Got them = No Good, IMO
Just got the gloves in the mail today. IMO these are not good paddling gloves. They appear warm and fuzzy on the inside but have several problems that I don’t think a paddling glove should have:
(1) Not water proff at all - the top is some sort of tight mesh. Will also probably cause a good deal of evaporation cooling in winds (good for warm weather, not good for cold). OK might be OK if you don’t get your hands wet, but … (need I say more -
(2) They are not shaped and at the same time are rather stiff - my hands feel like they will get tired holding a paddle… The fingers want to spring back to a straight position. In contrast, most paddling gloves are shaped - you don’t need to expend any effort to hold the paddle with them beyond what you would need without them. Not so with these…
(3) If the traction this rubber offers against a slippery wet paddle shaft is anything like a similar rubber on another set of working gloves offer, it will be very bad - my other set is lightweight but is essentially the same construction: feels great on the hand but is cold in the water and very slippery against the shaft.
So, no I would not use these for paddling. Seem great for yard work or general wear in cold and dry weather.
Level Six is the Good Stuff
JSMarch turned me on to these a few years back:
http://www.levelsix.com/store/index.php/producttype/hand-arm-wear/mitts-neoprene-mitts.html
Gloves
Here are some other choices;
http://www.wetsuitwearhouse.com/wetsuits/category/scuba-gloves.html#/?filter.sports_combined=Paddle&page=1
These are mens. they have a womens and kids section as well.
For surf ski in the winter cannot be beat.
Level six
I have 2 pairs of these. They are super warm, my hands sweat in them even into 15-20 degree air temps. They are excellent as far as grip. They are waterproof… but only for maybe 10 paddles. Then they leak and leak fairly substantially. I have Aquaseal all over the seams, that definitely helps. But I wish they would tape and glue their seams, especially at the thumb joint, and perhaps add a kevlar strip at the heavy wear areas…across the palm and at the thumb. But I still love these and buy a new pair every season.
wool
it may be a little bulky but wool retains body heat when wet. i delivered mail for 25 years and in the winter the mailbox is cold to touch and in the rain even worse. i found the wool gloves would get wet but my hand stayed warm because of it’s heat retention.
wool???
I can’t imagine using a pair of wool gloves on the water. Wool is fragile when wet, they are not windproof, they are not waterproof. Wool might work for a canoeist whose hands are not continually wet but not for winter kayaking in the north east.
Wool, what’s worked for me
I sometimes wear cheap wool gloves inside a wind-shell mitten. In that situation, the wool is definitely not "fragile", as the gloves are holding up far better than the mittens. I first tried this combination on a cold, rainy day, when my new, thick neoprene gloves, which were SUPPOSED to be amazingly warm, turned out to be awful, seeming to be almost as cold as no gloves at all. In desperation I put on the cheap wool gloves and wind-shell mitts, and because it was raining quite hard, they were soaking wet in a matter of a few minutes, but my hands rapidly got warm in spite of being wet. I can think of NO other situation where it has been possible for my terribly cold-prone hands to go from painfully numb to toasty warm without any need to make them dry first, and without any additional heat source (like putting my hands inside my shirt to warm them with body heat prior to putting on better mittens). My hands have always been prone to getting very cold at the slightest excuse, so for them to become warm in that soaking-wet situation is totally amazing. Wool is amazing!! All you need is to have a wind-proof shell over the top.
I won't say this would be best for the average kayaker, but I can say that the material is tough enough when under shell layer, and that a shell layer also provides the wind protection you want. Also, the few models of neoprene paddling gloves I've used leak through the seams every bit as rapidly as non-waterproof gloves, so "waterproof" hardly seems to be an issue for comparison.
I use wool liners in my dry gloves
I wouldn’t use wool gloves without the shells, but they’re ideal for use as liners. They’re warmer and more durable than synthetic liners.
level six new model
I’ve used level six mitts for a couple of years and, although I like them a lot, I got holes in the left thumb. I contacted the company and they sent me a new pair of what seem to be a much improved model - the Creeker Mitt. I haven’t tried them out yet, but the thumb seems to be reinforced well. And since I use a Greenland paddle, my hands are constantly in the water. “Fingers crossed.”
Bluettes rubber gloves + wool?
I was looking at waterproof gloves in the hardware store (not for paddling) and saw a couple of models that would probably work as outer shells for wool liner gloves.
