Expert advice needed... gloves.

John_Rambo · 21-01-2015 11:22pm #1

Hello cold creatures.

A family member here has been diagnosed with Raynaud's syndrome. It effects her hands. Basically, any type of cold disables her fingers useless and they look like a dead persons hands. The look is bad enough, but the uselessness is a problem, she has young kids and she likes the outdoors.

I have the small glove linings for her and some basic ski gloves. But, as a surfer I know buy cheap, buy twice when it comes to the battle against the cold. I'm willing to spend around the €60 mark for a pair of decent gloves. I know mitts are better, but it's a no-no, too impractical with kids. Directions to reasonably priced rechargeable (boil) warmers would be nice too.

I was looking at the Roxy Popi snowboarding gloves. They look cute, that's a consideration, she's a skinny jean wearing fashionable good looking girl.

Thanks in advance for any pointers. I won't be insulted to know I'm over or underspending.

fannymagee · 21-01-2015 11:46pm

Do you mean for general wear at home, or on the slopes?!

Either way, I'd recommend mittens with liners. Seriously, what can she do while wearing ski gloves that she can't do wearing mittens? She'll still need to take gloves off to do any fine tasks, use phone etc, and it's easier to wear a glove liner under a mitten, so her hands are still protected anytime the mitten has to be taken off temporarily. Gloves are a disaster to take on & off repeatedly, esp when you have already numb hands. You get a LOT of extra warmth in mittens, esp for fingertips, so it's worth the compromise on style ;-)

53 Degrees North have nice Hestra mittens with cashmere inner (fingered glove) liners at the moment, think they're €99 though. You'll get something very decent for €60 if you go online or TK Maxx. HTH! :-)

Joe Doe · 21-01-2015 11:47pm

Best bet would be layered via thin silk 10e, then Sherpa wool ones on top 20e, wot like the north pole walkers sometimes use, along with some waterproofing 3rd layer when needed.

Else the AA battery pack rechargeable heater ones, about 20 bob, suspect 1000cc courier bikers might use these if handle bars not already heated, around 15-20.

Last resort could be small charcoal burning insert containers, run for up to 8hrs per stick, handy for climbing several mountains in one day. 15ea inc. 10 sticks.

cormee · 21-01-2015 11:50pm

John_Rambo wrote: »

Hello cold creatures.

A family member here has been diagnosed with Raynaud's syndrome. It effects her hands. Basically, any type of cold disables her fingers useless and they look like a dead persons hands. The look is bad enough, but the uselessness is a problem, she has young kids and she likes the outdoors. Why are they a no no?

I have the small glove linings for her and some basic ski gloves. But, as a surfer I know buy cheap, buy twice when it comes to the battle against the cold. I'm willing to spend around the €60 mark for a pair of decent gloves. I know mitts are better, but it's a no-no, too impractical with kids. Directions to reasonably priced rechargeable (boil) warmers would be nice too.

I was looking at the Roxy Popi snowboarding gloves. They look cute, that's a consideration, she's a skinny jean wearing fashionable good looking girl.

Thanks in advance for any pointers. I won't be insulted to know I'm over or underspending.

I just switched from good mittens to good gloves and there is a noticeable difference. Mittens are far warmer imo, your fingers are freer to move ( possibly giving better circulation) and a warm finger is able to pass heat to a colder one, you don't get this with gloves. Make sure whatever you get is waterproof

fannymagee · 21-01-2015 11:54pm

Ahhh, there's nothin like a warm finger on a cold day. Hahahahaaa ;-)

Joe Doe · 21-01-2015 11:54pm

Actually yep natural fur lined mittens with waterproof outer and 'velcro flipback' could be the 'handiest'.

moc moc a moc · 22-01-2015 12:00am

fannymagee wrote: »

Ahhh, there's nothin like a warm finger on a cold day

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

John_Rambo · 22-01-2015 12:03am

Great response, much appreciated, all of you.

Fannymagee, the local beach/park is like the slopes to a sufferer of this Reynaud's syndrome.

All of you... I know mittens are the best, but for wiping snotty noses, collapsing and assembling buggies, fastening belts, doing up zips and buttons.. they are out.

Cormee, Joe doe, thanks to you too.. excellent advice there. I will take all on board and buy carefully. Joe doe, you're layering option seems the way to go, but an all in one system would be fantastic. Sometimes finger nails are needed. The battery charged ones seem good. I have seem lithium rechargeable rash vests. I will search for similar technology in gloves.

cormee · 22-01-2015 12:12am

fannymagee wrote: »

Ahhh, there's nothin like a warm finger on a cold day. Hahahahaaa ;-)

*blesses self furiously*

Oh, you can also get disposable heating pads that last most of the day.

