Outdoor Research Mt. Baker II Ski Mitten Review
Updated:
Nov 13, 2025The Outdoor Research Mt. Baker II GTX ($179) is a hardshell for your hands, courtesy of a 3-layer, seam-sealed Gore-Tex material that comprises the outer layer of the mitten. Inside, the removable liner features synthetic PrimaLoft Gold insulation, meaning these mittens will keep your hands warm into the single digits (and probably beyond). While they’re expensive and not the most comfortable mittens we’ve ever worn, that’s probably not why you're buying them. If you’re looking for maximum waterproof protection and warmth, put the Mt. Baker II GTX on your short list.
Warmth
Waterproofing
Dexterity
Comfort
Durability
Sustainability
Waterproofing
Gore-Tex
Shell
Synthetic
Cuff style
Gauntlet
Liner
Removable
Pros
Cons
Outdoor Research Mt. Baker II Gore-Tex
For this season's top models, see our guide to the Best Ski Mittens.
The highest compliment we can pay this mitten is that we’d wear it on the summit of its namesake peak—and on a cold day, at that. The Mt. Baker’s removable glove-style liner is stuffed with 340-gram synthetic PrimaLoft Gold insulation and backed with fleece. A glove liner is less ideal than a mitten-shaped liner for retaining warmth, but the Mt. Baker’s insulation is primo, and its hardshell exterior also traps heat. That construction was plenty warm for our testers, even those whose extremities run cold; honestly, we’ve yet to reach this mitten’s lower limit. On Windy Ridge, the hike-to area of Mission Ridge in Washington, the mitten even overcame one tester’s self-described “useless circulation” in 15 degrees Fahrenheit and much lower windchill, effectively preventing his digits from icing over.
If you want to wear the Outdoor Research Mt. Baker II GTX season-long, we’ve found that its upper limit ranges between 30 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit, depending on how warm your hands get. The ability to remove the liner and wear just the shell, with a lighter liner or without, is greatly appreciated for extending the versatility of this mitten. We also love that you can wear the liner glove by itself in dry conditions: It’s well-built and has touchscreen-compatible fingertips.
The Mt. Baker was designed in the Pacific Northwest and takes its name from one of the Cascade’s most prominent peaks, so it tracks that this mitten is dialed for handling the wettest, coldest conditions the mountain can throw at you. The Mt. Baker’s shell is a similar construction to what you’d find in an expensive hardshell jacket: A 3-layer Gore-Tex membrane with stiff, seam-taped nylon face fabric. A long gauntlet extends up your forearm, and you can seal the opening with a drawcord.
Taken altogether, this construction makes the Mt. Baker impenetrable to snow, rain, and wind. It far exceeds any other ski mittens we’ve tested. Even compared to a popular winter mitten like the Black Diamond Mercury, we’d feel far more confident wearing the Mt. Baker in foul weather. Given the Mt. Baker’s price, skiers and riders in dry climates (Colorado, the Canadian Rockies, etc.) might not need this much protection, but if wet snow—and lots of it—is in your future, this mitten offers unmitigated protection.
It’s difficult to perform most tasks while wearing the Mt. Baker. We have to remove the mittens to operate a zipper or pull our goggles down over our face; even adjusting snowboard bindings can be an event. If you’re a skier or ice climber, don’t expect to get a solid grip on a ski pole or ice tool while wearing the Mt. Baker. Even for a ski mitten, that’s suboptimal performance. As we mentioned above, the root of these issues is the Mt. Baker’s dedication to thick, waterproof, and warm materials. One redeeming quality: By removing the shell and using the liner glove, you can grab items like a zipper pull while still protecting your hands from the cold. Still, that’s a tedious task if you have to frequently repeat it.
The Outdoor Research Mt. Baker II GTX prioritizes warmth and weather protection, so comfort is somewhat of an afterthought. This mitten is enormous and constructed with burly materials, and it consequently has the feel of a stiff boxing glove at the end of the arm. The shell fabric is particularly rigid and crinkly; if worn without the liner, it won’t feel fantastic against your skin (we recommend pairing it with a thin liner). That said, the interior of the liner glove is fleece-lined and quite cozy. Designers employed two types of fleece—a high-pile version on the liner’s palm side and a lower-profile fleece along the back of the hand. Both sides are super-soft and wick moisture efficiently. The standout quality and feel of the fleece line up with the mitten's high price tag.
Your ski legs might give out before this mitten does. The Mt. Baker’s face fabric is 70-denier nylon, which would be impressive in a ski jacket; in a ski mitten, it’s downright unbeatable. Ski edges, tree branches, and whatever else you can think of won’t make a dent. We’re confident the Mt. Baker will last for years, including its Gore-Tex waterproofing, which is among the most durable constructions on the market. The liners may pack out over time, but you can wear almost any replacement liner underneath (they might not be as warm as the stock liners, though).
