gloves

Advice
#1
-- Last Updated: Nov-29-04 8:25 AM EST --

I was going to order a pair of Nordic Blues, but was a bit put off by the nearly $20 shipping costs. So, I poked around a bit on the web and discovered that the Nordic Blues are just a pair of Atlas insulated gloves with an attached drysuit gasket. Copy and paste this link to see the Atlas gloves:

https://ssl2.adhost.com/seamar/merchant.cfm?pid=49301&step=4

These gloves are $17 plus about $5 shipping- far less expensive than the Nordic Blues. They don't have the gasket, but they do have rather long wrist collars, which I think should work perfectly well over a drysuit, with only a little bit of water getting in if you were to go swimming. In normal paddling, I doubt you'd get any water in at all. I was also thinking that you could just keep a thick rubber band on them, to tighten it up a bit over your wrist if you needed to. Finally, you could easily install a gasket and still save a ton of money.

I'm not usually especially cheap about paddling gear, but it bothers me to spend over $80 for gloves, almost 1/4 of which is shipping costs.

Anyone out there tried this already?

Andrew

#2

Works for some alright
Yes, works for some I hear. I found a place out west, the scubacenter I think sells nordic blue for 59$ and small shipping. I prefer them. I was looking for totally waterproof and the fingers are shaped big enough to allow insulated liner that does ot cramp blood flow nor reduce grip much, at least for me. I get really cold hands. For me they are cat’s meow.



If you don’t mind some water in, looks like you could get those. I know some creative folks added gasket as well.

#3

Try Playtex
When we were training throughout the winter on Lake Norman, Canunut always showed up with a $2.00 pair of Playtex gloves over a thin cotton liner glove. Add a couple of rubber bands and you’re all set. And no shipping charges! Not the best of fashion, but they work great.

#4

i was wrong
i thought about it a little, and figured out that the cost of the atlas gloves, plus the price of gaskets was actually almost exactly the price of the nordic blues. so, i found a dive shop in minnesota that carries them and can ship them cheaply. ordered those instead. if anyone is interested, the shop is scubacenter.com. they will take phone orders- no online as far as i can tell.



andrew

#5

Thanks for the website
It’s going to save me a few bucks.—Rich

#6

Nice lead for Nordic Blue & other gloves
Thanks! In particular… http://scubacenter.com/drysuit.htm



This page also reminds me that diving equipment is even more expensive than kayaking!



–David.


#7

gloves
If you’re looking for gloves to help protect hands from cold, I bought a pair for $10 - on sale at a dive shop. Diving gloves, and they work fine for paddling. That might be a quick, inexpensive solution.

#8

Glue on the cuffs from os systems
and do it right. Non dry gloves in a roll are no fun. Can get swept off by surf etc.

#9

yepper

– Last Updated: Dec-01-04 6:10 PM EST –

Yes a lovely pair now adorn some undewater haunt, wish I had read this before. And Peter, followed your idea and the Nordic Blues really are great. Nice to not have frozen hands finally, and they are pretty flexible and sticky when adding some paddle shaft wax. Thanks!

#10

Where would we be without Nystrom
I just pass on what my good teachers teach me.

#11

Here are dry gloves for $13.95
These worked great for me all last winter. Wear $3 fleece gloves from Walmart underneath these dry gloves, and you’re all set for less than $20. Size large works well for small-medium hand with fleece liner, extra large for bigger hands or thicker liners. I posted this last year, but I guess no one noticed.



Scroll near the bottom of this page:



http://www.apsltd.com/Tree/d3000/e1728.asp

#12

And the EZ heat hand warmers are hot too
On same page below are the EZ Heat hand warmers. They are reusable, great back up for hypothermia and frozen hands





This reusable heat packet can keep hands and feet warm for up to one hour.



Heats up to 130-degrees Fahrenheit in just 15 seconds

Sodium acetate and water are activated by bending a metal disk inside the pouch

When heat runs out, pouch can be activated for reuse by boiling six minutes until packet is back to liquid form

Environmentally friendly–can be used over and over again!

#13

Would they hold up?

– Last Updated: Dec-02-04 3:06 AM EST –

INteresting glove and perhaps very articulate. Are they durable enough to depend on?

Thanks that page is on my kayak gear favorites folder now you betcha!

#14

For that price…
I must give them a try.



And I just ordered a pair. Ships out within 24 hours, regular shipping charge of $2.95. Tough to argue with rates like these.



Be interesting to see what they’re like.



Thanks for the heads-up.



Holmes

#15

Please let us know
At tha price I could carry a spare pair, but I’d hat to put them on in a nasty place.

#16

latex
i’m not sure how durable the latex dry gloves would be- that’s the same stuff the gaskets are made of, and it is relatively easy to rip those.



i’m definitely looking forward to trying out the nordics. the guy in minnesota couldn’t believe that anyone in atlanta would want them. but, believe it or not, i end up paddling in close to or below freezing weather pretty much from now until the end of february (we’re at elevation 1000ft and i go out before dawn).



af

#17

Latex thickness and durability
For those who have to know, the latex gloves are 29/1000’s (.029") thick. Yeah, that’s the same thickness as a typical gasket, but compare that to a kitchen glove at 16/1000’s and I think they’re pretty durable. Mine are still air tight after a season and need to be burped. The gasket section of the glove is not tapered as described, but tubular. There is an enlarged wrist section which makes taking on/off easier since you don’t have to deal with the gasket and fingers all at once. I was thrilled to find these gloves after being disappointed with spongy, wet neoprene gloves. A definite buy recommendation for winter paddling.

#18

Thanks they are on my buy
buy list.

#19

Look like OS gloves

– Last Updated: Dec-02-04 9:14 AM EST –

Dave,

OS systems company makes gloves that look exactly like these. Might they be the company here? They call theirs PolarPaws

Check out this URL and tell me what you think, are they the same thinner thicker, etc.

http://www.ossystems.com/gloves/index.html

#20

I’ve tried those
I only have size 10 hands, but found that even the XL size is too small to allow anything other than a very thin liner. They’re not as rugged as Nordic Blues, but you could buy 4-5 pair for the same price.