# Cold weather rowing handwear battle royale 2020 edition



## SpudCat (Aug 24, 2020)

I get cold hands. Like stupid cold hands. Hell, I'm sitting inside a 72 degree building and my hands are cool. Thanks, Reynaud's (circulatory condition). When I trail run below 50 degrees or so, I'm wearing gloves. When I skate ski, I typically have to wear mittens. Thick gloves don't cut it most the time. When my hands get cold, fingers quit working very well. So stupid. But it is what it is.

So, what's the super ultra warmest handwear combo you like for cold weather rowing? In particular, I'm looking at mittens (w/ liner or thinner glove underneath) for the aforementioned reason of obnoxiously cold hands all the time. I've always had better outcomes when my fingers are not separated.

A few options I'm wondering about...

NRS Toaster mitts
Kokatat Inferno mitt
Level Six Gritstone mitt

How about Glacier Gloves (which model?) any other makes/models or recommendations? I'm planning to play with base-layering a thin insulative liner, cheap latex glove over the top to make a waterproof drysuit/top gasket on glove seal and then the mitten. Other tricks?

Thanks in advanced!


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## jbolson (Apr 6, 2005)

I use those disposable hand warmers in my mittens on cold ski days.


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## ENDOMADNESS (Jun 21, 2005)

Biking Poogies...and its not close.

Id wear a think glove , so when you remove your hands to wipe your nose or sip a beer you have protection. Google biking poogies "images"


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## theusualsuspect (Apr 11, 2014)

If it is really cold and I'm out in the woods I will wear some nitrile gloves as the "base layer" for my hands. They are non-porous and turn your fingers and hands into a humid heat factory. Obviously then wearing mittens or whatever else I would typically wear. Just a thought.


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## Grifgav (Jun 20, 2011)

I can tell you that rowing the Grand in December last year, I thought I could get away with just NRS hydroskin gloves... and I could unless there was any kind of breeze, then not so much. I ended up pairing those with a few pairs of wool gloves that I brought, swapping them out as they got wet. I also used some Pro Angler Glacier Gloves I had when everything else was wet...and those were overkill for me, but I don't have cold hand issues normally


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## 2tomcat2 (May 27, 2012)

Thin neoprene gloves, mittens, over mitts, warm hat, neck gaiter (keep warmth from escaping those large arteries) and hood over warm hat; I suffer from the same, and have found this combination works well
Can add hand warmers to mittens with inserts
Try keeping your feet warm (thin synthetic layer, wool blend socks and toe warmers); allow room for a snug, not tight fit
Keep your bladder empty (not kidding); just one less thing for your body to keep warm!


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## jerseyjeff (Apr 16, 2016)

I really like the tactile feel of the oars and paddles, and almost always ran fingerless neo gloves under pogies when hard boating, and and windproof fleece OR gloves when rowing. I have seen some pretty awesome biking mitts like this








The Bikesmiths


=Bar Mitts MTB Flat Bar Small/Medium




www.thebikesmiths.com




but you might have to duct tape them to the oars, or be ok losing them in a flip. There are mitts that are similar for scooters, and even beefier layers but could be a pita if they get wet.


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## NoCo (Jul 21, 2009)

I go get a few pairs of insulated work gloves. Dose them in scotch guard, you should be fine. Change out as needed. Just my input as an aged lift mechanic. As long as you have some warmth, and your working, your fingures should stay numb but not hurt. Anyway have fun.


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## cupido76 (May 22, 2009)

jerseyjeff said:


> I really like the tactile feel of the oars and paddles, and almost always ran fingerless neo gloves under pogies when hard boating, and and windproof fleece OR gloves when rowing. I have seen some pretty awesome biking mitts like this
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I have a pair of this exact product for winter bike riding. Before I got them it could be a struggle to keep all my fingers warm because I needed gloves that are dextrous enough to operate brakes and shifters etc.