It’s a nitpick, but two areas in which the Mt. Baker’s durability falters are the wrist leash and the gauntlet cinch. The former is essentially just a string; the latter’s cord is overly stretchy and thin, and it occasionally requires retightening. We’ve even heard of someone accidentally pulling off their gauntlet cinch. Given the rest of the Mt. Baker’s excellent construction, these two design foibles are unfortunate but not terribly impactful.
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Longevity
Choosing durable outdoor gear and keeping it in use for longer is one of the best ways to reduce environmental impact. Our proprietary longevity rating assesses factors like overall build quality, materials, fabric denier, component durability, and real-world performance. A green check indicates that we expect the product to be long-lasting relative to its peers, a yellow check mark indicates average longevity, and a red X indicates a product that may have a limited lifespan.
PFAS-Free DWR
Durable water-repellent (DWR) finishes can contain PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). These highly persistent “forever chemicals” are used in outdoor gear for their strong resistance to water, oil, and heat, but are linked to environmental contamination and a range of health concerns. A green check mark indicates the product uses a PFAS-free DWR, while a red X means the DWR contains PFAS.
PFAS-Free Waterproof Membrane
The membranes used in waterproof products such as rain jackets, ski jackets, and shoes can contain PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). These highly persistent “forever chemicals” are valued for their resistance to water, oil, and heat, but are linked to environmental contamination and a range of health concerns. A green check mark indicates the product’s waterproof membrane is PFAS-free, while a red X means it contains PFAS.
Recycled Materials
Recycled materials are prevalent in outdoor gear, with nylon, polyester, wool, and down among the most common, but the composition varies widely. A green check mark indicates the product is made with a substantial amount of recycled materials (100% recycled or the core fabric that makes up most of the product is recycled), a yellow check means it contains a moderate to small amount of recycled materials, while a red X means there are no recycled materials in the product.
Bluesign Approved
Bluesign Technologies, based in Switzerland, operates a third-party textile management system that ensures materials are manufactured to strict environmental, chemical, and worker safety standards. A green check mark indicates a product is either a Bluesign Product (contains at least 90% Bluesign-approved fabrics and 20-30% Bluesign-approved accessories) or features a significant amount of Bluesign-approved materials. A yellow check mark means it uses some Bluesign-approved materials but less than the aforementioned category, and a red X means there are no Bluesign-approved materials in the product.
Responsible Manufacturing
This criterion evaluates a brand’s commitment to fair wages, safe working conditions, and reducing environmental impact through certifications and programs like Fair Trade Certified, Fair Wear Foundation, Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP), and the Fair Labor Association, while also recognizing brands that manufacture primarily in the U.S. or Europe under strict labor and environmental regulations. A green check mark indicates a brand meets our responsible manufacturing criteria, while a red X means it does not.
Recycled and/or Reduced Packaging
Packaging can add significant waste to outdoor gear purchases, so many brands work to reduce its impact by using recycled materials, incorporating Forest Stewardship Council-certified paper products, and minimizing plastic and paper use. A green check mark indicates a brand uses recycled or reduced materials across all of its packaging, a yellow check indicates moderate or limited use of recycled or reduced packaging, and a red X indicates the brand does not make either of these efforts.
Resale and/or Recycling Services
Resale and recycling programs help keep outdoor gear in circulation longer and out of landfills, ranging from trade-in resale platforms that offer store credit to take-back initiatives that recycle products at the end of their usable life. A green check mark indicates a brand offers both resale and recycling programs, a yellow check mark indicates it offers one or the two, and a red X indicates it offers neither.
Carbon Footprint Tracking
This criterion evaluates whether a brand measures, reports, and works to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions using established frameworks such as the Higg Index, Greenhouse Gas Protocol, or The Change Climate Project. A green check mark indicates a brand publicly reports greenhouse gas emissions data, sets clearly defined reduction targets, and uses established tracking frameworks such as Higg or The Change Climate Project. A yellow check mark indicates the brand tracks emissions and outlines reduction goals but provides limited data, lacks science-based verification, or does not clearly report progress. A red X indicates the brand does not appear to track greenhouse gas emissions or provides so little information that its efforts cannot be verified.
Annual Impact Report
Annual impact reports provide transparency and accountability by outlining a brand’s sustainability efforts across areas such as material sourcing, greenhouse gas emissions, waste, water use, supply chains, and packaging. A green check mark indicates a brand publishes a detailed, brand-specific impact report that closely aligns with our sustainability criteria and leaves little room for ambiguity. A yellow check indicates a brand provides some relevant sustainability reporting but lacks detail in key areas or is covered only briefly within a parent company report. A red X indicates a brand does not regularly publish an impact report.
