 Poster: A snowHead
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I suffer from very cold fingers when skiing, despite trying a range of medium price gloves, silk liners, and even mitts. I'm now planning on splashing out on something more expensive to try and solve the problem.
What's the best out their in Snowheads opinion?
I've been considering Black Diamond Guide gloves but they're very expensive at £95 and Hestra Army Heli Pro which are a little cheaper at approx £70.
I've also been looking at high mountain / ice climbing gloves from people like Mountain Equipment/Hardwear etc.
What d'you recommend?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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What about heated gloves? I think Zainer produce some battery powered, heated gloves.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Hotties.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I've tried hand warmer hotties but which help but the main problem is with my finger tips which are still cold and painful.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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BrightonSki, i got some zanier battery powered heated gloves for the mrs last year for the same problem. They were pricey but do the job. Struggled to find somewhere in the UK to buy them (there are some internet suppliers but were all out of stock) but e-mailed Zanier and they gave me details of a shop near Chamonix who supplies them so picked them up when we went over.
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The Level Radiator's look good, and a similar price to the Hestra's, think they might go on the shortlist.
Do £70 upwards gloves really make the difference?
I'm fed up with buying £35 - £40 gloves which make no difference!
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BrightonSki, My son suffers really badly with cold hands and the Level's work for him. They have Primaloft insulation rather than the normal Thinsulate. It's much warmer.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| BrightonSki wrote: |
Do £70 upwards gloves really make the difference?
I'm fed up with buying £35 - £40 gloves which make no difference! |
If you always suffer from frozen fingers, even after trying inner gloves, mitts, etc I'd say that upping your budget to £70 from £40 won't do much good. I like Hestra gloves but I still get cold fingers in them just as I did with cheaper brands, so I don't think they are a magic solution to the frozen finger problem. Although I've not tried heated gloves I have a pair of heated insoles for my ski boots, and they really did make a difference to frozen toes.
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Good mitts are more effective than gloves and there's room for the hotties around the pinkies. Also, I find gloves that are a touch too large are more effective than those that are a good fit.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I disagree! For most people cold hands are a secondary sign of low core body temperature. When the body is cold it diverts blood away from the extremities to the body core, the vessels in the hand narrow [vasoconstrict]. Therefore rather then buying yet more gloves/liners/warmers etc.. wear more layers, hat etc...Dehydration, alcohol and smoking also decrease extremity circulation.Think of the money saved!
A small number of people have conditions such a Raynaulds disease [or secondary Raynaulds] where the peripheral vessels constrict disproportionately and they may in addition benefit from warmers etc..[even in usual UK temperatures]
PS despite a medical degree and a new pair of gloves biannually it has taken me 15 years of skiing to understand this basic physiology!!
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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I'm very careful to stay hydrated and eat the right slow-release energy foods as I do triathlons and mountain biking the rest of the year and know the score with looking after myself. I don't smoke and my days of hitting the slopes hungover are long behind me.
I'd hoped some decent gloves would make the difference!
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retsil, Kitty(my Wife), my son and daughter all suffer from Reynaulds. Daughter especially, her feet are always freezing, even laying on a beach on holiday.
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You know it makes sense.
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BrightonSki,
You are obviously an athlete with little natural insulation! The balance between overheating during exertion and cooling on chairs etc with layering is extremely difficult-buy the recommended gloves!.
My advice was to the typical skier who once they have purchased a decent set of gloves +/- silk liners need to think of other causes of why they still get cold hands/feet and assess the rest of their kit. The same applies to parents who need to make sure that it isnt a poor insulated jacket/salopettes causing their child to have cold hands/nose/feet.
Syderman
Sorry to hear your family suffer from Raynaulds. So does a good friend of mine who inspite of the best heaters and vasodilating drugs struggles with cold when skiing[still drinks like a fish..]
Anyhow looking forward to a family holiday in La Rosiere on the 17th -lets hope we get a freshen up! If someone could tell me where [apart from via a helicopter or nearby resort] I can have a decent run in this limited resort I would be grateful!!