Hands would get damp from sweat, of course, and maybe some leakage down the wrists also, but wool does retain some insulating value even when soaked.
Because these gloves were so inexpensive, experimenting with them would not be a big deal. You can always use them for household and yard cleaning duties if they don’t work out for paddling/sport uses.
Thankful for Wool
A couple weeks back I was hiking; crossing streams; and a little cold, cold water went down my boot. In a very short time my foot was warm and when I removed my boots later that day there was no evidence that water had gotten in. I credit wool socks and breathable boots.
Happy Thanksgiving, y’all.
Level Six
I used their gloves for three seasons, buying a new pair each season. The thumb area wore through repeatedly from wing paddle use, but they were the best combination of warmth, grip, and fit I’d found. Unfortunately, last year they revised the palm area I believe, for better wear. The new glove was nowhere near as pliable as the older model, and the grip surface was extremely slippery. Sent them right back.
The Hyperskins are pretty decent-they wear through also, and are not the warmest out there, but they offer a great grip surface and fit.
Glacier Glove 3mm
Wuz just in CampMor a couple days ago an’ seen deez at $19.99 so ah’ bought a spare pair… now taday dems be $5 less at $14.99 online.
http://tinyurl.com/agocdrn
FE
THANK YOU!
Great find, thanks for the tip! Just ordered a few pairs. I don’t think I’ve had the 3mm but with the 2mm I’ve been just at the edge of comfort on really cold days, so these should be perfect. Can’t beat the price either - $49 locally at the paddling store vs. $15 there…
leaking?
I got some XL Glacier gloves last week. Went under water with them while rolling and they became water logged inside. I had the strap sinched super tight too. They are fairly large for me though being XL. Im thinking there was too much folding on the cuff and the strap was causing some creases which allows water in.
Im trying a L next and returning the XL . Hope that helps
Also should you put your drysuit gaskets on top of the glove cuff or under it??
never on top it will not seal like it does on your skin. Never going to be totally dry your wrist that is exposed exposed will get wet. I would just put drysuit sleeve over the glove cuff. I bought a pair of XXL and will try XL next. Thumb is way to long. Think I will make this pair fingerless by whacking a bit of each finger for not so cold days.
Yeah, go smaller in size. Also, you’re going to get some water in there. Won’t be enough to be a bother, though.
I’ve tried a lot of different gloves over the years and the best I’ve found are Thinsulate waterproof. In my experience there are a few specifications that constitute good paddling gloves: They should be black, or dark blue in color to absorb heat from the sun. 2) They should be made from a very flexible material–not neoprene, or rubber. 3) The gloves should not be tight on your hand and fingers. 4) The palm and fingers should be reinforced with a wear resistant, but very flexible padding. 5) The gloves should have fairly long cuffs with ribbing to keep them snug above the wrist.
When I paddle, my hands are in the water on virtually every stroke (that happens when you have long arms and paddle low-volume boats). Nordic Blue dry gloves are the best solution, but they’re expensive. However, you can make your own much cheaper using inexpensive Atlas fisherman’s gloves (N.B. uses the same Atlas gloves), which are available at commercial fishing suppliers, some general marine suppliers and online (http://www.fishermansheadquarters.com/fishing-gloves.htm). You can get wrist seals from OS Systems (www.ossystems.com), dive shops and kayak shops.
Installing the seals is no different that doing it on a dry suit. I prefer the orange (double dipped) Atlas gloves to the blue (triple-dipped, as used in N.B. gloves), as the former are more flexible. I haven’t had any wear problems with either one.
I don’t like the stock N.B. liners, so I replace them with wool and of course I use wool liners in my home-made versions. Because the shells are sealed and not breathable, your liners will get damp from sweat over time, so carrying an extra pair or allowing them to dry during a lunch stop is advisable.
I see that the Showa Temres 281 gloves are supposed to be waterproof and breathable. They look like good candidates for making dry gloves. I found them on Ebay for less than $20 shipped. These guys have a good selection of Atlas models and Glacier Gloves:
http://newenglandmarine.com/products-page/browse-by/gloves/
@bnystrom said:
… However, you can make your own much cheaper …
… Installing the seals is no different that doing it on a dry suit…
Excellent idea - making your own with waterproof gloves and wrist gaskets. I like it. Though it doesn’t necessarily address the dexterity issue, I might have to give it a shot. I’ve replaced gaskets on a dry suit myself with excellent results so gloves would be pretty simple.