Outdoor Research Prevail Heated GORE-TEX Gloves and Mittens Review
Battery-powdered heated gloves for extreme cold and people who are always cold
December 29th, 2025
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Our verdict
For many people, heated gloves may be overkill. But for extremely cold temperatures (or Raynaud’s sufferers!) the Outdoor Research Prevail gloves are the key to staying warm and happy out in the snow. We've been testing the Outdoor Research Prevail Heated GORE-TEX Gloves for the past three years, since they were released in 2022. Before that, we had been testing their previous iteration, the Outdoor Research Lucent Heated gloves, for three years.
We chose the OR Prevail Heated GORE-TEX Gloves as our best pick for Heated Gloves and Raynaud’s in our Best Winter Gloves guide and in our Best Ski Gloves Guide!) because of the customizable heat settings, waterproofness, windproofness, breathability, rechargeable batteries, battery life, and warmth without the heaters on. (Not to mention, they’re touchscreen compatible!)
Unlike some other heated gloves on the market, the Prevail Heated Gloves are incredibly easy to use: to turn on the battery, simply press the “OR” button on the top of your forearm—the LED will light up, so you know it’s working.
We will warn you—the price nearly bowled us over. But if you have the money (and the need) for ultra-warm gloves, these are your pick. Outdoor Research also has an “Infinite Guarantee,” so the money you drop now will be worth it in the long run.
The price barrier on the Prevail Heated Gloves is high, but for those who can't keep their hands warm any other way, it can be worth it.
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Outdoor Research Prevail Heated GORE-TEX Gloves Specs
Touchscreen Compatible? Yes, leather index and thumb fingertip
Material: Outer: Woven polyester and nylon. Palm: Goat leather. Insulation: Enduraloft
Insulated: Yes
Closure: Drawcord
Comparison table
| SKI GLOVE | WATERPROOF SHELL MATERIAL | INSULATION | REMOVABLE LINER | CLOSURE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Outdoor Research Prevail Heated Gloves Men's Women's |
Woven polyester and nylon | Enduraloft | No | Drawcord |
| Outdoor Research Alti II Mittens Men's Women's |
Gore-Tex Membrane | PrimaLoft Gold | Yes | SuperCinch, Elastic Cuff |
| Hestra Fall Line Men's Women's |
Impregnanted cowhide | G-3 Polyester | Yes | Neoprene cuff, hook and loop |
| Black Diamond Mercury Mittens Men's Women's |
BDry insert | 340 g PrimaLoft Gold | Yes | Cinch wrist strap, Drawcord |
| Black Diamond Guide Gloves Men's Women's |
Gore-Tex, Goat Leather | PrimaLoft One (170g), fleece | Yes | Drawcord |
What we liked
Heating system integrated into liners
Breathability to keep from sweating
Still warm gloves without heating element
Much easier and more intuitive to use than other heated gloves on the market
What we didn’t like
Price
Some people encounter fit issues on the fingers (this was not an issue with the mittens, making a strong argument for mitten vs. glove)
Needs a wall charger instead of using USB-C
Weight
Batteries don't last forever and take 6 hours to charge, making them less suited for multi-day trips
How we tested
Before testing the Prevails, we spent years testing its predecessor, the Outdoor Research Lucent heated gloves
We've been testing the Outdoor Research Prevail Heated gloves for the past four years. Before that, we had been testing their previous iteration, the Outdoor Research Lucent Heated gloves, for three years.
We've tested the Outdoor Research Prevail Mittens and the Outdoor Research Prevail gloves on countless winter trips in all kinds of weather, so we can speak to the effectiveness of both models.
We've had men's and women's testers taking these gloves skiing, mountaineering, snowshoeing, on hut trips, and winter hiking, as well as hanging out in the cold.
Our testers have taken OR Prevail from Colorado, Maine, Oregon, Washington, and backcountry skiing nearly daily through winter in the Eastern Sierra.
In each case, we tested and asked people to report back based on pre-determined criteria features, like warmth, dexterity, waterproofness, windproofness, comfort and fit, and battery life.
Features
Waterproofing and breathability
The Prevail Heated Gloves have a GORE-TEX insert for water and windproofness, but that allows for breathability—that way, your hands stay warm without getting sweaty!
Warmth and insulation
The Lucent Heated Gloves have Enduraloft insulation (“333 grams on the back of each hand, 200 grams at the palm, 133 grams at the gauntlet” according to Gear Patrol) for extra insulation. After all, these gloves need to be warm even when the battery isn’t operating.
Shell material
The glove shell is made from nylon with goat leather palms and fingers, and there’s molded foam protection over each finger for more warmth and durability. (A long gauntlet and wrist leashes don’t hurt, either!)
