REASONS TO BUY
Inviting inner lining
Great controls
Tactile palm (flacon grip!)
Good fit
REASONS TO AVOID
Cheap overall materials
Moderate durability
Not very weather proof
Marmot Randonnee Review
The Randonnee is a cheaper glove and it shows, but it does make a solid option for the occasional skier
Credit: Marmot
RELATED: Best Ski Gloves of 2024
Our Verdict
The Randonnee is Marmot's mid-range ski glove. It offers a great feature set, decent durability, and a super soft lining. It is not a standout glove in any category, but it also does not fail to deliver in all of our metrics. Testers loved the tactile feel of the grip on the palm, and appreciated a moisture wicking lining, but did not feel that this glove was built for the long haul.
In our experience with tons of gloves, there are better deals to be had for happy fingers. The Best Buy-winning Outdoor Research Revolution offers superior dexterity, water resistance, and features for a much lower price, but isn't as warm. Or, for a small saving but big jump in versatility, check out the double-gloved Outdoor Research Highcamp.
Our Analysis and Test Results
Marmot has a wide range of gloves in their lineup. Here we take a look at the Randonnee, which is marketed toward the backcountry skier due to its name. We found that these hand covers turned out to be a solid glove for most winter skiing activities, but nothing exceptional.
Performance Comparison
The Randonnee is pretty warm but costs a bit more than other, lower-priced gloves that perform on a similar level.
Credit: Jeff Rogers
Warmth
Testers thought this glove landed itself right in the middle of the pack when it came to warmth, being warmer than the Ultimate ski glove but not as warm as the Black Diamond Guide and only slightly less warm than the Hestra Army Leather Gore Tex. Overall testers had no complaints on the ski days it was tested, and it kept up fine with a single digit and windy backcountry day. If it were that cold while at the resort, testers would surely reach for something warmer, like a mitten.
Dexterity
Marmot calls the palm material of the glove "Falcon Grip." When we used these gloves, we did not think of a flacon snatching its prey from the water, but the palm is pretty darn grippy. Versus smooth leather in higher-end gloves, it is a bit more tactile. This does not directly translate to a more dexterous glove, but it does give a better grip on larger objects like poles and skis. Overall this was only so-so in dexterity and fell within the same category as similarly priced gloves.
A view of the "Falcon Grip." We didn't snatch any field mice in these gloves, but they do latch onto ski poles and railings well.
Credit: Jeff Rogers
Weather Resistance
The Randonnee did not fare well in the weather resistance testing. While going through dunk testing, the right-hand glove allowed water to enter into the shell of the glove but not the hand. This was not the case on both gloves, but from being new in the box, there were concerns about waterproofness. Overall the glove did a decent job, but the palm and the back of the glove did soak up more water than other gloves in the test. Coupled with a smaller wrist gauntlet, and the protection is not absolute with this glove.
Durability
While we did not get a chance to test this glove over a year to year basis, we believe the durability will be in the middle of the road. This glove does not use top of the line materials like some of the other gloves in the review and therefore ranks lower in durability than the ultra-premium priced versions.
Features
The Randonnee benefits from the Marmot feature set. All of the features are well thought out, and they tend to emphasize each grip used to manipulate each feature. This means you get oversized pull tabs and a great wrist cinch. We did wish the cuff was a bit wider though.
Oversized features might not be sleek, but they are easy to use.
Credit: Jeff Rogers
Best Applications
The Randonnee is a solid resort skiing glove for a decent price. It will excel on the average ski day for the average skier.
Value
The Randonnee is a mediocre value. It's more expensive than several products that performed on the same plane. We recommend taking a look at some of the budget-focused OR gloves, like the Highcamp or Revolution. We also like the Gordini GTX Storm Trooper II, priced much lower, and offering a more durable and water-resistant design.
Conclusion
There are a variety of more expensive and higher quality gloves on the market. There are also several gloves that cost significantly less. After comparing this glove to other options out there, we think you can find a better glove at a better price. That said, the Marmot Randonnee is a solid performer, and in the $100 or less end of the market, this is one of the warmest options you'll find.
—
Jeff Rogers
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