I was wearing fleece/neoprene glacier gloves this morning and I did fine. No fish, but my hands weren't frozen. They're not too thick, but warm enough and the thumb and index finger tips fold back for easy knot tying. Works fine for me. -Ethan
I think I'll run over to Sportsmans Warehouse and take a look at those fleese/neoprene gloves you mention, Ethan. Iv'e tried neoprene but had to remove them to tie knots, brrrr. This morning, silly me, I forgot to put a couple of handwarmers in my jacket pockets. Buy them by the case cheap at Costco for fishing and golf and keep them in the car trunk.
I have always found my hands the warmest without gloves. It is better to have pockets with handwarmers in them than gloves IMO. This is because the gloves collect water and keep your hands wet which really conducts heat out of them leaving them colder than they need to be. When it is really cold, neoprene won't do much in my experience. If your hands get wet in the cold, and if it is as cold as it is now, they will usually dry out fairly quickly by rubbing them together, this is because the air is actually very dry at temps in the current range. After your hands are dry enough, stick them in your pockets with the handwarmers.
Glacier Kenai Shorty Glove/Mittens for me. I like the neoprene palms and the velcro buttons to velcro back the mitten cover. They are very warm and not too expensive ($6-10). I got mine at Sportco.
I think the bottom line is trying everything and finding something that works. Hand warmers in the pockets or taped to the inside, just above the wrist help tremendously. 3M makes a tape called Transpore 1" that works extremely well for taping. I carry three pairs of gloves with me when I'm floating for the day along with a full set of gear to get someone out if they go down. I like the Simms Windstopper a lot. However, these suck profusely once wet which pretty much means every outing. I carry a pair of fleece liners with OR mitts for use when rowing or if someone gets too cold, they get put in these. It happened last Sunday in the snow and wind. They worked great. It's tough to fish in them but possible with a little practice and they are pleasantly warm even on the coldest days. I also carry a pair of DaKine mitts which are very warm, also used for rowing or if someone gets too cold. They are impossible to fish in though. I'm definitely going to make some additions to my glove arsenal, specifically adding some wool; so, thanks for the information here. I don't think you can rely on just one pair of gloves to keep you warm for the day here in the winter. Ed
When I was young I would say "gloves....I don't need no stinkin gloves" As I get older, I have no need for this machismo. Man when my hands get cold and they don't function, it sucks. My solution is fingerless fleece gloved with the heat packs stuffed in the back of the top side. Its amazing how an almost imperceptable level of heat makes the difference. The top back side keeps them out of the way so I can grip the rod as usual. After doing this, you wonder why you do anthing else. I bet this is less to do with type of gloves and more to do with using the heater packs. I also carry a full neoprene gloves to slip on and off why rowing. Joe
Hands: Fingerless wool gloves while fishing. Big comfy mittens kept in pockets for walking time. Feet: Smartwool, filson, or carhartt socks. I used to wear multiple pairs, but found that the key is NOT to compress the wool too much. One pair of thick socks with or without a liner, seems to work best for me. Keeping my head and core warm really helps out the extremities. I wear under armour or merino wool base layers. Usually a wool shirt or thin sweater over. Fleece zip up next if needed Good jacket on top. The jackets vary a lot. Depending on the weather, I'll wear a Filson waxed canvas wading jacket, a woolrich waterproof breathable, or an old red & black wool coat. A pull over fleece or wool cap is pretty essential for me, although I keep drooling at the Filson duck hunting hat... .Michael
I have the Glacier Kenai gloves. I don't like to wear them if it can be avoided, but with the flip-back index finger and thumb tips, they do allow for some decent dexterity, and they do a good job of staving off the cold.
I reallly don't like to wear gloves. Even while skiing I rarely used gloves. When I do wear gloves I Like to wear thin micro fleace, even when wet they seem to keep my hands some what comfortable. If my hands get to where I need more than that...its too cold to fish. James
I see this in alaska and it is my biggest beef with guys fishing in winter conditions. Wear gloves but take them off when landing fish. Wet gloves suck and wool and fleece take all the slim that protect the fish (for catch and release). Just some thought for anyone new to the sport. :thumb:
I found some very thin neoprene work gloves that I intend to try out this year. They don't have the fly fishing price tag, and seem to be thin enough that I'll still have some feeling.
