Gordini Cache Gauntlet Glove

A good use of synthetic material to make a tough glove that resists water and dries out quickly. With additional glove liners they work well in cold temperatures.

I’ve given up on finding the one perfect glove and now I keep a half dozen pairs for different activities like running, climbing, winter camping, and skiing. The Gordini Cache definitely fit into a couple of those slots.  

The Cache gloves fit nicely into the skiing and alpine mountaineering slot in my glove quiver.

Manufacturer claims:

• Shell and lining are bluesign APPROVED
• Rugged waterproof, breathable nylon canvas shell
• Water-resistant CLUTCH synthetic leather fingers and reinforcements
• AquaBloc waterproof, windproof, breathable insert
• Primaloft insulation is bluesign APPROVED
• Moisture-wicking lining
• Gauntlet cuff with drawcord closure and wrist strap
• Cuff pull tab for easy-on, easy-off
• Leash

Features:

The Cache Gauntlet Gloves have some pretty burly knuckle padding for those of you who punch yetis, yaks, or trees while you ski/climb/etc. I haven’t had the pleasure of using the padding yet, but when you need it, you’ll be glad for it. 

The wrist cinch keeps the gloves snug to your wrist. It's not as if the glove will fly off unless you get swept up in an avalanche or something, but it does seal in the heat on really cold days. 

The gloves clip together like literally all gloves do these days, which is nice when you are rummaging through your glove bin looking for them. 

The cuffs have an elastic cinch, like pretty much all gauntlet style gloves do.  This one has a large knob to make adjusting easy while gloved-up.

Also, at the cuff there is a synthetic leather pull tab you can use to attach them to a carabiner. Not a bad feature, but in this configuration, if you did this they’d fill up with snow.

I’m a fan of the “idiot straps,” aka leashes that you can use to let the gloves hang from your wrists while doing tasks that require finger dexterity. Stuffing them inside a jacket is ok, but the wrist straps can be a lifesaver, keeping you from dropping them where they might blow away in a storm. The straps on the Cache are removable if you don’t share my preference. 

I would really like to see these gloves with removable liners to help dry them faster after a long day of use. Also, I miss having a patch of soft material on the back of the thumb to wipe your nose with. Finally, a squeegee on the finger or thumb for wiping ice off your goggles would be a nice addition. 

How is it different?

The best part about the Cache is the synthetic leather material they are made with. I was really impressed with its durability, water resistance, breathability, and how quickly it dried once it finally got wet. The synthetic leather material is soft and flexible but also tough enough to hold up to moderate camp chores like pitching a tent or gathering firewood. You also don’t have to worry about tearing them with ice axes or crampons. The material is reinforced in the palm and fingertip. 

Testing Conditions:

I wore the Cache Gauntlet Gloves cross-country skiing, downhill skiing, and hiking in the snow. Temperatures ranged from just slightly below freezing down to the upper teens in moderate winds. I really expected the material to show some cuts after handling the sharp edges of my skis, but I was happily disappointed.

Fit:

According to the Gordini fit chart my hands are between the medium and large sizes. I selected and tested the large. Wearing the larges, I also was able to easily fit hand warmers and/or glove liners inside them. When my fingers got cold wearing them on chairlifts I was able to make fists with my fingers inside the gloves like a pair of mittens. 

Dexterity:

The Cache have flex zones in the knuckles to prevent fatigue. Using zippers and large items is no problem in these. Opening chapstick or manipulating small items is understandably difficult in this class of glove. Nor will you be taking selfies with these on, nor would I have expected to.

Weight:

9.3 ounces. These gloves are on par with other winter gloves weight-wise. Winter gear is expected to be heavier and at just over a half pound these gloves align well with their peers

Warmth:

The Cache gloves were fine for skinning and hiking while I was making my own body heat. They failed to keep my hands warm enough however when I was taking laps on the ski lift at the resort. Temps in the low twenties seem to be the limit of their comfort range. I was disappointed that I had to put handwarmers inside them or glove liners to be comfortable in what I consider normal winter weather. Although Primaloft insulation is a favorite of mine in these gloves I would prefer a little more of it.

Packability:

The Primaloft insulation in these gloves smashes down decently; it's just the foam padded knuckles that keep these gloves from stuffing into tiny spaces.  They claim to be packable, but I don’t really find them to pack any smaller than my other ski gloves.

Waterproof:

The Cache gloves with their Aquabloc WPB membrane are more waterproof than any other gloves I have tested so far. The synthetic leather won’t absorb water and freeze the way real leather does. Even after I purposefully tried to wet the Cache gloves the synthetic leather material dried quickly on its own. The heavy duty nylon gauntlet section of the gloves are also protected with a good WPB coating that beads the water up. Most importantly, the lining never wetted out during testing. 

Gordini claims they are waterproof and I agree.

Breathability:

The Aquabloc membrane and the all-synthetic materials allow these gloves to breathe well. Sweat buildup inside was never an issue. The flip side of this is that these gloves aren’t especially warm either. 

Style:

Most ski gloves are just boring black. The Cache gloves can come that way, but I really like the look of the gray gloves I tested and they match my ski pants, so that’s a plus. The Cache gloves also come in tan/black and the women’s Cache gloves come in a really cool purple/gray color. They're also available as the Cache Gauntlet Mitt if you prefer keeping your fingers together for added warmth.

Best Use:

The Cache Gauntlet Gloves are good for backcountry skiing, alpine climbing, and hiking in the snow. I can’t recommend them for resort skiing because they just aren’t warm enough to keep you warm on the ski lift. 

Background

I have extensive experience wearing these types of gloves in the mountains skiing, climbing, and hiking. On high, windy summits good gloves make the difference between fun and misery.