After getting them I can wear a very thin liner glove under the bar mitts and my hands will be overheating at -15 to -20C.


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## SpudCat (Aug 24, 2020)

Appreciate all the ideas so far. Many thanks. Here's to warm hands!


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## villagelightsmith (Feb 17, 2016)

SpudCat said:


> I get cold hands. Like stupid cold hands. Hell, I'm sitting inside a 72 degree building and my hands are cool. Thanks, Reynaud's (circulatory condition). When I trail run below 50 degrees or so, I'm wearing gloves. When I skate ski, I typically have to wear mittens. Thick gloves don't cut it most the time. When my hands get cold, fingers quit working very well. So stupid. But it is what it is.
> 
> So, what's the super ultra warmest handwear combo you like for cold weather rowing? In particular, I'm looking at mittens (w/ liner or thinner glove underneath) for the aforementioned reason of obnoxiously cold hands all the time. I've always had better outcomes when my fingers are not separated.
> 
> ...


I'd heard of Reynaud's, figured it could be tough, but never actually got down to visualizing cases. There's a principle in _that, _I believe, a failure (or refusal) to recognise the true state of another. Thanks for the wake-up. I'll ponder on this. My feet and knees are cold and in pain most of the time. Most of the people you see on the street are in some kind of chronic pain, yet they do most of the world's work.


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## SpudCat (Aug 24, 2020)

villagelightsmith said:


> I'd heard of Reynaud's, figured it could be tough, but never actually got down to visualizing cases. There's a principle in _that, _I believe, a failure (or refusal) to recognise the true state of another. Thanks for the wake-up. I'll ponder on this. My feet and knees are cold and in pain most of the time. Most of the people you see on the street are in some kind of chronic pain, yet they do most of the world's work.


I mean it's just cold hands. I try not to complain, but I also hate my fingers being rendered useless when some people are barely wearing gloves. Lol. I remember finishing one trail run a few years back. It was 12 degrees out but I was reasonably gloved. I had a hard time turning the key to start the truck. Fingers just didn't want to work--loss of control and grip strength. 

Then comes the screaming barfies... that's the worst, when hands warm back up to 5-10 minutes of sickening pain. Raynaud's causes fingers to temporarily turn yellow/whiteish due to lack of circulation which is a neat party trick. It looks like frostbite. 

You're right about people out there in chronic pain... that's a lot of the population. I have a bro-in-law who's been a framer his entire life. He was still in his 40s when he had a hip replacement. He could barely hobble around before the surgery.


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

I took these down a Feb grand this year and really liked them








Waterproof All Weather Lightweight Insulated Mitten


A lightweight and insulated waterproof, windproof and breathable mitten packed with technology to protect in all weather conditions.




www.sealskinzusa.com




For camp, these really fit the bill








Windproof Cold Weather Convertible Mitt


A lightweight windproof mitt engineered to provide high levels of insulation and thermal retention in cold conditions.




www.sealskinzusa.com


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## 2tomcat2 (May 27, 2012)

SpudCat said:


> I mean it's just cold hands. I try not to complain, but I also hate my fingers being rendered useless when some people are barely wearing gloves. Lol. I remember finishing one trail run a few years back. It was 12 degrees out but I was reasonably gloved. I had a hard time turning the key to start the truck. Fingers just didn't want to work--loss of control and grip strength.
> 
> Then comes the screaming barfies... that's the worst, when hands warm back up to 5-10 minutes of sickening pain. Raynaud's causes fingers to temporarily turn yellow/whiteish due to lack of circulation which is a neat party trick. It looks like frostbite.
> 
> You're right about people out there in chronic pain... that's a lot of the population. I have a bro-in-law who's been a framer his entire life. He was still in his 40s when he had a hip replacement. He could barely hobble around before the surgery.