I await abuse! 
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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retsil, Get yourself over to La Thuile. 
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Poster: A snowHead
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Spyderman, is right. Some nice, steep pistes through the trees on the La Thuile side. Plus you have the opportunity to drink proper Italian hot chocolate rather than the dishwater normally served in France.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Spyderman. Went over a few times last year and totally agree. The runs down through the trees to the resort are a great blast and the area to the 'side' ? Chaz Dura is quiet and has some pitches. I also see that the snow conditions are better than LR this year and are getting a top up as we 'speak'. Will visit LT providing the I don't get blown back into France.
I did say a 'family holiday' and for that La Ros is a great place, Dad however gets a bit frustrated!!
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| Spyderman wrote: |
| They have Primaloft insulation rather than the normal Thinsulate. It's much warmer. |
This is the key IMO - look for Primaloft. I generally try to wear the thinnest gloves I can without my hands getting numb but had to give in and get some properly warm gloves last year. I got some Marmot Work gloves which are very warm and tough and quite reasonably priced compared with Hestra etc
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| Quote: |
I disagree! For most people cold hands are a secondary sign of low core body temperature. When the body is cold it diverts blood away from the extremities to the body core, the vessels in the hand narrow [vasoconstrict]. Therefore rather then buying yet more gloves/liners/warmers etc.. wear more layers, hat etc...Dehydration, alcohol and smoking also decrease extremity circulation.Think of the money saved!
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I think this may well be right.
I was out on my bike for 40 mins last night (commuting). It was cold - a few degrees below and I was keeping a steady pace of a bit over 20mph so the wind chill was meaningful. My hands were freezing in windproof/waterproof gloves. I finally got them warmed up when I put in a few sprints - it was raising my core temperature that got my fingers toasty.
J
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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BrightonSki, I suffer from Raynauds, & increasingly expensive gloves plus silk inners has not proved to be the answer for me! It's not the fault of the gloves - I've lent several pairs from my collection to friends & they've reported them to be snuggly warm...
The gel hand-warmers help, but they just don't last for long enough, unfortunately.
However, Peter has just bought me some battery-heated gloves (very kind of him! But then, he does have to listen to all the whinging...) which I shall be testing next week in the 3V. Review to follow... 
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Expensive gloves like Hestra may not necessarily be much warmer, but they certainly last a lot longer than cheap ones.
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uktrailmonster, I wish. The insulation on my Hestra gloves has compressed in the fingers meaning very little warmth for my pinkies, after just a couple of season's use (about 150 days). Th cold weather over Christmas meant I've just ordered a new pair of Hestras - hope they last a bit longer.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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In my experience of dealing with clients who suffer from Raynaulds especially in very cold conditions, the glove option that seems to come
out on top is a thin silk liner with a down expedition mitt, not synthetic (Im not going in to all the differences between low heat output in the extremeties and the differences in down and synthetic insulation ).
Surfice to say try any of the expedition mitts from Black Diamond or Rab, they work well. Yes they are expensive but what price for warmer hands?
You should maybe try keeping some exercises going in between ski runs and sitting on the lift, or even whilst you are skiing, anything to increase blood flow to your hands.
Taking Asprin may not be the best idea; it will increase your uric acid levels and as such you should aim to stay as hydrated as possible. Also to add to the confusion - your blood thickens when you get cold and thins when you get hot, taking asprin thins the blood, so this may make you colder 
It may be worthwhile visiting your GP to se if you can get some med's that will relax your blood vessels, unless you already have.
Personally I have worn ski gloves in the past, However being a winter (and summer) mountaineer I can honestly say that I have found mountaineering/climbing gloves a lot warmer than skiing ones, everyone raves about Hestra's, yes they are good, I have an old pair somewhere, however all the climbing gloves I have ever had have been better and warmer and more useable ie not having to take them off to get better dexterity. If you want to give your hands the best chance of staying warm get some high mountain kit, you won't catch me wearing ski gloves to keep my hands warm.
