Re: [Paddlewise] Freezing Hands

From: <Seakayakerjb_at_aol.com>
> Some people, no matter what they do, have a condition called Reynaulds
> syndrome/disease that prevents their hands and feet from becoming warm.
>
good point, but note that it is spelled Reynauds

At the risk of stating the obvious - even if one is not afflicted with
Reynauds, paddling in cold conditions almost mandates that the paddler
keep moving to keep the internal mechanisms generating heat.
Lollygagging in the water is a fine summertime activity, but there has to
be motion and more of a purpose to one's wintertime paddling - especially
when one's hands are cold from the acts of getting dressed for paddling,
getting the boat in the water, and the body in the boat.  The thermal
deficit generated by getting ready to paddle is, IMO, best overcome by
about 15 minutes' worth of vigorous paddling.

One should also not consider hand coverings as a separate clothing issue.
Covering the torso to stay toasty warm in cold conditions with little/no
activity may actually be a detriment to keeping the hands warm - as the
activity level necessary to pump warm blood to the hands will make the
rest of the body overheat.  My preference for wintertime paddling
(actually, any time of the year) is to dress to a level that will keep me
feeling just a tad cool or at equillibrium in periods of low/no activity,
which helps prevent overheating in periods of higher activity.

Of course, each individual is put together differently, and the question
of how to dress for paddling is something that must really be determined
by each individual and based on personal experinece.  I've got more body
insulation (read:fat) than some of my regular paddling companions, and
therefore take a very different approach to dressing for cold weather
paddling.

Erik Sprenne