Reviews You Can Rely On

Outdoor Research Mute Sensor Review

A solid all-arounder that has proven itself to be durable; they offer exceptional weather resistance and dexterity, plus the sweet touchscreen sensitive fingers
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outdoor research mute sensor ski gloves review
Outdoor Research Mute Sensor Gloves
Credit: Outdoor Research
Price:  $139 List
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Manufacturer:   Outdoor Research
By Ian Nicholson ⋅ Review Editor  ⋅  Apr 1, 2017

Our Verdict

Fall 2017: The Is Mute Sensor is No Longer Available
REASONS TO BUY
Highly water resistant
Touchscreen index finger and thumb are fantastic
Incredible dexterity
REASONS TO AVOID
Above average warmth
Our testers loved this feature and found it to be extremely effective, noting that these gloves worked better than their hands on cold days. The Mute Sensor proved to be one of the more water resistant models we tested in both our real-world testing and our two-minute bucket of water comparison. It is one of the most dexterous models out there, its only drawback being that it isn't an extremely toasty option (though up to the challenge in temperatures around 10F or warmer).

Our Analysis and Test Results

Performance Comparison


outdoor research mute sensor ski gloves review - the or mute sensor glove was a warmer-than-average under-the-cuff...
The OR Mute Sensor Glove was a warmer-than-average under-the-cuff style glove that offered exceptional durability, dexterity, and weather resistance. And to top if off extremely effective touch-screen sensitive fingers.
Credit: Ryan O'Connell

Warmth


The Mute Sensor gloves are one of the warmer cuff-length styles in our review. Hestra uses 266 grams of Outdoor Research proprietary EnduraLoft, which is functionally very similar to Primaloft; 266 grams of this insulation is certainly on the thicker side of similar gloves in the review, especially among cuff-length gloves. They proved to be about as warm as the Black Diamond Legend, but were not quite as warm as the Hestra Vertical Cut Freeride.

Dexterity


The Mute Sensor are incredibly dexterous. Overall, the Mute Sensor offers some of the best dexterity in our review and is on par with the most dexterous gloves — the Hestra Vertical Cut Freeride and the Black Diamond Guide.

Water Resistance


Featuring OR's proprietary Ventia waterproof-breathable insert and an extremely water-resistant leather, the Mute Sensor scored above average when compared to other models in our review, earning a 9 out of 10. As with any pair of leather gloves, you do need to re-treat them from time to time. However, we found that the Mute was noticeably more water resistant than the Hestra Vertical Cut Freeride and needed to be re-treated less often.

Durability


Crafted from goat leather and featuring polyester near the cuff, the Mute Sensor Gloves are among the most durable models in our review. They proved to be nearly as durable as the Black Diamond Legend and Hestra Vertical Cut Freeride and were even tougher than the Outdoor Research Revolution gloves.


Features


This contender offers many sweet and functional features, like its touchscreen sensitive index finger and thumb. We tested this capability in extremely cold and wet conditions and it performed fantastically. Several testers noted that when it was cold, the Mute often worked better than using our bare hand. The molded EVA panels (which cover a large portion of the back of the glove) provide a fair amount of hand protection and a noticeable amount of added warmth. Like most gloves in our review, the Mute Sensor has a softer fabric on the backside of its thumb for a nose/goggle wipe.


Our testing group appreciated the small, but extremely useful oversized grab loop that made putting these gloves on noticeably easier, especially when our hands (or the gloves) were wet. The Velcro cinch strap on the wrist of the glove was a nice added feature, as it allowed us to keep the warmth in and the snow out. It also helped to reduce volume around the wrist so that we could pull our jacket over our gloves in wet conditions. The low-profile and removable wrist leashes were among our testers' favorite features, even convincing a few non-believers of their usefulness due to their barely noticeable presence. The Black Diamond Mercury Mitt was the only contender in our fleet to score a perfect 10 out of 10 in this metric, with the Mute Sensor scoring a 9 out of 10.

outdoor research mute sensor ski gloves review - at $140 these gloves are slightly above average in price, but we...
At $140 these gloves are slightly above average in price, but we feel they remain a solid value with their exceptional durability and long lasting weather resistance and Outdoor Research's Infinite Guarantee warranty.
Credit: Ian Nicholson

Value


At $139, these gloves offer above average warmth and feature an effective touchscreen capability, proving to be a pretty good value. However, they are still almost twice as much as the Outdoor Research Revolution and The North Face Montana Mitts, which both retail for $70 and are Best Buy winners. While the Sensors are noticeably more durable, they are likely not twice as durable.

outdoor research mute sensor ski gloves review - the illuminator sensor is a rad all-around ski glove from the resort...
The Illuminator Sensor is a rad all-around ski glove from the resort to the backcountry while giving up little in the way of dexterity or warmth for an under-the-cuff style glove. The only thing its not good for is super cold conditions (less than 10F) in which case we'd go with something a little warmer. Ryan O'Connell skiing down to Malekwa lake, Snoqualmie Pass, WA.
Credit: Ian Nicholson

Best Applications and the Bottom Line


The Mute Sensior is an excellent glove with touchscreen compatible thumbs and index fingers. This is a fantastic selling point for many, om addition to the durability, warmth, and dexterity.

Ian Nicholson