You are not complaining. You are seeking answers to be more functional and comfortable....there is nothing whinny about that


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## 76763 (Jul 16, 2018)

SpudCat: Fwiw, I do a lot of mountaineering here in Colorado, incl winter mountaineering up high peaks. Lots of experience with cold hands. If you truly have Reynaud's you're dealing with serious cold issues. _Purely my opinion_, forget anything involving gloves when your hands are cold, mittens are hands down (pun intended...) the way to go. I don't even like gloved liners under a mitt, seems like separating the fingers takes away more warmth than a liner adds, although liners are nice for dexterity esp on cold metal. Question I have for you is if you are in a biggish boat vs. kayak? If in a big boat you might get away with just a warm mitt vs. a waterproof neoprene mitt, i.e. wet hands are less likely. If you need a neoprene set-up, I agree with the previous posters about neoprene mitts (I have a pair of NRS mitts) inside a cycling poagie over your oar/paddle (I think Revelate Designs makes some, and there are other vendors). This is what the MTB cyclists use on the Iditarod race in the Alaskan winter. If you can keep your hands dry, on the other hand, a Goretex shell mitt with a wool or fleece liner I've found to be very versatile and plenty warm. And yeah, keep your core & head warm. The body will draw blood in to the core when it's really cold, the extemities suffer as a result. Good luck! 

-Tom


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## SpudCat (Aug 24, 2020)

Tom Pierce said:


> Question I have for you is if you are in a biggish boat vs. kayak? If in a big boat you might get away with just a warm mitt vs. a waterproof neoprene mitt, i.e. wet hands are less likely.


Big cat, so yes--less wet than kayaking. Thanks for the feedback and ideas!


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## villagelightsmith (Feb 17, 2016)

SpudCat said:


> I mean it's just cold hands. I try not to complain, but I also hate my fingers being rendered useless when some people are barely wearing gloves. Lol. I remember finishing one trail run a few years back. It was 12 degrees out but I was reasonably gloved. I had a hard time turning the key to start the truck. Fingers just didn't want to work--loss of control and grip strength.
> 
> Then comes the screaming barfies... that's the worst, when hands warm back up to 5-10 minutes of sickening pain. Raynaud's causes fingers to temporarily turn yellow/whiteish due to lack of circulation which is a neat party trick. It looks like frostbite.
> 
> You're right about people out there in chronic pain... that's a lot of the population. I have a bro-in-law who's been a framer his entire life. He was still in his 40s when he had a hip replacement. He could barely hobble around before the surgery.


Sorry, the intent of my sorry little screed was not to diminish the depth of anybody's pain, but to say that it certainly CAN be disabling. "Just-cold" my tail-feathers! Pain of any kind is a gift, a warning that we need to do something about this problem. My hat's off to you, for being able to continue in spite of it. I ignored pain/"enhanced discomfort" all my life when it was actually warning me of incipient damage. I should have done exactly what you're doing, and found a way to accomplish what I wanted to do _without_ causing permanent damage! Many were the times I pushed beyond and dismissed discomfort as being irrelevant, all the way to real damage. Now that I'm an old coot, my body is having its revenge. I'm saying that, Man, you have courage, and the rest of us need to recognize and file this Renaud's under "something of vital personal interest" and start pulling up connected items of interest so's we can come up with ideas that actually work. If there was a way to introduce a heated paddle or oar handle, HeII, _I'd_ buy the danmed thing! Yeah, I used to go packing at -20 degrees and below, and I've run rivers when the water formed a sheath of ice on the boat. (Hey, I never said I was very smart!) Preventing conductive, radiant, evaporative, distributive and convective heat loss might make our own lives more comfortable, get somebody's keys into their truck, _or be the key to getting somebody like the reader back to the truck and family someday! The best ideas have not yet been thought of by the people who need their principles. A great deal of what I know was synthesized from far-flung ideas that were gathered from somebody else. _


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## raymo (Aug 10, 2008)

jbolson said:


> I use those disposable hand warmers in my mittens on cold ski days.


