Cold Rain Hands

[MattW]

I ran into a problem last season when the temperature dropped to 2 or 3 degrees celsius with a rain/sleet mixture. I had to stop planting after a bag-up due to my hands being too numb to function. I was wearing the typical nitrile coated gloves.

What do other people use on rainy days?

Im pretty lanky so it may have something to do with my circulation but my hands get cold really easily..

[ohsnap]

I do believe that at some point it's just too cold and wet to keep em warm, however...

surgical gloves under your planting gloves can do wonders. make sure you get a size that fits you properly, else you'll have bunching which will cause further numbing.

an obvious cue is that if any other part of your body is cold, your heart is pumping blood elsewhere to keep it warm; the extremeties end up being the lost soldiers.
even if you think you're comfortably warm, dress warmer - i see so many people planting in their polypros with their rain gear and all, but no flipping hat or anything covering their necks. then they wonder why their hands are cold... seriously... if you want your hands to stay warm at 2 degrees, the rest of your body should be almost sauna hot.

[Scooter]

When it got really cold on the coast, one company that I worked for handed out those chemical handwarmer packs. I didn't bother using them, because I was in the "bundle up in a million layers like the Michelin Tire Man and be sauna hot" camp. But a few people took them and put them on the backs of their hands between two layers of gloves. Obviously you can't keep them up against your actual fingers, but if they're heating the main part of your hand, it helps maintain the temperature of the blood getting to your fingertips too.

[salbrecher]

Try pissing on them, it will feel like HOT water... Should buy you about 15 min. The further advantage of this system is it will encourage you to drink a ton of water which will further help with improving circulation! Bring some wet wipes before you eat.

Either that or in combination with some neoprene backed (thin synthetic palm) paddling gloves from MEC and reinforce the fingers with seam grip so they don't blow out as fast.

[Scooter]

We really need "like" buttons on this board.

[Brandini]

Wear neoprene paddling gloves, 2-3 mil. Usually my shovel hand was coldest, so I could get away with wearing just one and not destroying the other. Remember that if your core cools down, your body diverts blood from your arms making your hands cold. Merino Wool old man sweaters from VV. That and box fires every bag-up.

[MattW]

I didnt think of using paddling gloves, thats a good idea.

That day I had two packs of the "Lil Hotties" hand warmers and they got wet and turned rock hard.. And not so hot.

How about dishwashing gloves?

Hmmm, I didnt think about core temperature affecting other areas but it makes perfect sense. Thanks!

[ohsnap]

dishwashing gloves aren't usually hardy enough. and surgical gloves are less expensive...but i've seen people wear them!

forgot about those hot packs!
if you get lucky, dollarama has had the ones you just put in boiling water to reuse (for 1$ each as opposed to the 'craft fair' 15$ three pack) i've hoarded them whenever i've found them, i've got about 10, they've lasted three years so far. they don't immediately harden up if you get them wet, and they last between 15-30 mins of sweet sweet heat.

[sghyselincks]

Try the ol' windmill, or as some call it-- the rock star. Your body pools blood into its core as a protective measure when temperatures get cold. To counter this effect loosen up your shoulder and spin your arm in a circle between the sky and ground like rock star. The centrifugal force will push warm blood from your core back into your hands and get them warm enough to get you planting. Once you burn some calories getting started on a bag-up hopefully they'll stay warm.

[JAYTEE]

pissing on ur hands also helps form calluses, little mountaineering trick a rower taught me although never done it planting...

[MattW]

pissing on ur hands also helps form calluses, little mountaineering trick a rower taught me although never done it planting...

Stop taking mountaineering advice from rowers.

[JAYTEE]

pissing on ur hands also helps form calluses, little mountaineering trick a rower taught me although never done it planting...

Stop taking mountaineering advice from rowers.

Ha ha, I was waiting for that. But its legit, I got blisters on my feet from my boots, and he said pee on them, I didnt believe him either, but he was on the national row team, said his coach swore by it. It also sterilizes cuts so not the worst idea