had the hydroskin socks and gloves
mine are also in the trash. Good for 3 ww paddles, then they were wet. 3 more paddles, they were in pieces. Garbage.
Thanks Doc! I’ve been following the
discussions on hydroskin since NRS introduced it and was confused by all the contradictory reports.
My HS top…
…didn’t work out at all for me in the PNW. Maybe what I had was old school. I don’t know but I froze in the water, sweated like a pig out of the water and froze in the slightest breeze. Someone else mentioned that the way to warm up was to take it off.
That was my experience. I don’t know but I gave mine away with full disclosure and can’t imagine ever buying another piece of that gear.
Gloves? Don’t expect your hands to stay dry in them. I use Glacier Gloves exclusively. If I need gloves they do the trick and if they are too warm then I really don’t need gloves. They start out waterproof but develop some leaks. No big deal. I stay warm (though wet) enough.
Jon
they are long gone, sorry NM
For dexterity i use ice fishing gloves
They are neoprene but have slits in the fingers on the palm side. When your paws are wrapped around the paddle the slits are closed. But if you need bare fingers to perform some task you just slide your fingers out through the slits and presto you still have the gloves on but dexterity and feel to do what ever.
The worst of both worlds
Froze in the water: Too thin a neoprene layer for cold water
Sweated like a pig out of the water: Air temps were warmer than water, right?
Froze in the slightest breeze: The nylon outer face fibers cause this by providing lots more surface area to conduct away heat. If you used a smooth neoprene outer face, you wouldn’t feel the wind nearly as much.
Warm up by taking it off when on land: Your skin can dry in (I assume) air that is warmer than the water was. The HS fabric face(s) hold that cold water.
I use Glacier Gloves’ ice-climbing gloves. They have a fuzzed inside but the outside is rubberized so it completely blocks wind.
Second Pikabike
Glacier Gloves or NRS Toaster Mitts.
(Curious about the new Kokatat Mitts. We’ll see on those.)
Tops/Bottoms - I prefer the Kokatat Surfskins to the skinny neoprene route when cold. For colder and/or extended immersions gotta go with thicker neoprene insulation (3mm) or start with the dry gear (Stohlquist EZ Drysuit)
OK my $0.02.
YMMV
See you on the water,
Marshall
The River Connection, Inc.
Hyde Park, NY
www.the-river-connection.com
www.hudsonriverpaddler.org
EXACTLY!!!
Froze in the water: Too thin a neoprene layer for cold water
Sweated like a pig out of the water: Air temps were warmer than water, right?
Froze in the slightest breeze: The nylon outer face fibers cause this by providing lots more surface area to conduct away heat. If you used a smooth neoprene outer face, you wouldn’t feel the wind nearly as much.
Warm up by taking it off when on land: Your skin can dry in (I assume) air that is warmer than the water was. The HS fabric face(s) hold that cold water.
Yep, you warm up by taking it off.