The North Face Montana Ski Glove sits in the middle of the brand’s winter glove lineup, positioned as a do-everything option for resort skiers and snowboarders who want warmth without stepping up to a full expedition mitt. It’s the kind of glove you see clipped to lift-line jacket loops on cold January mornings, and that context tells you most of what you need to know about who it’s built for.
In practice, the Montana is used for lift-served skiing and riding in temperatures roughly from the mid-20s down into the single digits Fahrenheit. It’s also a reasonable choice for snowshoeing, winter commuting, and shoveling, though the bulkier fit means it isn’t the glove most people reach for when they need dexterity. The design assumes you’ll be holding poles or gripping a board, standing on a chairlift, and occasionally digging a phone out of a pocket — not ice climbing or adjusting bindings with bare fingertips.
The construction is what you’d expect at this price point, with a few thoughtful touches. A waterproof, breathable insert handles wet snow and slush, and the shell is a synthetic fabric with a leather palm that holds up to pole straps and rope tow grips better than plain nylon. There’s a soft nose-wipe panel on the back of the thumb, which sounds trivial until you’ve skied a cold day without one. The cuff is gauntlet-style and cinches down over a jacket sleeve, and there’s a wrist leash so the glove doesn’t end up in the snow when you pull it off on the lift.
Insulation is synthetic, and warmth is genuinely adequate for typical resort conditions. The glove runs warm enough for most people on a chairlift in the teens, though riders who run cold or ski in sustained single digits may find themselves wishing for a mitt or a glove with more loft. The trade-off for that warmth is bulk. The Montana is not a dexterous glove — buckling boots, zipping pockets, and operating a phone all require taking it off or fumbling considerably. The touchscreen-compatible fingertip works, but only barely, and mostly on the simplest taps.
Fit is on the generous side. The size Small is aimed at hands in the roughly 7 to 7.5 inch palm-circumference range, and the glove has enough room inside for a thin liner, which is a useful option for really cold days or for anyone who wants a little extra versatility. That said, the volume means the glove can feel sloppy on smaller hands, and the fingers run a touch long for some wearers. Trying them on with the liner you plan to use is worth the effort.
Breathability is a mixed story. The waterproof insert does its job in wet snow, but on a hard-working skin up or a warm spring day, the glove traps moisture and hands can get clammy. This isn’t a touring glove and shouldn’t be treated as one. For lift-served skiing, where you’re mostly standing and riding, it’s fine.
Durability looks reasonable for the category. The leather palm is the right call, and the stitching and seams appear solid. The weak points, as with most gloves in this class, are the fingertip seams and the cuff cinch, both of which see a lot of wear. Expect a couple of seasons of regular resort use before meaningful breakdown, which is in line with similarly priced gloves from other brands.
Compared with a dedicated mitt, the Montana gives up some warmth in exchange for the ability to grip a pole independently. Compared with a lighter spring glove or a softshell touring glove, it’s substantially warmer but far less breathable and much bulkier. Compared with premium leather gloves from ski-specific brands, it’s a step down in materials and articulation but also a step down in price. It occupies a sensible middle ground rather than excelling at any one extreme.
Who is it for? Resort skiers and snowboarders who want a warm, waterproof glove for typical winter conditions, don’t need fine motor control while wearing it, and prefer to spend moderately. It’s also a sound choice for parents who spend a lot of time standing in cold parking lots and on beginner slopes. Who is it not for? Backcountry skiers and splitboarders who need breathability and dexterity on the skin track, people with genuinely small hands who will find the volume excessive, and anyone skiing in extreme cold who would be better served by a mitt. Riders who run hot may also find it too warm on mild days.
Overall, the Montana is a competent, unglamorous glove that does what most resort skiers need it to do. It isn’t the warmest, the most dexterous, or the most breathable option available, but it’s a reasonable balance of warmth, weather protection, and price for the use case it’s designed around.