Cold Hands?

[asscrack]

I cut the palms out of my Dakine mitt's and they work great,now you can fold them back when not in use.you still have free skin grip (Which personally Is a must have)And before you go out,eat a few Cheyenne pills,for internal turn up the heat source. snow is a coming.

[winddoctor]

And before you go out,eat a few Cheyenne pills,for internal turn up the heat source. snow is a coming.

But only if you are riding Ocean Rodeo gear. Yeeehawwww!

[voodmon]

personally i use the apache pills....ahemmm..that's cayenne....raw cayenne...capsicum...(it stimulates peripheral circulation to the extremeties )....however you like it, sprinkled on food or in capsules, but cooking it kills the active ingredients....stay warm people...

[more force 4]

I was out last Sunday, I think it was about 4 degrees, wore the Dakine mitts with intact palms, but although I did quite a bit of pumping, and was out of the harness quite a bit with a big, heavy rig, I had no forarm cramp whatsoever. It was pretty tame conditions; I think adrenaline [edit - fear!] makes you grip the boom too hard usually.

[Windsurfish]

....So I was told by some sailor this summer that rubber dish gloves work to keep the hands warm. No insulation, but also no evaporative cooling. This fall/winter, I have worn them 5 times in various conditions from nuking silly strong winds to gusty hell. One time, I seemed to get the dreaded forarm pump, but it was likely overgripping that would have happened without gloves = puckering fear... The rest of the trips, I was fine, warm, but not hot handed with good/excellent grip. Cost = $3.50 with tax an the grocery store (get the extra heavy strength ones. Some of the CB hardcore use the same/similar gloves taped to their drysuits - and have for years. They are on to something. I used them inside and outside my wetsuit sleeves. Essentially the same effect. I have also started rigging on cold days wearing $1 gloves (thin ones) found at the grocery store. Plenty stretchy to get over my hands, synthetic so they are warm when wet. I find if I keep my hands warm when rigging = warmer hands when sailing.....

[asscrack]

Warm up in the Dominican Republic.Just bring shorts and suncreen.

[Windsurfish]

I'm going to try the Baja as an alternative to dish gloves - good advice!!!

[KUS]

just thot I'd add another update: Dakine CWmitts yesterday were again a disappointment.

1) Got new wrist seals on drysuit and was looking forward to staying toasty cuz had a long day ahead so wore the gloves. Yet somehow water was getting in BECAUSE: the mitts collect water inside like a oneway valve, then hold it against the seals and eventually the water seeps past the seals = wet and cold forearms. Solution : tape mitts on seals but this will eventually damage seals and neoprene for sure, trust me, been there done that or punch holes into the gloves or shorten the wrist so there's a space between seal and glove
2) Despite thinner material I could feel my forearms getting tired, then cramp cuz I was working the boom lots in the waves. Had a hot shower, took gloves right off, rewarmed occasionally with a pot of warm water = much better sailing and enjoyment unfortunately the gloves had done their thing and I had to quit about 2 hrs early, rest of the bod was still ready to go but forearms were shot, barely managed to get the suit off

Cold Water Dakine Mitts?? Don't waste your money, they do not work for a number of reasons unless you plan to sail back and forth like a drone for 1 hour or less I will cut the wrist portion off or punch holes into the wrist area of the mitt and wear them only to re-warm hands.....BTW there are already seams coming apart on these, worn 5 times, nice quality craftmanship

[winddoctor]

To balance out Senor Kus' deep dislike for the DK mitts, I LOVE'em, and I'm pretty sure I ain't no drone! I'll admit that the first couple of sessions you may have more forearm fatigue than normal, but that's the price you pay for perfectly toasty hands. Besides, you get lots of rest in your harness on the tack back out past the waves! I find my forearms adapt to the mitts quickly, to the point I don't even miss sailing barehanded in the winter. They do trap water, but after two seasons now, the water now drains out through a small tear in the palm with no noticeable reduction in warmth. It would be easy enough to make drain holes. I can even rig my sail with the mitts on. They have been nearly as important an investment for enjoying winter conditions (rather than simply surviving) as my OR drysuit. No joke. One bonus for me with the mitts is that I can tuck them behind the cuffs (not the seals) of my drysuit and I get very little water in them. Regarding the seams coming apart, mine have lasted pretty well. Most of the wear and tear on the seams is from grabbing the the tip and tugging them off forcefully. I've stopped doing that and the seams are fine. One final point is that I don't get blisters with the mitts like I normally do in winter when sailing barehanded.

By the way, I have no affiliation with Dakine! I think the mitts rock!! Just my two bits. Try someone's first if you can before buying them.

[KUS]

fair enough, I also didn't enjoy the OR suit so I guess our preferences are quite different

The gloves ARE the warmest thing I ever had, I was just pissed off they cost me the best couple of hours of the day's sailing yesterday they will remain in the fin bin for when I can't stand the cold hands any longer then I'll just have to work the waves only one way, not both

[more force 4]

I'm sure I qualify as a drone, often out less than an hour in winter. I was really glad to have the gloves work the last time I used them, because with Reynaud's syndrom or disease, I might otherwise have to give up winter/coldwater sailing entirely. I've been told by doctors to use gloves skiing and just driving to work on a chilly day. the WCB website suggests

How do you live with Raynaud's phenomenon?

Precautions can be taken to reduce the number and intensity of attacks of white finger. These precautions include the following:

Protect the body from cold temperatures.
Avoid immersing unprotected hands in cold water.


The last one kind of sucks for windsurfing! One of my biggest beefs with the gloves outside of the forearm cramp when sailing extreme (for me) conditions is the water gathering in them. It isn't cold, just annoying! I find even holding my arm straight up and pulling hard sideways on the wrist won't properly clear them. I might try poking some holes in mine as Winddoc suggests so the water drains out again.

You must have some great thumb-eye coordination, Winddoc, to be able to rig wearing them!!

[winddoctor]

You must have some great thumb-eye coordination, Winddoc, to be able to rig wearing them!!

That's 'cause I'm all thumbs anyway....

[morewind]

Hey KusMachineDood. Have you tried these open palm mitts?

http://www.windance.com/default.asp?win ... tem~PL4MIT

These things are the first mitts/gloves I've owned that didn't give me forearm cramps (never tried the Dakines though...). They're suprizingly warm even though they flush water. One useful feature is that once your hands are warm you can flip the mitt part off and sail bare hands, while on the water.

I went with size L.

[WindePendanT]

Thanks Morewind, I might have to get some of those.
They look like they'd be warm enough, and adjustable around the wrist.
How long have you used them?

[JL]

I was warm with my 'pogies' Saturday ... Kiters/kayakers only I'm afraid.