What gloves for cold weather?

[MedSailor]

So I've been told it's spring in Seattle right now.... I've also been told that there's some great oceanfront property in Kansas... As I type it is SNOWING and blowing 10-12kts or so.

Yesterday's race was no better, wind wise. 30something degrees and plenty of wind. Since it's not my first time sailing in cold weather I had my layers all sorted out and remained warm and dry, except for my hands. They absolutely froze. When lines would get fouled I would free them and all I could feel was a nice combination of numbness and pain. Once at home they swelled up...

So, enough winging, on to the gear question: What kind of gloves work for keeping your hands warm (dry is nice too but optional) but still keep your fingertips free for rope work? I've bought west marine helmsman gloves before but always take them off to handle lines because they are full finger and insulated.

Does anyone make gloves with neoprene or any other insulation but still keep the first finger and thumb free? Currently I use Harken black magic gloves.

Thanks!

MedSailor

[Freesail99]

I have used ski gloves the kind that come up almost to your elbows. Mostly water tight and very warm.

[sailboy21]

There is no such thing as waterproof unless it is rubber, like the big fisherman's gloves. To take the edge off, I found mechanix gloves will work well to protect your hands from the wind, but still give you the ability to manipulate things with your fingers. They don't offer much in the way of insulation but its better than nothing, and they are cheap! Wash them first so they don't bleed out over pretty boat parts.

[Quickstep192]

I have these Gill Marine, Jackets, Smocks, Salopettes, Trousers, Shorts, Wetsuits, Drysuits, Harness, Gloves, Sunglasses

and they are waterproof. They also have very little "touch". You can steer or grind a winch while wearing them, but forget about opening a shackle or something like that.

I also have these

Gill Marine, Jackets, Smocks, Salopettes, Trousers, Shorts, Wetsuits, Drysuits, Harness, Gloves, Sunglasses

I wear them them with glove liners and they are quite comfortable and warm. The palm is not waterproof and if it gets wet, your hands get wet. They stay warm thanks to the neoprene and glove liners, but they're still wet.

[MedSailor]

Thanks Quick. I think maybe the one or the other of the gills would be great. All I'd have to do is cut off the fingertip and thumb tip and I'd be in business.

I'll have to check that out next time I'm at the toy store....

MedSailor

[poopdeckpappy]

For cold weather I have a pair of Jet Pilot jet ski gloves, then I cut off the tip of the thumb and index finger down to the first knuckle,.......... works good

[sailingdog]

I'd second the Jet Pilot brand of jet ski gloves... they're very thin neoprene IIRC. I have a set on my boat and can do things like open shackles with them, even without cutting the fingertips off of them... YMMV.

[Plumper]

I like the full finger neoprene cycling gloves with leather palms. They are warm and I can do most things that require some dexterity.

cheap too.

[Valiente]

I use cycling gloves as well: full gloves in cold weather with Thinsulate flip-top mittens over that, and then just to the gloves, and then to cycling half-gloves for summer for line-handling.

The full gloves are $20, and the flip-gloves are $5. I think the whole Henri Lloyd/Gill, etc. "sailing glove" stuff is complete nonsense...I bicycle through the winter and I simply do the same thing aboard.

If I have to have my hands in freezing water (like setting out race marks in late April or hauling mooring chain), I use a pair of neoprene diving gloves. I also have a few pairs of heavy synthetic chemical clean-up gloves that are big enough (and which go partway up my forearms) so that I can wear cloth gloves or dishwashing gloves beneath, which is surprising effective if I'm handling tow lines in cold, rainy weather where fabric gloves would get soaked quickly.

It looks like Launch Day (Friday) will be 17 C, so I'll just wear gardening gloves with little rubber nubbins on them for grip.

[Stillraining]

I have and use exactly what you are looking for...we have used these for years fly fishing/boating...if the MIT gets in your way you can cut it off but it Velcro's back and stays put very well...The only thing I don't like is the Velcro patches to hold back the thumb..You constantly forget about it and after wiping your nose a few time it gets pretty raw...
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