Outdoor Research Backstop Sensor Windpro Gloves

These mid-weight gloves are good for moderately cold weather. They are wind-resistant and go far enough past my wrist for good coverage. They also work with screens.

Being from the upper Midwest, I need quite a few gloves for different times of the year and for different activities. These Outdoor Research (OR) "Backstop GORE-TEX INFINIUM Sensor Gloves are my go-to gloves for temps around 20-40 (F).  If it gets colder than that or if there is a lot of cold wind, I'll use these gloves as liners for my mittens. These gloves work well alone or as medium-weight liners. 

These Backstop gloves are very comfortable to wear. I use them for driving on colder days or shoveling the driveway for a few minutes. Today, I went for a 5k run in 20-degree (F) weather. There wasn't much wind and these gloves kept my hands plenty warm by themselves. They don't breathe the best probably because of the Gore-Tex. But in cold weather I'm not too concerned about breathability.

I have done longer hikes using these gloves in the winter, and I find that on hikes, when I'm not exerting myself as much, I need to wear more than just these gloves when it's under 25 degrees (F), give or take. As you can see from the pics, these do cover my wrists adequately.

The gloves work with screens. They're not the best screen gloves I've ever used, but they get the job done. I should note that the sizing of these gloves is a bit off. I usually wear a large, but I had to get an extra large for these Backstop gloves. They fit fine, but the fingertips are just a little long for me. It is not a deal breaker, but it is worth mentioning. Thankfully OR has a good exchange policy if your size is wrong. 

One other thing I should mention is that some stitching is coming loose after about four months of use. The stitching isn't in a crucial place, but I may have to turn it in for repair or warranty because I purchased these less than one year ago. I know from experience that OR does well with warranty issues so I'm not too worried.

All in all, these are good mid-weight cold weather gloves. I grab other gloves when it gets super cold outside or I use these as liners when it's terribly cold. But they do well in 20-30 degree (F) weather and nicely cut down the wind.   

Background

My favorite place is outside. I like to trail run, do long backpacking trips, go for runs on the road, and fish from time to time. I also enjoy finding good outdoor clothing and gear—and I like to help people find what will work best for their outdoor adventures!

Updated version adds sensor and a bit more thickness.

Used an earlier version for many years and liked them a lot. 

The glove still fills the bill: Nice and lightweight; snug fit. Windstopper still on the back of the hand is the key feature.

This update adds sensor fingertips and slightly thicker fleece. Nice in cold windy conditions. The earlier version had a bit more silicone on palm-side and under fingers, which aided grip. Will see how well it holds up over time overall.