Finding winter gloves that actually work is harder than it should be. As a born and raised Minnesotan, you can believe me when I say that. Most force you to choose: warmth or dexterity, waterproof or breathable, bulky mitts or useless liners. When you’re sitting in a deer stand in sub-freezing temps for hours, your hands hurt and go numb no matter what you’re wearing. When you need to actually do something, work a rifle safety, check your phone, or manipulate gear, you end up taking the gloves off and defeating the whole purpose. The 5.11 Tactical URSA 3-in-1 PrimaLoft Insulated Glove caught my attention because it’s trying to solve that problem with a removable liner system. I picked these up right before Minnesota’s rifle deer opener to see if the 3-in-1 setup was actually useful or just marketing. Let’s dive into the 5.11 Tactical URSA 3-in-1 PrimaLoft Insulated Glove!
5.11 Tactical Coverage on AllOutdoor
Specifications: 5.11 Tactical URSA 3-in-1 PrimaLoft Insulated Glove
The URSA is a gauntlet-style winter glove built around a removable Polartec FR liner glove. The outer shell uses Tac Dry waterproof/breathable membrane with PrimaLoft Gold insulation, 200g Crosscore on the back of the hand, and 133g needled grip on the palm. The palm and fingers are touchscreen-compatible goatskin leather. The liner glove can be worn standalone and is also touchscreen compatible, which sets this apart from most winter gloves, where you either wear the whole thing or nothing.
- Shell Material: 100% Nylon with 5K waterproof/10K breathability rating
- Membrane: Tac Dry (BBP – Blood Borne Pathogen Resistant)
- Insulation: PrimaLoft Gold Crosscore 200g (back of hand), Needled w/ Grip 133g (palm)
- Palm Material: Goatskin leather with cow suede overlay
- Liner: Removable Polartec FR Dry Lightweight 5-finger glove
- Lining: Brushed polyester
- Closure: One-handed gauntlet closure/release system
- Retention: Wrist loop on outer glove, finger loop for carabiner
- Design Features: Keystone thumb, ergonomic pre-curved fit, thumb nose-wipe panel
- Touchscreen Compatible: Both outer shell and liner glove
- Certifications: EN388:2016; EN ISO 21420; EN511, TAA compliant
- Sizes: S, M, L, XL, 2XL
- Color: Black
The MSRP of the 5.11 Tactical URSA 3-in-1 PrimaLoft Insulated Glove is $110.00. That’s expensive for winter gloves. You can get decent insulated gloves for $20-40, good ones for $50-70. The price is justified by the PrimaLoft Gold insulation, goatskin leather construction, and the fact that you’re essentially getting two gloves in one with the removable liner system. 5.11 positions these as serious cold-weather gear for people who need their hands to work in harsh conditions, not just casual winter gloves. The build quality and materials support that price point, but $110 is still $110.
“When you need a true winter glove, the URSA 3-in-1 is ready to take on the challenge. The URSA is a gauntlet-styled glove with removable Polartec® FR liner glove for protection and maximum dexterity. The outer shell is a 5K/10K waterproof/breathable nylon with Tac Dry® membrane and Primaloft® Gold insulation (Crosscore 200g on back of hand, palm is 133g with a needled grip). The palm and fingers of the URSA are touchscreen-compatible goatskin leather. For ease of wear and comfort, the glove features a one-handed closure/release system plus retention loops and Snivel-panel on the back of the thumb.”
First Impressions: 5.11 Tactical URSA 3-in-1 Glove
The URSA comes in standard 5.11 packaging. You get the outer shell glove with the liner clipped together separately, and that’s it. No extra documentation beyond what’s on the tags. Build quality looked solid right away. Clean stitching, no loose threads, the goatskin leather feels legit. The gauntlet is longer than most winter gloves I’ve used, extending well up the wrist. The one-handed cinch system looked functional, not gimmicky. A simple pull tab with a cord lock.
The liner glove is thinner than I expected, which is good. Some removable liner systems are so bulky that the gloves become unwearable with both layers on. This looked like it might actually work.
Here’s where I ran into my first issue. Fit. I measured for XL based on their size chart (European size 10), and they’re just a tad too small. Not unusable, but tight. If you’re between sizes or have bigger hands, size up. Or even better yet, if you have a 5.11 store near you, feel free to try them before you buy. The tightness gets more noticeable when you’re trying to fit your hand with the liner into the outer shell.