Chhers
Mark
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| rob@rar wrote: |
| uktrailmonster, I wish. The insulation on my Hestra gloves has compressed in the fingers meaning very little warmth for my pinkies, after just a couple of season's use (about 150 days). Th cold weather over Christmas meant I've just ordered a new pair of Hestras - hope they last a bit longer. |
All relative, some of the cheapo gloves I've tried in the past have been lucky to last for a couple of weeks before falling apart. My toughest gloves are a pair of leather Dainese. Only trouble is they literally wear their way through ski pole grips! Had them since 2006 (probably done around 100 days) and they look and feel like new.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| mark handford wrote: |
| You should maybe try keeping some exercises going in between ski runs and sitting on the lift, or even whilst you are skiing, anything to increase blood flow to your hands. |
In Cham over Xmas our guide suggested pointing the hands out at right angles to the body with your arms by your sides, and shrugging your shoulders vigourously for 20-30 seconds. This did help and it was 20 degrees below in the wind at the top of the Grande Motte. 
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Just to get back to waming the extremities.. I played golf last saturday in a sunny but bitter day and below freezing, I guess, as the frost stayed on the greens all day. All the others in our Swindle wore extra layers etc etc and were cold/freezing after 4 hrs or so..
I wore a microfleece and a light jumper but took hat and gloves and another heavier fleece. I ski with both bits of kit. I don't run THAT warm but I was toast and toggled between fleece and jumper all afternoon.
I guess my kit was of use and theirs was just layers of regular jumpers etc ...so not at all the same thing. I didn't need to use the glooves or hat either as my core was warm...
A lot of people can get away with dressing right and that takes care of hands and feet etc... Of course, some people have problems with circulation
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You know it makes sense.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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BrightonSki, I just got a pair of the Hestra army short glove in black. You can get 10% off EB prices with a voucher code if you know your size. Very impressed with them and will also use them for ice climbing as they have a nice snug fit.
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Poster: A snowHead
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retsil, you've picked the ideal resort to test the warmth of your clothing. The Kitzsteinhorn glacier on a windy day in December was tropical by comparison to the windchill factor on the La Ros chairlifts during a sunny week in March !
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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mark handford, just wondering which silk gloves you found useful? I was wearing my pair in warmer weather and found they stuck too readily to velcro and ripped . I've found the thin knitted "liner" gloves a more durable option. Followed by some mitts that would be hard to find here, the closest equivalent I can find is Ortovox's "boiled-wool mitten". Then, if needed (not often) a waterproof "shell" mitt. Just like with the rest of my body I found the "layering" approach gives more more flexibility.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Just got back from a weeks skiing in Soll, usually my partner spends the week whinging about cold hands but he's been very quiet this time. Even though this is about the coldest it's been when we've skied. So what was different, no not a sore throat or a gag. He wore a knitted pair of gloves under a pair of hestra gloves (including their own fleecy lining glove) with disposable handwarmers, the new addition was a pair of over mitts.
He's tried silk liners in the past but says they make his hands even colder.
In order to keep my hands warm I've followed advice posted here ages ago, making sure my wrists are well covered too.
Take a spare pair of inner gloves too incase the others get wet in the day.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I've just returned from two weeks in Saalbach with temps ranging from -3°C to -19°C. I wore Hestra army leather gloves with the long cuffs as well as a pair of Icebreaker liners but my fingertips burned with cold within an hour of hitting the slopes and I was forced to use handwarmers inside my gloves, which worked a treat. As long as I was skiing, my toes were toasty but as soon as I stopped for lunch or to ride a lift, they too burned with cold.
This happened, no matter how many layers I wore around my core. I'm a woman and someone mentioned that we are more prone to cold extremeties, no matter how warm our core is but I'm not certain how this works or how true it is. I am not particularly prone to cold extremeties under other circumstances.
Next time I go skiing over Dec/Jan, I'll be trying Primaloft-lined gloves (I have a Primaloft belay jacket that is superb).
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FAQ
I don't have expensive gloves and am not keen to lash out a lot on some that may be no better than what I have. I shall be really interested in other people's experiences with various options.