers seated back securely.
The only touchscreen patch is on the liner gloves so there’s a good chance you’ll be taking the outers off at some point. The shells are superbly weatherproof, keeping out rain and snow admirably, but the elastic adjustment strap at the wrists does wet out, no biggy but surprising.
An impressive looking pair of gloves that promise a lot at a high price, but with some design and performance still to be resolved.
How we tested
Lara used the gloves throughout winter and into a cold spring on a variety of walks and hikes in the Malvern Hills, Black Mountains and Brecon Beacons. She has medium sized hands with good circulation. This review was first published in the January 2026 issue of The Great Outdoors. To compare it with similar models, browse our guide to the best winter gloves.