The touchscreen-compatible fingertips on both the liner and outer shell have that slightly different texture you see on these things. Time would tell if they actually work or if it’s another “technically touchscreen compatible” situation that barely functions.
Out and About: 5.11 Tactical URSA 3-in-1 Glove
I’ve put about 30 hours on these gloves at this point. Most of that was during Minnesota’s rifle deer opener. Three days of sitting in a stand in temps under 20°F, with snow on the second day. Since then, they’ve lived in my truck for general winter use and range trips.
The first morning was calm and cold, probably around 20°F. I wore the full setup with liner plus outer shell. Sitting in a stand, not moving, just waiting. My hands stayed warm enough that I wasn’t miserable, but I wasn’t comfortable either. I found myself tucking my hands into my jacket, reaching for the hand warmer in my pocket. The gloves kept the worst of the cold out, but they didn’t make me forget it was freezing.
No sweat buildup, which is good. But they’re not miracle warmth machines. I don’t know if that’s a glove problem or a “sitting completely still for hours in sub-20 temps” problem. Most gloves struggle with that scenario. I can imagine these “keeping me warm” if I were more active and warmed the insulation up. The second day brought snow. The gloves got wet. Hands stayed dry. The Tac Dry waterproofing works, and that’s the story there.
The liner comes out easily. No fighting with it, no complicated removal. I ended up wearing just the liner by itself more than I expected I would. Getting in and out of the truck, walking to the stand, doing anything that needed some hand function, the liner was the right call. Warm enough to keep your fingers from going numb, thin enough to actually use your hands.
Getting the liner back into the outer shell when you want maximum warmth is where my fit issue showed up. With the already-snug XL, it takes some effort to slide your hand with the liner into the outer glove. You can do it, but it’s not smooth. Size up, and this probably isn’t a problem. The liner works with touchscreens. You need to be deliberate with where you’re tapping. Not hard pressure, just precise placement. The coating seems durable, not like cheap gloves, where it wears off in a day. The outer shell with the full setup? No. Too bulky. You’re not operating a phone with both layers on.
With just the liner, you can manipulate rifle controls, work zippers, and handle gear. Not bare-hand precision, but functional. With the full setup, you’re out of luck. Too bulky for fine motor skills. You could probably work a zipper if you had to, but I wouldn’t trust myself with firearm safeties. Gross motor movements only. Pull the tab, cinch it down with one hand. This works as they claim. Not gimmicky, genuinely useful when you’re trying to get gloves secured quickly. After my testing so far, everything’s holding up. No wear on the stitching, straps look fine, leather isn’t showing problems. These feel built to last.
Since deer season, these have lived in my truck. It’s January in Minnesota as I write this, and they’ve come in handy for range trips and general cold-weather situations. The liner gets used on its own a lot. It’s become my go-to for quick trips where I need hand protection but also need to actually use my hands.
Final Thoughts: 5.11 Tactical URSA 3-in-1 Glove
These are well-made winter gloves with a liner system that’s actually useful. The build quality is solid, the waterproofing works, and the features function like they’re supposed to. The liner is the best part of the whole setup. Having a touchscreen-compatible glove that’s warm enough to be useful on its own, but also part of a heavier winter system, solves a real problem.
They’re not going to make your hands toasty warm sitting still in sub-freezing temps for hours. I’m not sure any glove does that. For moving around and general cold-weather use, they work well.
At $110, they’re expensive. A lot of people could buy $15 gloves every winter and be fine. The quality justifies the price if you need gloves that’ll last and perform, but $110 is still a lot for gloves. Would I recommend them? Yes, if you spend real time outside in cold weather. The 3-in-1 system is more than a gimmick. Just size up if you have bigger hands. I will be keeping and using these for years and years in comparison to those $15 ones folks buy to hold them over till the chill passes.
In closing, I want to say thank you to 5.11 Tactical for allowing AllOutdoor and myself the opportunity to try out their URSA 3-in-1 PrimaLoft Insulated Glove. That is greatly appreciated. Also, we would like to know what all of you guys and gals think? Do you believe these gloves are worth spending your money on? What’s your go-to for cold-weather hand protection? Let us know all of your thoughts in the Comments below! We always appreciate your feedback.
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