Heating wires
Testers really loved that the heating wires were woven into the liner rather than between the liner and the outer shell glove, like many other heated gloves on the market.
Battery life
The battery life isn’t shabby, either—they last about 8 hours on the “low” setting, about 4.5 hours on the “medium” setting, and about 2.5 hours on the “high” setting. (Most other heated gloves only last up to 2.5 hours, too!)
Charging
To recharge, plug the charger into a wall outlet and insert the battery packs. General time from 0% to 100% battery is about six hours, and the indicator light will turn green.
As battery technology has improved, we wish that it were rechargeable via USB instead of wall charger. That would mean you could top it off during a car ride to the resort or trailhead.
What's included
The OR Prevail Glove kit minus the simple mesh carrying sack. Photo by Trey French
The glove and mitten versions of the Prevails come with two batteries (one for each hand) that are rechargeable via a wall outlet.
Outdoor Research includes two different outlet attachments for international use, as well.
A convenient carry bag zips up all of your key components so you won’t lose the charger en route to the ski hill.
Outdoor Research sells replacement batteries if batteries were to get lost or if you need more battery life for a day of skiing than a single set can provide.
OR also recommends replacing the batteries yearly if you want to keep their original battery run time, as with all lithium ion batteries.
Performance in the field
One of our testers, notorious for piling on layers when everyone else is stripping them off on the uphill, was skeptical about testing heated gloves.
He’s an avid adventurer who’s used to the Pacific Northwest chill but found Colorado’s high altitude even more of an issue for his cold fingers. He was shocked when he put them on (in 15 degrees at an outdoor brewery). “My big problem is that gloves are cold when I go to put them on, which means I have to warm up the glove to warm up my fingers. Having pre-heated gloves is a game-changer. I don’t have to flap my arms anymore while everyone else is eating snacks just to feel my fingers.”
Note that the Prevails are not meant to be used for backcountry skiing where an avalanche beacon is being used due to potential interference with the beacon, which poses a safety issue. That said, resort uphill skiing where no beacon is needed works great. In fact, one tester found herself a 30 minutes uphill skin and ski away from the truck at a resort at sunset with numb and painful fingers before switching the Prevails to the high setting and regaining feeling and comfort to get back safely.
One reviewer was told by her doctor that the only way to stay pain-free from her Raynaud’s was to stay warm with heated gloves. She said, “I have tried everything you can imagine, from all types of gloves, Hot Hands packs with the iron pellets in them, and even tried two pairs of gloves, but so far, nothing has been as good as this new pair of [Outdoor Research Lucent Heated] gloves.” For up to two hours near 0℉, she was pain-free! “Even with the high price, all I can say is they work, they are the only thing that's worked so far, and that's saying something.”
Value for the price
Of course, the price is a deterrent for most people. Other dings were the weight (the batteries add about 9 ounces each), and the dexterity (more insulation = less dexterity). Still, multiple everyday users wrote in that these gloves were lifesavers that allowed them to be outdoors in the winter even as they experience Raynaud’s.
Heated Mittens Or Gloves?
We tested both the Prevail gloves and Prevail mittens.
One of our testers prefers the mittens version of the Heated Prevail because of the fit. Some testers find that the fingers on the gloves can feel tight or stiff. Those with muscular fingers (like rock climbers) may also find the finger fit of the glove to run tight for the declared size. One of our testers is a climber who had no issues with the finger fit of the older Lucents.
A Treeline tester did struggle at first with getting the gloves on over her fingers in the Prevails until they began to stretch out with a few full days of lift-served skiing. She also found the fingers to be a little short for her, but the overall fit of the remainder of the glove fit as described in OR’s sizing chart. Read our section in our Best Ski Gloves guide on the debate behind Gloves vs. Mittens and the pros and cons of both.
View Outdoor Research Prevail Heated GORE-TEX Mittens
Who should buy
Buy if you have Raynaud's (or suspect you have Raynaud's) or otherwise very cold hands and can stomach the high price. It is one of the only things our testers with Raynaud's have found that actually works.
Skip if you've found other gloves warm enough and are looking for something more affordable.
Where to buy the OR Prevail Gloves?
The OR Prevail Heated Gloves are popular gear items, so you have options when it comes to retailers. Here are some of the pros of the retailers.
REI
Pros: 100% satisfaction policy for 1 year; 10% dividend for members.
