Cold Hands

[okieboater]

Fish's idea on the extra pair of gloves for times you do not have the paddle with pogies in hand --- is great.

My experience is if my hands ever get really cold on a float - it is really hard to warm them back up. So when you are out of your kayak, moseying around, wear your gloves!

Like others, I find the glacier gloves to be really good gloves for me when I am not paddling.

When I am actually paddling, I get the best control when my hands grip the paddle directly - and pogies fit the bill for that need.

[bryanpin]

the first time i wore pogies i felt stupid for not having got some sooner. they're so much warmer than gloves, with that bareback feel! gloves are for fence post driving, not paddling.

there is room for product innovation with pogies though. someone needs to make a more efficient entry/exit. unless it is brutally cold, i usually have to dip my hands in the water to cool them off every few minutes (even in the 30's). so i'm not worried about having a larger than usual opening that water can get into. it's the lack of evaporative cooling that makes pogies so nice. so I'm seeing something with the fleece liner like the old mountain surfs. i like the outer shell of the kokatats i have. just add a ring or something to keep the opening nice and round and you've got some real nice pogies.

[kayakcono]

I have used Snap Dragon, Hyper Hands Pogies for years. They are made from Hypalon (like Rafts) and are very warm, don't absorb water, and very easy to get in and out of while paddling. Butt, when it really gets cold, I just got some NRS "Toaster Mitts" they are comfy, great grip on the paddle, and the warmest thing I've ever used. They are a mitten style, so they keep your hands warmer than gloves with fingers. They also have the lil "Titanium" tag. They are not so thick, that they make you lose the feel of your paddle. I prefer bare hand on paddle, but the older I get the worse my hands hurt after Winter paddling ! Since I'm not gonna quit paddling in cold weather, the NRS Toaster Mitt's are the new partial fix. The post above this was looking for a good EZ entry/exit pogie,with no evaporative cooling issues, the Snap Dragon Hyper Hands is just what you're looking for. They are about $45, but well worth the $$. Quite a few of my paddlin partners have switched to Hyper Hands after trying a pair. They are truly the Boss ! Both of the models I have referred to are showcased in Dave's link above from CKS. The Saint Francis should thaw and be running this weekend, so those of you not helping clear your ice storm damage, come paddle with the MWA clan ! And Fish is sooo right about the long term damage to your hands and other body parts from the freeze - warm cycle. From 40 years of 4 season Motorcycle riding to 25 + years of cold WW paddling, my hands are just about the most affected part of my aging body! (besides my brain freeze, but that could have been caused by other stimulii ) Freddie Carter

[jjones03]

NRS toaster mitts.... i paddled snow creek that same day but in the morning at about 9 AM ...my hands stayed toasty. check em out...