"Rough Treatment…"
is pretty standard way I put my boats and gear through. Seal launch my boats down dirt hills, off boulders, rocks, etc. Gorilla knuckle walk, or pole push with my paddle, to surf launch my boat, etc.
The nordic blue gloves have been used to knuckle walked through sand, pebbles and shells with minimal wear. The Nordic blue material is pretty tough stuff. (probably should buy a backup anyway… 
).
sing
Where to get
Where can I get Nordic Blue gloves?? Last week was first time paddling with gloves and my fingers nearly froze with neo divers gloves. After the first hour and taking a couple brakes to slide my fingers down to make a fist for warmth, I just removed them and paddled the next two hours without anything. My hands were warmer without the neopreme stopping the circulation.
Link
– Last Updated: Jan-04-05 10:49 AM EST –
http://www.scubacenter.com/drysuit.htm
Model 302 with the latex wrist gaskets. If they don't have them, you may have to order from the manufacturer in Sweden which is where i got mine. I think it took a little over a week to get to me.
sing
A do it yourself for drygloves
Not that mych chaper than nordic blues but…
With some care and time you can have drygloves similar to nordic blues for your budget. NOrdic blu uses atlas 490’s and 495’s
From redden marine atlas 495’s (I think that is the model with the removable liner which is optimal). They should be available even though they are not on the website. if you do this you must get the 490’s or 495s they are sized for a liner
Then some wrist gaskets fron OS systems in small medium or large They come in sizes, order the right size.
http://www.ossystems.com/repair/seals.html
aquaseal from you local shop. Use the repair instructions on the kokatat website to put them together. Then you have a dryglove.
http://www.kokatat.com/
Look under customer service/ then care and feeding, wrist gaskets. The seal goes on the outside of the glove.
Sealskins have never worked for me but some folks swear by them. go figure. I bought the first and second generation and returned them to the outdoor store I boutght them from. I was totally unsatisfied.
You might want to use liners that you have already. Or you can use the slightly heavy liners from the atlas gloves
This will get you a real glove that is good when it’s cold for right about your budget. Your hands will stay warm and dry. If you capsize wiht this glove it will not be a finderthreateing emergency.
Of course capsizing in michigan without a drysuit in 40 degree water can easily kill so behave appropriately.
surgical gloves
Since I love the new kayakpro machine, do not paddle much in cold water. I used disposable gloves under wells lamont ($5.00) neoprene work gloves with fingers cut off for excellent dexterity. Have also used shiny space gloves under heavy chemical gloves with rubber band from brocoli around the wrist and they worked fine. For $7.00 you could buy neoprene gloves and wear them under wells lamont with fingertips cutoff for durability. Neprene divers gloves wore thin too fast wear paddle goes and leaked. The cheap gloves worked well for me. Garden gloves are cheap and practical . Yuppy dive or paddle gloves are wicked $.
You’re Kidding, Right?
"Yuppy dive or paddle gloves are wicked $. "
You mean your indoor machine is less $ (and thus less “yuppy”)? Right…
During the week, I indoor jump rope ($15) and shadow box with one pound weights $3/each). How much is your yuppy machine? LOL!
sing
So far the Blues
have held up well but the ice I’m on is river ice. It thaws during the day, re-freezes and stacks up in nasty ledge configurations.
I have to carry my kayak on one shoulder and carefully climb over the pile-ups using one hand for body support. The ice is full of rocks and debris and many of the edges are knife-like.
Nordics are tough but I’d rather expose the inexpensive APS gloves to this abuse. My frugality is showing, eh?!
Holmes
"My frugality is showing, eh?!"
Nothin’ wrong with that! 
Don’t use them for paddling, but …
I don’t use them for paddling, but I do use latex and thin nitrile gloves when dyeing leather. In the spring and fall when I’m working outside it’s very quickly clear that they offer essentially no thermal insulation, only protection from coming out spotty.