Purchase one size larger than what you usually ware, when you buy Goose Down mittens, disposable hand warmers(apparently you can't get normal body heat to your hands and need chemical help) and removable gortex covers over the mittens. Pack two or three pairs, they are very light weight and they squish down really small. I have used them when cross country skiing, winter camping and big game hunting, I just pull one off when I shoot the rifle to pull the trigger. Regular gloves are good for dexterity but mittens are alot warmer. Carry both. PS. I have never used them river rafting, important to keep them pretty dry. Thank goodness for being able to edit on this site.


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## Roddy (Sep 8, 2011)

I like gloves more than mittens for dexterity, I like mittens more than gloves for warmth...go figure. These are going to be my next hand warmer purchase: 2020 Xcel Drylock 5mm 3 Finger Gloves ACV57387 - Black - Wetsuits - Accessories


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## willpaddle4food (Oct 11, 2003)

jerseyjeff said:


> I really like the tactile feel of the oars and paddles, and almost always ran fingerless neo gloves under pogies when hard boating, and and windproof fleece OR gloves when rowing. I have seen some pretty awesome biking mitts like this
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

It has been my experience that neoprene gloves get quite cold when wet, and the evaporative cooling effect doesn't help any, these would likely help keep a warmer glove drier underneath. One could put a grommet in the cuff and tape that to the oar shaft as a "Mitten Leash" to mitigate the danger of losing them in a flip.


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## MT4Runner (Apr 6, 2012)

SpudCat, my wifey also suffers from Reynaud's. Might be telling you something you already know, but also keep your core warm which gives you a bit more warm blood (when it does circulate) to warm your hands, stay hydrated, and eat plenty of calories on river days.

I made my own mitts several years ago. Several several years ago. I LOVE them for cold weather paddling. 
Agree with Tom Pierce that mitts are the way to go. Any of the 3 you listed look good. Another consideration might be to smear Aquaseal or Plastidip on the backs of all those gloves so there's no wet nylon layer that can evaporate and make the glove cold.

The disposable heat packs aren't so great when it's wet/cold out. Try the reusable gel ones with the metal disc inside, which do offer heat when wet.

And maybe some kind of handwarmer that you can stuff your hands inside on a shore break; they now make ones with rechargeable USB battery packs.


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## MikeG (Mar 6, 2004)

I am more likely to be in a kayak than in a raft when it is that cold but also suffer from hands that get cold very easily. I have tried all combinations of gloves and mitts but simple, beefy, neoprene kayak pogies are always the warmest for me. It has something to do with the friction on the shaft. No good data here but I would suspect wooden oars or grips would pull less heat out of your hands as well. I wonder if anyone knows what crabbers or arctic commercial fishermen wear?


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## HtotheJ (May 19, 2010)

SpudCat said:


> I get cold hands. Like stupid cold hands. Hell, I'm sitting inside a 72 degree building and my hands are cool. Thanks, Reynaud's (circulatory condition). When I trail run below 50 degrees or so, I'm wearing gloves. When I skate ski, I typically have to wear mittens. Thick gloves don't cut it most the time. When my hands get cold, fingers quit working very well. So stupid. But it is what it is.
> 
> So, what's the super ultra warmest handwear combo you like for cold weather rowing? In particular, I'm looking at mittens (w/ liner or thinner glove underneath) for the aforementioned reason of obnoxiously cold hands all the time. I've always had better outcomes when my fingers are not separated.
> 
> ...



Ski mittens with hand warmers, I like my glacier gloves, picked them up at bass pro


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## Hendu13 (Sep 13, 2017)

My sister has reynauds, as far as i know there is nothing that helps her after they get cold and i know she needs to be wary of it because it can lead to nerve damage. 
But id say if your willing to rig somthing up maybe try using the heated socks that take a 9 volt battery if they still make them, they're kinda like mittens.


