I have some Chota neoprene preformed gloves and hate them. They are stiff and are supposed to be like a wet suit in that they absorb water but my hands apparently don’t generate enough heat to ever warm that layer of water.
Suggestions please.
have you tried pogies?
If the air temp is cool I prefer pogies. If it is colder I use thin to medium insulating gloves with pogies. NRS hydroskins are comfortable.
Glacier Gloves
I have a waterproof pair that is so handy for subfreezing.
This is one model.
http://glacierglove.com/our-products/fishing/ice-bay.html
Glacier Gloves
Another Glacier glove user…
my preference is this model:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002SW1RYG/ref=oh_details_o08_s01_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I have two pair; one pair large for 45°F and above water, a second pair in extra-large that allows me to wear a wool liner. This combo gets me down to the freezing temps.
GG don’t like high wear and abrasion. After using a new pair a few times you’ll be able to see where the wear points will be. I dress these areas with Aquaseal which noticeably slows the rate of wear.
GG to the rescue
In addition to watery pursuits I was using them to deal with snow during the single digits and positively pleased at yet another use for my Glacier Gloves.
See you on the water,
Marshall
The River Connection, Inc.
Hyde Park, NY
www.the-river-connection.com
hudsonriverpaddler.org
Glacier Glove Kenai All-Purpose are what
I use. They have enough flexibility and dexterity for me to use single blades or double blades.
Dont ask me which model I actually
have! They are eight or nine years old and going strong…probably discontinued.
Skinz
They work, but once wet they can get cold in really cold weather. I used them when the air was 32 degrees and the water in the high 40s, if that helps. They do not interfere with your sense of the paddle, which is quite nice.
Glacier Glove - Ice Bay
Like kayakmedic, I really like the Glacier Glove - Ice Bay model. I am surprised that she considers these to be waterproof and dry though.
I don’t find ANY of the neoprene gloves to be dry or waterproof. They are warm though. The neoprene is without any of the bumps, the fingers are not precurved. These are ALL things I like. I buy them a bit big because when your hands are dry, the fit is fine but when you have wet hands, a snug glove is impossible to put on (at least the second glove is - first is easy).
Combine the glove with the Kokatat Tropos Kayak mitt and my hands are toasty.
Bring hot water in a thermos to warm the gloves after lunch. Alternatively splurge and buy two pairs once you figure out the best size.
As soon as you get a wear spot on the outside of the glove, put a thin layer of aquaseal over it. I have a friend that runs a bead over the seams on the outside when they are brand new.
Glacier Gloves
I line them with exam or surgical gloves for really cold, below 10F, You can get Nordic Blues as well
No need to spend a fortune.
I probably have a dozen pairs of gloves and mittens that I’ve tried and the gloves that work the best for me are Thinsulate. They say they are waterproof, but I think that means they are water resistant (the outer shell is nylon). I rarely paddle when the temperature is below freezing, but when it’s in the thirties, these gloves work very well. And the good news is that they are often on sale for around $6.95.
For bike riding in the cold, the only thing that works is mittens. I use waterproof leather snow mobile mittens.
NRS Toaster Mitts.
I like some of the Glacier Gloves too - but the articulated style that I like with no finger openings seems to have been discontinued.
No matter - I find the NRS Toaster Mitts to be warmer, dryer, and more durable. I use them for winter poling. Aluminum poles, and always dripping wet (sometimes icing up) - in sub-freezing temps, my hands are always warm.
Same GG that Holmes Uses
I use my Sealskins in most of my paddling, but when it’s low 40’s down I get my GG’s out of my 30l dry barrel that I use in the winter.
NRS Maverick
Work fairly well until it gets really cold, such as low 40’s or the 30’s for water temp. Then I’ll add in the pogies.
Glacier Gloves again
– Last Updated: Dec-20-13 12:38 PM EST –
I'm still using my first pair, which they marketed in 2007 as ice-climbing gloves. They have prebent fingers, a Hypalon exterior, and fuzzy interior. They are warm, and until they got old they were waterproof unless I stuck my entire hand underwater, when it would get in through the wrist tops. But I got them to fit very snugly, so what little water entered didn't cause my hands to get cold. Now that they're old, the seams leak a little (I had glued some AquaSeal on last year but it's peeling off now.)
I recently bought a replacement pair, which Glacier now calls their "cycling glove." There are some changes: a more flexible outer material (still waterproof), and a softer fuzz on the interior. Their big advantage is that they are now flexible enough to turn inside out for quicker drying. They still cost less than $50 a pair--well worth it.
Here's where I bought mine:
http://www.kayakacademy.com/Store/GLAFLEECEGLOVE.html
Pogies for bike riding?
They make more sense to me for bike riding, than for paddling.
These are the ones I use too
The 3mm model is definitely warmer and more durable than the 2mm version. The pre-shaped fit is very nice for paddling too. Not waterproof after a couple of uses though - a bit of water will come in, but good for me until about freezing water. Bought a few pairs on sale last year for about $15 each, which I thought was a great deal, considering I would still buy them at their usual price of about $40. The 2mm versions I could not get more than a season from them due to tears b/w my thumb and forefinger, but I am on my second season with the 3mm and they are still good, without visible wear.
They don’t fit the bars
At least, mine don’t. The holes intended for the paddle shaft aren’t big enough to accommodate mtb bars, or more correctly, the grips over the bars.
Disappointing, because I don’t like pogies for paddling. They seemed perfect for biking; just add gloves underneath for additional warmth instead of only wind protection.
Level Six Mitts
The mitts are wet and warm. Nordic Blues are dry but awful for the putting on and the taking off.