Winter Boating - Cold Hands

[GagePLoungin]

As a window cleaner I've found 3mm Glacier Gloves to be the best. They have them at most millitary surplus stores for about $30.

[basil]

If pogies don't keep your hands dry, how can they keep them warm? Cold water is worse than cold air.

I guess if you are doing easy water, you only get splash from the front of your boat which won't enter the wrist. But any other type of river will send water in the wrist.

When I tried pogies, water splashed in every 15-30 seconds. As soon as my hands started getting warm, more cold water came in on the wrist.

[gh]

Seriously, this comes down to taste. You either like pogies or you dont. My wildwasser pogies keep my hands very warm. If you dont like em, use gloves or different pogies. Do what feels good.

[surfboy]

ice cream. everyone has their favorites, but it comes down to personal preference.
If you want full time protection even when your hands are off the paddle and you don't mind the interference with your grip, of the glove then gloves are for you.
If you need the secure feel of your bare hand on the paddle shaft then (Pogies) are your best bet.
It also comes down to the gloves or (Pogies) you select.
Traditional nylon (pogies) with long gauntlets tend to be difficult to get into and the linings used to add insulation tend to absorb a great deal of water and weight.
Creek Mitts are a mountain Surf brand of Easy On Easy Off neoprene (Pogies) and some people seem to be using the name as a new generic term for (Pogies). They pretty much eliminate the difficulty in getting in or out of them but give up something in warmth.
Oven Mitts, our new much warmer version of the Creek mitt have a longer gauntlet and pile inner laminate for better insulation. The non absorptive outer laminate pretty much elminates evaporative cooling. These puppies are as warm as it gets and are very easy to get in and out of.
Seals at the wrists and paddle shaft on (Pogies) cause difficulty in changing your grip on the shaft and make getting in and then out of them incongruous. It seemed like a good idea until we tried it.

I hope that this helps

John Mason
Mountain Surf

[JCKeck1]

the neoprene pogies work the same as a neoprene wetsuit or your neoprene booties. They all allow water into the fabric and then trap it there. Initially this is very cold, but your body will warm the water and the neoprene keeps the same water inside all day. This is why wetsuits are better at insulting and keeping you warm when they are wet. They are only a few mm thick when dry, but much thicker and warmer when wet and warmed with your body heat. Same deal with the pogies - get them wet, allow you hands to warm them and they'll keep you warm all day even though you're wet. In my experience with creeking there is no choice between gloves and pogies. the pogies are way warmer and allow better hand-shaft contact for your pleasure.

[Miguel]

The problem with pogies, and it can be a serious one, is that if you take your hands out and submerge them in really cold water, they become pretty useless in a relatively short length of time. Fingered gloves just aren't warm enough. Mittens are comparable to pogies in warmth but you lose a lot of fine motor finger dexterity because your fingers are encased. I was out boating with a pair of the NRS mittens and had to remove one glove just to wipe fog from my glasses....a major hassle.

Enter....the mitten modification. Hunters you mittens with this modification all the time because they also know that mittens are the warmest form of glove. Simply by slicing an opening across the palm of the glove right at the base of the fingers you can remove any number (up to four of course!) of fingers from the glove and effortlessly return them to the warmth of the glove. Since the slit is always against the paddle shaft almost no extra water enters the glove. Even when submerged my hands stayed warm and any water that does enter quickly drains. IMHO it 's the best of both worlds between pogies and gloves. I could easily use my fingers for such mundane chores as putting on my skirt, clipping in items and the all important relieving myself all without removing my NRS Toaster Mitts. Below is a link to pics of the modification.

Miguel

http://pub3.bravenet.com/photocenter...92&album=36355