Cold weather gloves

Coletta

Coletta

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Oct 27, 2011
280
2
Memphis, TN
#1
I could not find the topic in a search.
I have toughened up to many things, so call me what you want. The cold season is upon us, and I don't want to go through painfully frozen hands again. I have really big hands, so it is also difficult to find any gloves that fit. I would also like to retain as much dexterity as possible, and I don't care how much they cost. Your input please.
 
#5
Re: Cold weather gloves

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Coletta</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have toughened up to many things, so call me what you want.</div></div>

Okay. You're a guy who doesn't want frostbite.

Layer up your hands. Buy a set of wool mittens as an inner layer, and nice thick outer gloves as an outer layer.

Cheapest way to go, is to go to a surplus store, or look for old issue gloves on ebay.

The more expensive route is through REI, or any other online sporting goods retailer.
 
#6
Re: Cold weather gloves

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Coletta</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I could not find the topic in a search. I have toughened up to many things, so call me what you want.</div></div>

Its not as much fun when the question hasn't been asked 2000 times. As far as the gloves go, I agree with Mike. Cabelas, Bass Pro Shops, Gander Mountain, ect., should have plenty of heavy duty cold weather gloves. Layer if you have to. I have a pair of Under Armour gloves and wear and pair of woolies over the until I need to take a shot...
smile.gif
 
#7
Re: Cold weather gloves

You didn't indicate what you are going to be doing in these gloves. For hunting from an elevated stand, try sticking a chemical handwarmer in the palm of your glove, or wearing some thin gloves with a muff (with a handwarmer in it). If you can't spare the room in the palm, put the handwarmer in the back of your glove. The only really warm gloves I ever had were ski gloves and the dexterity pretty much sucks. If your problem is circulation, gloves aren't going to help that much; you need some heat from the outside. Good luck, I share your misery...
 
#8
Re: Cold weather gloves

I use under armour cold gear gloves generally. Provide decent warmth and pretty darn good dexterity. Now if you're talking about extanded use then you may want something heavier. By that I mean a hunting trip or prolonged exposure type situations. It will be hard to find something that will provide you with both!
 
#10
Re: Cold weather gloves

Here is a thread I started earlier this year:
http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthre...841#Post2219841

Conclusion: Two pair of gloves... preferably a thin/tight liner and good shell mittens or gloves (mittens will always be warmer. You can also get the mittens for hunters that fold back for shooting, but can fold back when not, though I have not found a quality pair of those. I tried 5/6 pairs of liners before I found ones that I could draw/holster/load mags/have trigger feel before I settled on a pair. A good pair of thin wind/water proof liners can be very warm down to below 32 degrees. I was surprised
 
#11
Re: Cold weather gloves

I just recently picked up a pair of Manzellas from Dick's. Good little gloves - the trigger finger isnt super puffy like the rest, either, with the idea that you should be able to take a shot with it. I bought the "warmer" ones, and they have a built in pocket on top of the glove for a handwarmer. Add in a thinner pair of nice gloves and I think you'll be just fine.
 
#12
Re: Cold weather gloves

Lots of good info here. I have tried several of the suggestions already. I will also look for some of these brands in my area to check the fit. Too snug cuts off my circulation, and a good glove becomes useless.
The gloves will be used for deer, duck, and paper hunting. I will also be using them for working outdoors. Deer hunting is probably the worst due to sitting still. Shooting matches will freeze me out too (numb fingers and 8-16oz triggers, hehe)If ducks are working, then my blood gets pumping, and I don't even notice the cold.
 
#13
Re: Cold weather gloves

+1 on the mittens over thinner gloves for the colder days. And someone mentioned REI, look at their outlet too www.rei-outlet.com. Just picked up a pair of light water/windproof REI brand gloves for $20 with a long gauntlet.

What I wear about 90% of the time is a part of wool ragg gloves under a pair of Black Diamond goretex shell gloves. Lightweight, great dexterity, but layering makes it plenty warm.

Problem with the hand warmers is that if they cool off, your body has not adjusted to the cold and you are worse off than before. They are toasty though...
 
#15
Re: Cold weather gloves

Eddie Bauer and Gordini's (through Sierra Trading Post) both carry down gloves.

The Eddie Bauers were the best $20 I've ever spent on ANY winter clothing item I've bought.
 
#16
Re: Cold weather gloves

I have a set of Manzella shells over Black Diamond liners that I have had for years. They worked in the high sierras just fine during activity. I have not found a lot outside of arctic mittens that will keep my mitts warm when I am in a static position at 10-15 below.
 
