Re: [Paddlewise] Cold Hands

Since Keith mentioned me by name, I'll give my $.02 worth--I've been wearing 
NRS HydroSkin gloves with my pogies this year.  This combination provides 
plenty of warmth paddling the cold waters, not to mention the air temps, of 
Lake Michigan, even when needing to reach under a friend's boad to free a 
jammed skeg.  After bringing my hand back out of the water I just make a 
tight fist to squeeze excess water out, do a quick hand fling and get back 
into that pogie.

Newbies to winter paddling complain about the pogies at first, but they learn 
the warmth advantage; they adapt and become happy cold weather paddlers.

As soon as I hit the beach the HydroSkin gloves are replaced with the thick 
fleece gloves I carry in my day hatch.

I've tried just about every possibility -- open palmed mitts are good for 
early winter when the water is still fairly warm (45 to 50 degrees F), but 
colder air temps.  Colder than that I loose use of my hands too quickly 
during rescues.

HydroSkin gloves have a nice wide range of temps.  I loose too much dexterity 
with neoprene gloves and mitts, and I've yet to find a pair that keep my 
fingers warm.

For pogies I prefer the stiffer cuffs of neoprene--easier to slip the hand 
into.  But, sometimes my hands over heat in them.  I've got a pair of nylon 
cuffed that when not in use wrap around the paddle shaft and snap 
"closed"--but they are harder to get the hands into.  

It's all about trade-offs.

John Browning
www.wildernessconnection.com
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