 Poster: A snowHead
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I'm a man who gets extremely cold hands/fingers when skiing, so I'm quite tempted by these 180 Exhale gloves:
http://www.180s.com/gloves.html
The gloves have a vent hidden under a flap on the top of the glove, which you blow into to keep your hands warm and toasty.
I just wondered if anyone out there has tried them, and whether they actually make a difference 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Website is annoying.
Won't blowing into the gloves make them damp(ish), and therefore your mitts cold
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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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jonflat2, looks a fairly pricey gimmick. I'd have thought that the idea is to avoid getting the hands cold in the first place, by getting a decently warm, breathable pair, perhaps with some liners.
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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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website won't load on my dial up French connection. But I agree with kermit, blowing wet air into a glove doesn't sound too clever. The best thing we have found is (apart from good gloves in the first place, mittens being warmest) is the little tea bag like things which warm chemically when taken out of their airtight containers. They'll cost you a few pounds a pair in a UK ski shop, 2 euros in a French ski shop, or considerably less if bought in packs of 5 pairs in Decathlon. They last a good few hours and are very simple to use. Easily kept in the pocket of a ski jacket, too. So far, of course, it has been a famously warm winter! But we used them during the cold snap on 26th January, and much to my surprise I found I could put the foot version into my ski boots and not feel them. Great success.
However, if you want to blow into your gloves you can do so without buying special ones; just blow down in front of your palms through the same hole you put your hands into!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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The decathlon version is actually the cheapest glove they do. It has a kind of guaze think on the "blow hole" that apparently traps the moisture before it gets into the glove. My mate used them last year and quite liked them. I just bought the next glove up in the range and never had cold hands...
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I tend to ski in Norway, which gets rather cold (unlike the rest of Europe  ) so cold hands are a definitely a problem.
The comments about damp air seem valid ones - although, would it be any worse than sweaty palms??
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Get some decent gloves in the first place. I've finally replaced my Quiksilvers with a pair of Dakine Element gloves. They are extremely comfortable and warm, and even warmer when you wear the inner glove as well (which can be worn on its own). Excellent value.
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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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180s is a local company we're quite proud of (the other being Underarmour).
The damp exhalation air is actually much better than sweaty palms because the damp is already in vapour form and thus is very quickly transported through the shell membrane. (The moisture trap is just there to trap random droplets and the like) Palm sweat needs to become vapour (cooling off the hands thereby) before it can be transported.
The enormous advantage is that one can get warm air down to the fingertips almost instantly, not true of conventional gloves.
I wear one of their vests, next best thing to down.
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Okanagan junior has a pair of the Decathlon version of these - although he wears them to school rahter than for skiing, so I'm not sure he's ever got cold enough to really need to use the warm air feature in anger. He likes it is a gimmick though and enjoyed showing it off to his friends.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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PS. These are NOT a good idea for smokers.
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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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| comprex wrote: |
| I wear one of their vests, next best thing to down. |
Does that have a special 'breathe in here' vent?
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richmond,  Yes.
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You know it makes sense.
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Okanagan, I have to confess the gadget-freak in me quite likes the idea of the 180 gloves.
comprex, I'm just wondering how good the rest of the glove is ... no point in having fancy-gadgety vents, if the waterproofing/insulation is poor. Any thoughts?
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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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jonflat2, well, the breath -is- the insulation. Have no experience of the gloves as they're too long in the finger for me. The 2004-vintage vest still works after about 20? days of wear and doesn't stink from inside.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Do 180s do "exhale" long johns to go with the vest?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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My 180's were great until on one particularly freezing lift ride I decided to use the "exhale" facility. Blew into the gloves, and yes they heated up slightly for about 5-10 minutes. But it made little difference and I brought my glove liners with me next day, which helped far more. However, a major unpleasant side-effect is that the moisture from my breath (I don't smoke, don't have bad breath!) has made the gloves smelly. Throughout the day whenever I take off the gloves I get a nasty whiff and really don't want to eb putting my hands back in there. I am now looking for a new pair of gloves....
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Why not combine the gloves with an Avalung? Then you'll be able to exhale through the Avalung all the time, have toaster hands and also be safe if you get avalanched.
I'm off to the patent office now...
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