Joe Doe · 22-01-2015 12:13am

I have some flip-back waterproof green with fur and velcro patches, think they're from ruskia as only take them out when it does sub-15c.
Flip back and stick quick from an opening on the palm so great jobs, def very warm, no draft from flip-part. The velcro might need re-sown/glued on yearly.

cormee · 22-01-2015 12:14am

John_Rambo wrote: »

Great response, much appreciated, all of you.

Fannymagee, the local beach/park is like the slopes to a sufferer of this Reynaud's syndrome.

All of you... I know mittens are the best, but for wiping snotty noses, collapsing and assembling buggies, fastening belts, doing up zips and buttons.. they are out.

Cormee, Joe doe, thanks to you too.. excellent advice there. I will take all on board and buy carefully. Joe doe, you're layering option seems the way to go, but an all in one system would be fantastic. Sometimes finger nails are needed. The battery charged ones seem good. I have seem lithium rechargeable rash vests. I will search for similar technology in gloves.

Ah, I misunderstood, I thought they were for a snow holiday she was going on !

Those heated pads I mentioned work by a chemical reaction, you take them out of the packet, shake then and they heat for up to eight hours. You can get them in Great Outdoors.

fannymagee · 22-01-2015 12:19am

Yes I know, but you were asking about style so it was for context. Slope style and beach style are very different lol! ;-)

Not to labour the point, but seriously: wiping snotty noses, collapsing and assembling buggies, fastening belts, doing up zips and buttons

It's just as hard to do these is gloves as it is in mittens. Who in their right mind does belts, zips & buttons in ski gloves??!

I recommend a leather palmed mitten for the snots. Wipe clean. Happy days :-)

fannymagee · 22-01-2015 10:33am

Also look up silver-lined gloves, they're great for any conditions that require maintenance of warmth to extremities, and you can get them with touch-tip fingers so they're iPhone friendly. Fannins do them, afaik :-)

am i bovvered · 22-01-2015 10:47am

Hi John
Sorry to hear about your family members illness, sound awful.
My opinion would be layering, a base layer of a merino liner glove, this is a cheap one but maybe worth a try at this price http://www.sealskinz.com/UK/merino-glove-liner
Then I would add a disposable black vinyl glove, like the ones a tattooist uses, they look good and she will be able to carry out most tasks as they add grip. I am a chef and we use a similar system during service (although the inner glove is just to protect the hand against heat) and it works well.
Thirdly I would buy a decent pair of mittens, TK maxx have some good options, make sure anytime she goes out she wears them, the rule when skiing in cold weather is that it is easier to stay warm rather than warm up from cold.
This combined trilogy should help and also should come within budget, she can always upgrade the inner or outer liners if the system works.
Good luck

Inconspicuous · 22-01-2015 10:54am

John_Rambo, I'll defer to what's already been said here on the gloves, but just to add:

I knew a girl many years ago with this condition who would do a lot of hill walking and overnight camping in the mountains with us. I noticed that she used to always have these disposable chemical heat packs that were extremely warm (almost too warm for me to touch) that she would tuck into her gloves and boots. I asked her one time where she got them and she said that she got them massively discounted (possibly free) from an organisation / HSE that loked after Raynaud sufferers.

May be no harm asking the HSE or your doctor if these are still available or if there is an organisation still supplying these. I remember that this girl used to swear by them and from what I recall she used to suffer a lot with this condition

fannymagee · 22-01-2015 11:25am

http://www.irishraynauds.com/

They'll also tell you where to get the 8% silver gloves. Who knew discussing gloves could be so engrossing?! Only in Winter Sports lol

Joe Doe · 22-01-2015 3:22pm

Silver lining on gloves is a bonus, as will help eliminate any bacterial growth, but it is a heat-conductive material.
Silver dollars used to be put into milk bottles to keep milk fresh in the good aul days.

Fattes · 24-01-2015 2:04am

Hearts Gloves,

They dec do a semi mitten so 3 fingers in a mitten with Thumb and index finger separate for dexterity.

They make gloves and only gloves deep in the forests of Sweden and have done for over a hundred years you will never buy another pair again!

Fattes · 24-01-2015 10:13pm

*Hestra not hearts dam auto correct

fannymagee · 24-01-2015 10:52pm

Lol! 53 Degrees North are doing Hestra's for €99 at the moment, if you want to check them out OP. Have fold-back velcro flap too :-)

Expert advice needed... gloves.

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