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

MT4Runner said:


> I made my own mitts several years ago. Several several years ago.


Of COURSE you did....


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## lisacanoes (Nov 6, 2012)

MikeG said:


> I am more likely to be in a kayak than in a raft when it is that cold but also suffer from hands that get cold very easily. I have tried all combinations of gloves and mitts but simple, beefy, neoprene kayak pogies are always the warmest for me. It has something to do with the friction on the shaft. No good data here but I would suspect wooden oars or grips would pull less heat out of your hands as well. I wonder if anyone knows what crabbers or arctic commercial fishermen wear?


100% this. I’ve paddled kayaks year round for many years, and thick neoprene kayak poagies (which have Velcro closures so they can be used on canoe paddle t-grips or oars) are amazing. Gloves were always flat out useless for my frozen fingers and made my hands feel colder than they would have been without. 
Before I had poagies, my hands were constantly frozen, to the point where I could not bend my fingers, my pinky finger would go off wandering, out of my control, and my hands would be numb for up to a full 30 minutes after the rest of me was warm and dry. Then I found poagies. 
It was warmth I’d never imagined I’d experience while paddling. You do have to exercise a bit to warm them up, but once they (and you) are warm, you’ll be dipping your hands in the icy water on purpose to cool yourself. Even with a crust of ice on the poagies they keep me warm. Even gore Tex poagies over wool mittens would work, but I’ve always loved my neoprene pair.


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## dadiehl (Dec 13, 2013)

I have Raynaud's . I am in my 50’s and have had it for years. It’s not about THE cold. It’s about being cold, from the inside out. It can be 80 degrees and you can be out sweating your butt off. Go into a pizza shop with air conditioning and wham I may have it hit. My hands get white to the point I have no blood in my fingers. I look like a corpse. Like a previous post said it’s a core thing. And a hat thing. If anyone invents a mitt to prevent it or make it go away let me know. I will invest my pension in it.


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## MT4Runner (Apr 6, 2012)

dadiehl said:


> I have Raynaud's . I am in my 50’s and have had it for years. It’s not about THE cold. It’s about being cold, from the inside out. It can be 80 degrees and you can be out sweating your butt off. Go into a pizza shop with air conditioning and wham I may have it hit. My hands get white to the point I have no blood in my fingers. I look like a corpse. Like a previous post said it’s a core thing. And a hat thing. If anyone invents a mitt to prevent it or make it go away let me know. I will invest my pension in it.


Does it get worse with age?

yeah, my wifey definitely doesn't love the AC. 
She just bought a USB heated vest off of Amazon for $25. I'm thinking I may need one under my drysuit!


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## dadiehl (Dec 13, 2013)

I can’t say it got worse for me. It just is something I have to deal with. Today it never got out of the 30’s. I was outside all day with just two sweatshirts and a hat. Washing cars and getting ready for winter. No gloves. I had no problem. I think it’s easier to predict the weather than having an episode.


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## SpudCat (Aug 24, 2020)

I'm not sure if it's gotten any worse for me the older I get (only 43) or just that I'm more aware/annoyed by it. Generally speaking, I get cold easy. Running 2000 miles a year/low body fat adds to that. I like it warm. Summer rafting when it's 100+ degrees is perfection as far as I'm concerned. Lol.


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## WendyHuber (Oct 29, 2019)

SpudCat FYI: my friend has Reynauds and getting the prescription PENTOXIFYLLINE ER 400 MG TABS saved the big toe and foot Last winter. Of course you may know that?


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## chitwoodc6 (May 4, 2018)

I to have the cold hand syndrome after the amputation of a few fingers and lots of scar tissue.

I like the Kinko brand mittens in the snow, I'm not sure about rowing but they never let me down, and as long as I treat them every season they stay waterproof.

If wind is more your issue while rowing, find some thinner gloves you like and then buy some dish gloves to go over them. sounds silly and ridiculous but it works great.


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