Wrist Leash
As mentioned above, Mt. Baker’s wrist leash is underwhelming. This is a disappointment, as the mitten’s lack of dexterity means you’ll be taking it on and off to perform basic functions. It’d be nice to have a more comfortable leash that offered a more secure attachment.
Glove Attachment Buckle
The individual mitts attach to each other with a small buckle, making the connection quick and simple. The top of each mitt’s hand also has a loop for hanging the pair from a carabiner—handy for ski touring or ice climbing.
Touchscreen-Compatible Liner
The Mt. Baker’s insulated liner glove features touchscreen-compatible fingertips, which work well despite the lofty insulation underneath. As a whole, the liner glove is one of our favorite features of the mitten. Given that the outer mitt is so bulky that wearers will have to frequently take it off, it’s a nice option to have a glove underneath that’s both warm and functional.
Outdoor Research offers the Mt. Baker in five unisex sizes from XS to XL. Due to the unisex sizing, we recommend that most women size down from their standard women’s size. A female tester who tried the Outdoor Research Mt. Baker II GTX in her usual size struggled with extra room at the top of her hands and could barely hold onto her poles. One of our male testers reported that his standard size L provided an expected fit in length and volume.
Black Diamond Mercury ($140): Slightly Lower Performance, Much Better Price
The Black Diamond Mercury is also a solid pick for wet and cold conditions. It’s even a bit warmer than the Baker: Both mittens feature a 340-gram PrimaLoft Gold liner, but the Mercury’s mitten liner inherently offers more warmth than the Baker’s glove. For $40 less, the Mercury is also more dexterous and comfortable, thanks to a four-way stretch shell and a supple leather palm. Its BD.dry waterproof insert in the liner can’t match the Mt. Baker’s Gore-Tex shell, but if price is a top consideration and you don’t anticipate being frequently socked in by wicked weather, the Mercury will do you just fine. For more, read our review of the Black Diamond Mercury Mitt.
Hestra Army Leather Heli Mitt ($185): More Comfort, Less Weather Protection
The Hestra Army Leather Heli Ski Mitt is designed with priorities opposite to those of the Mt. Baker, elevating comfort over weather protection and durability. It features a waterproof membrane only on the back of the hand; unless you maintain routine waterproof treatments on the leather palm, you won’t want to test it while storm skiing or in wet conditions. Its polyamide back and supple leather palm are also nowhere near as durable as the Mt. Baker’s nylon construction. But the Heli is comparable to the Baker in terms of warmth, its supple build is lightyears more dextrous and comfortable, and it has a less techy look if that’s your thing. For more, read our review of the Hestra Army Leather Heli Mitt.
Outdoor Research Alti II Gore-Tex Mitts ($209): Expedition-Level Warmth
The Outdoor Research Alti II shares a similar two-piece design with the Mt. Baker II, but it ratchets the warmth way up. While the Mt. Baker pairs an uninsulated shell with a 340-gram insulated liner glove, the Alti II adds 170 grams of PrimaLoft to the shell itself—resulting in one of the warmest, most weatherproof mittens you can buy. This is true expedition gear, built for 8,000-meter peaks and polar travel, not ski-area comfort laps. Dexterity is minimal and gripping a ski pole feels comical, but cold-handed snowboarders or anyone preparing for truly brutal conditions might appreciate its no-compromise design.
The Mt. Baker offers the height of function, with no-holds-barred waterproof protection and a removable glove liner that works well for standalone use. However, comfort is compromised due to the hardshell-like build, and the mitten is too bulky for most tasks—even holding a pole is challenging.
Warmth
Waterproofing
Dexterity
Comfort
Durability
Sustainability
The Mercury is an ideal mitten for cold-handed skiers, with a cozy interior, powerful insulation, and reliable waterproofing. However, it's on the bulky side for holding onto a ski pole and does not include leashes.
Warmth
Waterproofing
Dexterity
Comfort
Durability
Sustainability
One of Hestra’s most popular ski mittens, the Army Leather Heli is warm and cozy and features a removable liner for easy laundering and drying. It’s not fully waterproof, though, so we don’t recommend it for skiers who routinely get out in wet conditions.
Warmth
Waterproofing
Dexterity
Comfort
Durability
Sustainability
Is the Mt. Baker Mitt for You?
Thanks to its hardshell exterior and PrimaLoft-stuffed liner, the Outdoor Research Mt. Baker II Gore-Tex stands out as a purpose-built bulwark against cold, wet weather. Its Gore-Tex membrane and 70-denier face fabric mean you’ll never feel a trickle inside the mitten, and the fleece-lined liner excels both as part of the mitten system and as a standalone, fair-weather glove. We don’t think there’s a more protective ski mitten on the market, which makes us more than willing to overlook the high price and substandard dexterity. As the first—and last—line of defense in the face of the elements, you couldn’t choose a better mitten.
pray for snow
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