Amazon
Pros: Free 2-day shipping with Amazon Prime membership
Backcountry
Pros: Frequent sales for Expedition Perks members (free to join), fast shipping, Gearhead chat customer service is excellent
Evo
Pros: 365 day returns, store locations in ski towns for easy last-minute pick-up, may offer rentals if you want to try before you buy, earn 10% back in Rewards
Similar Products
Outdoor Research Alti II Mitts
Waterproofing Shell Material: Gore-Tex Membrane, Pittards Armortan Leather
Insulation: Primaloft Gold
Removable Liner: Yes
Closure: SuperCinch and Elastic Cuff
We tested the Alti II Mitts side-by-side with the OR Prevail Heated gloves. They are our winner for Best for Powder Days and Raynaud's because they're just that warm. But unlike the Prevail, they don't generate their own heat. Our cold-handed testers own both and choose between the two depending on trip conditions.
Our rule of thumb: We prefer the Alti II Mitts for longer trips where the Prevail's battery life just won't last long enough to justify the weight of carrying them in. We prefer the Prevail for snowy day trips or situations where it'll be easier to charge at the end of the day.
The Alti II Mitts are a double-mitten construction—an outer GORE-TEX shell and a water-resistant liner mitten—that means you can wear them in three ways: just the shell, just the liner, or both. The liner and the shell connect with easy Velcro, so no fussing with buttons or zippers or the like; just slide on the shells, and the Velcro around your wrists connects the two. This gives the ski mitten a variety of situations to excel in, but most of all combine into a snowy-cold champion.
Outdoor Research Alti II Mitts
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Hestra Fall Line Gloves
Waterproofing: Impregnated cowhide
Insulation: G-3 Polyester
Removable Liner: Yes
Closure: Neoprene Cuff, hook and loop
We chose the Hestra Fall Line Gloves as the Best All-Around Ski Gloves based on their warmth, comfort, waterproofness, dexterity, and durability. With overwhelmingly positive reviews across the board, the Fall Line Gloves are above and beyond your average skiing glove in terms of effectiveness for both resort and backcountry skiing. They also won Best Waterproof and Windproof in our Best Winter Gloves guide.
With a waterproof cowhide leather exterior, making snowballs won’t soak these gloves. The super-soft polyester lining wicks away moisture from your hands (which keeps them exponentially warmer), while the foam insulation surrounding each finger is designed to retain warmth, even when damp.
However, they aren't nearly as warm as the OR Prevail gloves and don't come with a heated battery pack. Gloves work by insulating your hands and keeping the warmth in. But if your hands aren't generating enough heat, an external warmth source like the battery-powered heater in the OR Prevail gloves may be the only thing that will work.
Hestra Fall Line Gloves
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Black Diamond Mercury Mitts
Waterproofing: BDry insert
Insulation: Primaloft
Removable Liner: 340 g Primaloft Gold
Closure: Cinch wrist strap, drawcord
The Black Diamond Mercury Mittens as the Best Gloves for Extreme Weather and Powder Days based on their warmth, waterproofness, versatility, and bomber reinforced stitching. With a rating down to -29०F there were overwhelming calls of “the warmest mitten ever!” across the media we reviewed.
These gauntlet cuffs fit snugly over (or under) coat sleeves. Unlike other winter gloves that we considered, there’s also a cinching wrist to keep snow from blowing down into your hand should you, say, yard sale all over the ski hill.
However, the battery pack that generates warmth on the OR Prevail is worth it for people whose hands are cold even before the gloves go in.
Black Diamond Mercury Mitts
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Why you should trust us
Skiing brought me into the world of outdoor recreation, and I’ve never wanted to leave. I learned to ski at a tiny hometown mountain (Holiday Mountain) in upstate New York at the ripe age of five, grew up on other small hometown mountains (Monarch, Cooper, and Copper) in Colorado, and moved on to skiing backcountry lines in Alaska, British Columbia, the Yukon, Japan, and around New England. While I’m no Angel Collinson, I can hold my own. (On the descent, at least. Someone’s got to bring up the rear up the skin track!)
Spending winters in the cold climates of Alaska, Colorado, and Maine, I’m no stranger to frozen fingers. I’ve taught ski school in a blizzard, tied into a rappel line in freezing temperatures, responded to semi-trucks on fire on a frigid Christmas Day, and dug out cars from sugar-snow ditches at midnight.
My gear expertise stems from 6 years of gear reviews for Backpacker Magazine, 7 years of guiding, and a plethora of gear-head friends. In addition, I’ve written outdoor lifestyle pieces for Powder 7’s Lift Line Blog and REI’s Uncommon Path Magazine. I’ve also covered gear reviews on Dog Backpacks, Life Jackets and Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs), Kids’ Life Jackets and PFDs, and Camping Chairs for Treeline Review. For additional publications and upcoming articles, check out my website.
Let it be known: no one in my family (including myself) is sponsored, an ambassador, or an employee of any of the companies mentioned here. This is an unbiased review, and we do this to help you find the best product for the price. Treeline Review doesn’t accept sponsored content, native advertising, or paid reviews.
You can see all of Josette’s guides at her author page.
