Frozen hands - need new gloves

[NRG]

I bought a pair of Sealskinz based largely on recommendations of forum posts here last year. After initially being impressed (they are quite flexible & easy to use throttle / brake with them on), I have subsequently found them to be largely ineffective in colder / wetter weather such as we have had recently and they have been a slightly disappointing purchase.

If you are going to buy a pair then I completely echo other members comments about purchasing one size larger than you think you will need. I downloaded their hand size guide, printed it off & I checked my hand against it. My hand appeared to fitt comfortably in the middle of the large zone, so I confidently ordered a pair of large gloves. When they arrrived the gloves were way too small, I had to send them back & get a pair of XL ones. My hands are actually quite long & slim and the xl gloves are a reasonably tight fit.

Yep, go for at least one size larger then you need, maybe 2 sizes and also wear an inner glove...

 

[rustic]

Yep, go for at least one size larger then you need, maybe 2 sizes and also wear an inner glove...

I tend to take the same approach with pre-christmas trouser purchases - at least 2 sizes larger than you need, either that or an expandable waistband

 

[Caph]

-12C on my way on to work yesterday. I dread to think what the actual temperature was factoring in wind chill.

My preheated Sealskinz were next to useless, they merely slightly prolonged the complete freeze of my hands. It's the first time my eyeballs have actually hurt from the cold.

Goggles and motorcycle gloves next for me.

 

[tony6403]

-12C on my way on to work yesterday. I dread to think what the actual temperature was factoring in wind chill.

My preheated Sealskinz were next to useless, they merely slightly prolonged the complete freeze of my hands. It's the first time my eyeballs have actually hurt from the cold.

Goggles and motorcycle gloves next for me.

Why your comment about your eyeballs hurting is somehow hilarious I honestly don't know, particularly as on my last ride the freezing cold made my ears give me such truly agonising pain.

 

[Old Timer]

Because it`s so cold at the moment I took the plunge and went up into the loft to find my old motorbike gloves. A bit bulky but they certainly do the trick. (Leather with thinsulate lining)

 

[allen-uk]

I rode a couple of miles to the Co-op, and my breathing felt as if I'd eaten ice-cream too quickly - my sinuses and throat really hurt with the cold.

Scarves not much use, as they tend to fog up my glasses.

Any ideas on that score gratefully received.


Allen.

 

[NRG]

A balaclava would probably do it, plenty of choice.

 

[z0mb13e]

Hands have been painfully cold these past few weeks so I've gone back to my snowboarding mitts as the various gloves I have tried just don't cut the mustard, my snowboarding pipe gloves included.

I can reccomend Burton or Dakine mitts, particularly when stuffed with heat packs! Barely felt the cold today.

 

[MyPump]

Hands have been painfully cold these past few weeks so I've gone back to my snowboarding mitts as the various gloves I have tried just don't cut the mustard, my snowboarding pipe gloves included.

I can reccomend Burton or Dakine mitts, particularly when stuffed with heat packs! Barely felt the cold today.

Hi

How do you find the Dakine mitts as I have never used a mitt before for cycling ?

My hands literally freeze on my sails commute and currently use Altura Winter Gloves which cost £35 but don't seem up for the freezing weather ?

Many thanks
Andrew

 

[z0mb13e]

Hi

How do you find the Dakine mitts as I have never used a mitt before for cycling ?

My hands literally freeze on my sails commute and currently use Altura Winter Gloves which cost £35 but don't seem up for the freezing weather ?

Many thanks
Andrew

Hi Andrew,

Took a few minutes to stop trying to grip the brakes with two fingers but after that it wasn't too bad. The Dakine mitts are fairly thick so you don't get great grip but its not too bad.

 

[rustic]

I rode a couple of miles to the Co-op, and my breathing felt as if I'd eaten ice-cream too quickly - my sinuses and throat really hurt with the cold.

Scarves not much use, as they tend to fog up my glasses.

Any ideas on that score gratefully received.


Allen.

A balaclava would seem a good shout, I don't have one myself, but will be buying one this week. Any recommendations gratefully received.

I know that you can get anti-fog spray for motorcycle visors, I'm not sure whether there is a similar produt for glasses, but it might be worth looking into.

Aside from that I can only recommend a packet of fisherman's friends, the taste of these should help take your mind off the cold conditions.

 

[z0mb13e]

I rode a couple of miles to the Co-op, and my breathing felt as if I'd eaten ice-cream too quickly - my sinuses and throat really hurt with the cold.

Scarves not much use, as they tend to fog up my glasses.

Any ideas on that score gratefully received.


Allen.

I've just bought one of these 'Airhole' face masks and am very impressed. You can breath almost completely normally and it doesn't get wet or freeze (so far). I expect it would work well with glasses too. Very comfy and warm.

 

[allen-uk]

The Airhole things look a possibility, as the trouble with balaclavas is that, like scarves, they seem to direct the hot air from your gob northwards, i.e. up to your freezing-cold glasses, thus getting them misted up.

A

 

[z0mb13e]

As I don't use glasses when cycling I can't speak from experience but as its been so cold and having seen my breath projected straight out, I think you would be ok.

I will know in a few weeks as I hit the slopes in Jan and would see any problems you might suffer with glasses, repeated with goggles.

In the mean time, if you do want to take a chance on them, you can get a 10% discount until this friday 10th by entering the code 'santas-swag-bag' (without the quotes) in the shopping basket (and before anyone asks, no I don't have any link to bargainboards.co.uk

 

[NRG]

You can get balaclavas with a nose flap/vent that gets around the steaming up problem...

Outdoor Research Sonic Balaclava | RawOutdoors.co.uk

 

[allen-uk]

Thanks for the fancy balaclava link.

Additional problem (I know I'm pushing my luck here) is that I wear a helmet (mainly because it has flashing lights attached to it) so getting it on plus a balaclava is not on.

A

 

[Pedalo]

My helmet has an adjusty wheel thing at the back so that it can be easily adjusted for head size. Loosening it off slightly when wearing a balaclava works well.

 

[Old Timer]

The Airhole things look a possibility, as the trouble with balaclavas is that, like scarves, they seem to direct the hot air from your gob northwards, i.e. up to your freezing-cold glasses, thus getting them misted up.

A

I bought two of these,2 KNITTED WINTER ZIP BALACLAVA 2in1 SKI PEAK HAT BLACK on eBay (end time 24-Dec-10 23:49:17 GMT) the peak comes under the helmet and gives a little more protection from the wind and sun. The zipped front allows you to drop the zip when required and prevent the fog up.

On Sunday, riding into the wind in minus temps my forehead was so painful I had to slow right down to cut down on the wind chill factor I also have a full face bali that just has two holes for eyes and one small hole for mouth so I`m gonna wear that today and ignore the looks. here JACK PYKE BLACK THREE HOLE BALACLAVA POST FREE on eBay (end time 04-Nov-10 14:56:50 GMT)

 

[Scimitar]

I know that you can get anti-fog spray for motorcycle visors, I'm not sure whether there is a similar produt for glasses, but it might be worth looking into.

A smear of washing-up liquid, buffed off, does the trick just as well.

I've just bought one of these 'Airhole' face masks and am very impressed.

Not as impressed as I was when I misread one of the titles as Donkey Thong.

 

[z0mb13e]

Not as impressed as I was when I misread one of the titles as Donkey Thong.

Ha ha, that would be a very niche product.

I'm surprised there hasn't been any jokes about the 'Airhole' name - its provided plenty of chuckles around the office