#17
Re: Cold weather gloves

I bought a pair of wells-lamont gloves. They have models that are lightly insulated, some with thinsulate and some with no insulation. I bought the lighter insulated pair for sitting in the stand and they should work fine around here.

They have synthetic suede palms or leather palms depending on the ones you choose. They don't have the cool guy factor but they are inexpensive and are offered in subdued colors. I think I paid about $12 for for a pair. I also have an uninsulated pair I use around the fire department for odds and ends (obviously not fire fighting or extrication duties though) and they've held up pretty well.
 
#18
Re: Cold weather gloves

My problem isn't finding gloves that are warm, but gloves that are warm and that I can still shoot with without taking off. Having a pretty light trigger on my hunting rifle, I have serious trouble with it wanting to go off trying to put my finger inside of the trigger guard.
 
#19
Re: Cold weather gloves

Simple answer. Increase the pull weight on the trigger.

A good shooter can get MOA or better groups with a five pound trigger. Why do you need anything lighter for hunting? Besides the fact that cold will numb your extremities normally. A higher pull weight can definitely enhance your feel of the trigger.
 
#20
Re: Cold weather gloves

Having frostbitten my fingers too many times pursuing cold weather fun, phenomenal gloves are what I need to keep barely comfortable.
Fit Fit Fit.

Glove fit should be more important than boot fit when shooting?
baggy palms on a glove = cold.
too tight/loose on a thumb or finger = cold
your hands put out at least as much persp as feet....stay dry- change gloves/ use liners/over mitts for sitting still.

technical mountaineering gloves share a lot of features that I find beneficial for hunting/cold weather shooting

Best gloves I ever had...Mammut windstopper with external seams...makes so much sense. insulation around your fingers, not gap-osis from seams to make the gloves aesthetically more "usual".

my favorite gloves in no particular order:

Marmot work gloves, and lobster mitt
Hestra 3 finger Heli
Arcteryx SV mitt,
Stoic forge gloves
real boiled wool mittens- lots of imposters here, Ortovox are good.

Hope this helps!
 
#23
Re: Cold weather gloves

I work in the cold, real cold, shoot in it sometimes too. Gloves with good dexterity aren't warm if you aren't using your hands enough to keep the blood flow up. Best solution, something thin that fits and doesn't constrict for when your active, and inside a mitten when you don't need the dexterity. Chemical handwarmers are nice if you do the mitten thing or have jacket pockets for them, the gloves with the holder for them on the back are a joke, if the heats not on your palm or fingers its not gonna help.
The Army's arctic handwear, a thin glove liner, inside a triggerfinger mitten, inside what i believe they call the arctic mitten.
Keep your core temp up, the body won't decrease blood flow to the extremities if the core temp remains high, this is not an easy task if you're sedentary. Stay hydrated, dehydration is one of the leading contributing factors to hypothermia. Stay dry, have dry and warm gloves/liners to change into, a little dampness can do allot of bad.
I haven't found any lightweight gloves that are any better than any others, as long as they're dry and not too tight, usually if its cold enough for gloves light ones are only good for a finite time.
 
#24
Re: Cold weather gloves

i agree with mike i have a pair that are wool but have a camouflage
polyester case they are very warm and you fingers are readily accessible, plus they come in many different sizes ans stores that have an outdoors department such as Walmart.
 
#25
Re: Cold weather gloves

I bought these last year and really like them. They are pretty thin but a good base layer. They are thin enough to not lose...any dexterity. I can even use them with my Droid if I push sort of hard. I have medium hands but the small size fits perfectly. I've never had a pair of gloves fit so well.

http://www.rei.com/product/801672/rei-performance-liner-gloves

One reviewers comment is grip and I do agree. Due to the material, the gloves don't have a ton of grip, but they fit so well and the dexterity IMO is so high that its sort of moot

And if need be get a thicker outer glove since as has been mentioned, really dexterous gloves aren't super warm
 
#26
Re: Cold weather gloves

As a sports medicine doc who has worked with US winter athletes, I will add a couple of points. Smokers decrease blood circulation to their extremities - which causes increase cold sensitivity. Some individuals have abnormal cold responsivity - i.e., when it gets below 40 degrees F the small muscles around the arteries spasm and without good blood flow to the fingers they get and stay cold. There are meds one can take (prescription) that help with that. Sometimes even the best gloves/mittens cannot overcome that. See your doc if that's a problem.
 
#27
Re: Cold weather gloves

+1 on the Under Armour gloves, I have some that I wear under another set, I take off the outer layer and leave the Under Armours on when I get into position. Really good dexterity, I can usally load my savage MKII mags with them on got mine at Cabelas
 
#28
Re: Cold weather gloves

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: prairiefire</div><div class="ubbcode-body">As a sports medicine doc who has worked with US winter athletes, I will add a couple of points. Smokers decrease blood circulation to their extremities - which causes increase cold sensitivity. Some individuals have abnormal cold responsivity - i.e., when it gets below 40 degrees F the small muscles around the arteries spasm and without good blood flow to the fingers they get and stay cold. There are meds one can take (prescription) that help with that. Sometimes even the best gloves/mittens cannot overcome that. See your doc if that's a problem. </div></div>

I am a non smoker, but just sensitive to the cold. I don't mind extreme heat though. My line of work puts me in 130+ temp for extended periods in the summer. I don't drink much water either, so the hydration comment has caught my attention too.
I figured my problem had to do with a little extra surface area of my hands, and that gloves just aren't made big enough. You guys with normal shoe and glove sizes don't realize how lucky you are.
 
#29
Re: Cold weather gloves

As mentioned several times in this thread, a true cold weather system includes layers, 3 usually:
-Water-proof/wind-proof shell
-insulating layer
-wicking layer

If you are concerned about dexterity, select the inner wicking layer carefully. The Hestra website below shows several choices of liners: one will fit the bill. The thinner and smoother you wicking layer is, the easier it is to get the mittens on and off in a hurry.

Check out the mountaineering websites for technical info on true cold-weather gear. I have settled on a poly pro liner combined with Hestra pullover mitt and hestra primaloft extreme liner. Good info here: http://hestragloves.com/en-us/
the outdoor research Alti mitts are pretty damned warm too: http://www.outdoorresearch.com/en/mens/handwear/ascent/alti-mitts-m-s.html

If those alone don't keep you warm, you need external heat.
 
#30
Re: Cold weather gloves

Cycling gloves work very well. I have some that I can pick up a dime with. They do not hold sweat, have excellent wind protection, and come in various warmths.

Most of the good ones are made in Italy, and are available online. Bike shops often carry only moderate grade gloves, made in Taiwan, etc.
 
#31
Re: Cold weather gloves

I have a pair of Arcteryx CAM SV gloves (rawhide/black). They work well for me but I am not using them in extreme cold. No snowmobile riding or anything like that, just for shoveling, snow-blowing, other winter outside work, some hunting and the like. http://arcteryx.com/Product.aspx?EN/Mens/Gloves/Cam-SV-Glove#

I did just get a pair of Outdoor Research Crave gloves to try this winter as an alternative / back-up to the Arcteryx. Time will tell how they work. They weren't expensive but like above they will be used for moderate outdoor use, no super fridged stuff. http://www.outdoorresearch.com/en/or-gear/handwear/sidecountry/crave-gloves.html

There are tons of options for most budgets. And like mentioned several times above if you can hit the major retail stores, look over the goods and try on everything you can. Look at construction, liners / no liners, take some notes and Google your ass off looking at reviews. I could have spent more and bought better gloves for colder enviroment work, water proof, wind proof what ever but I just didn't need to over do it. Have an idea of what you're looking for and good luck narrowing the playing field of choices.
 
#32
Re: Cold weather gloves

I like these as an inner glove, the Mechanixwear Winter Wear gloves next (loose fit), and set of water/wind resistant mitten shells overall, attached on a lanyard running through the coat sleeves and over the shoulders, so they can be shaken free for dexterity without losing them.

If there is any threat of breaking through ice, another lanyard with a pair of ice picks shortened to 1", picks sheathed in corks. If you go through, the picks can be driven right through the corks into the ice to help you escape. This comes from an old Scoutmaster I once had as a kid.

Greg
 
#33
Re: Cold weather gloves

Coletta,
I see in your profile Memphis,Tn.and
I know we had some very cold days last year a few sub zero days..

Had a double flat tire out side of Hernando,Ms with only 1 spare tire.
I had an old pair of Nomax green colored flight gloves that worked perfectly for the 2 tire changes,and it was 3 below zero that evening.
Where to buy them ?I don'T know,CTD used to have them ,and have seen alot of people use them while biking,hiking,shooting in the cold over the yrs..
 
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