Really good sailing gloves wanted.

[MM5AHO]

I sail from about April to October, and it's not really hot in Scotland, and I do quite a bit of night sailing. My hands get cold.
I have yet to find a decent warm, waterproof glove.
I've tries various (but not all) gloves marketed for sailing. Fingerless, fingered, cuffless, cuffed, said to be waterproof, and even those obviously not. I've even tried some not claimed to be any good for sailing (like for example Sealskinz), but so far have yet to find a "good" glove. They get wet inside making them hard to get on/off, and when wet make my hands feel colder that when they're bare.

Have you found any really god sailing gloves? If so what?

 

[anoccasionalyachtsman]

You've probably tried them, but there are two varieties of these, ordinary and thermal. I get them from a local agri shop for about £1.50 and £2 respectively. I never get cold hands with them, and although I mainly race, I'm generally the dick with the stick not doing a great deal.

 

[lw395]

I only wear gloves either when it's pretty cold, my hands are cut, or I'm crewing performance dinghies with thin sheets.
Or for anchor handling.
Anchor handling, I use rigger gloves from screwfix.
Fast dinghy crewing, leather fingerless gloves.
Other sailing in the cold, I've tried all sorts.
THese are current favourite:
https://www.toolstation.com/watertite-grip-gloves/p52946
They are fully dipped, so no windchill.
Wear quite well.
I can put them on with wet hands.
Ok dexterity for helming a Laser or most dinghies, have to take them off to fiddle with knots in small string.

 

[dunedin]

Depends a lot on what want to do whilst wearing the gloves.
Helmsman gloves (or possibly motor bike gloves?) are great for keeping hands warm when .... well helming.
But not very good for ropework. Regular sailing gloves are great for protecting the skin when doing ropework - eg pulling thin ropes, or surging out a mainsheet after a windy weather gybe.
Thin Inner/under gloves help with general winter warmth.

 

[NotBirdseye]

They get wet inside making them hard to get on/off, and when wet make my hands feel colder that when they're bare.

Is this external water or sweat? How long are you sailing for in any given stretch, would it be worth having a couple of pairs that you could swap between (allow a pair to dry while wearing another). So far my technique has been to get several pairs of cheap gloves from the supermarket, some 'grippy' most not and then swap and change as needed depending on what I'm doing. (This applies things that aren't sailing too).

 

[sarabande]

There's no simple answer, G.

For some tasks e.g. anchor/chain work, you need industrial gloves with impact resistance. For summer work with wet sheets and halyards I have a pair of Gill fingerless leather that do not mind getting wet..

There are probably three or four other pairs of different styles and construction around the boat, including some really excellent Guy Cotten thermal fisherman's gloves.

https://www.marineandagriculturalclothing.co.uk/gloves-c-32_154/

 

[lw395]

There's no simple answer, G.

For some tasks e.g. anchor/chain work, you need industrial gloves with impact resistance. For summer work with wet sheets and halyards I have a pair of Gill fingerless leather that do not mind getting wet..

There are probably three or four other pairs of different styles and construction around the boat, including some really excellent Guy Cotten thermal fisherman's gloves.
...

What does a thermal fisherman look like?

 

[MM5AHO]

Some good suggestions, thanks. I tend to do everything on my boat, and more specific tasks on other's boats. I do quite a lot of night sailing, and a fair bit singlehanded. Often long stretches. If with others, 4 hour watches, helming. But sometimes longer spells, line in June I sailed singlehanded non-stop Gigha to Stornoway (34 hours). Several pairs sounds good. I have not tried those dipper type gloves, but at the price well worth a try. Branded stuff doesn't seem to perform, but costs a lot.. Think I'll be a thermal fisherman then?
Forgot to mention I have big hands (three notes over an octave) and some stuff just doesn't fit.

 

[thinwater]

I'm all ears. Same problem. But I have learned a few things.
* Above about 50F I'm happy with fingerless gloves, particularly when it is dry. I really favor Ronstan Stick Race. But for cool weather, the main thing is that they are heavy and have 3 full fingers; that helps with both wear on me and warmth. Even in really cold weather, I may wear just these for line handling, because nothing else is so nimble.
* Gloves for specific tasks. I like coated thermal gloves like the Delta Plus noted above. They get wet fast, but they dry fast. I use them for handling anchor and mooring lines. I keep several pairs on board, some for visitors, because they are really warm when dry. Cheap.
* Windblocker with heavy leather face. I have a pair of Mountain Hardware fleece gloves that I just love and have worn out. They don't make them anymore. Damn. They were great for mostly dry conditions, down to freezing. Almost as nimble as sailing gloves.
*Shells. I may try my Goretex shell gloves this winter. Didn't need them on my last boat (cat with big hard top), and didn't sail the prior boat in cold, wet weather (9 meter racing cat). They used to be popular in mountaineering circles, work over fleece gloves (you took the shells off for fine work). Perhaps I will wear the sailing gloves under them. Shells also dry faster than ski gloves; that was a big selling point on expeditions.

Ski gloves and wet suit gloves can work too. Ski gloves have gotten better and cheaper; there is no reason not to have several pair. Thick wet suit gloves are warm, but trouble to take off.

Perhaps there is no one answer.

 

[NotBirdseye]

What does a thermal fisherman look like?

The military appear to have a term for it. 'Sailors Head'. (This is why I added the note about sunscreen to my thread re Training Opportunities)

 

[awol]

Thin silk liner gloves keep my hands warm under wet ski gloves, motorcycle gloves, Gill helmsman gloves, everything except neoprene fishermen's with fold-back finger tips. Aye, I have a lot of gloves on board!

 

[Plum]

I sail from about April to October, and it's not really hot in Scotland, and I do quite a bit of night sailing. My hands get cold.
I have yet to find a decent warm, waterproof glove.
I've tries various (but not all) gloves marketed for sailing. Fingerless, fingered, cuffless, cuffed, said to be waterproof, and even those obviously not. I've even tried some not claimed to be any good for sailing (like for example Sealskinz), but so far have yet to find a "good" glove. They get wet inside making them hard to get on/off, and when wet make my hands feel colder that when they're bare.

Have you found any really god sailing gloves? If so what?

As others have said, difficult to find gloves that perform all tasks well but I recommend neoprene window cleaner gloves like these https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/1926874314...YRBtur_osa82VQ0E555bSqyDw1fuqLrBoCGTsQAvD_BwE basically wetsuit material. Keep your hands really dry and warm, very good grip, good when rowing too, but not so good against abrasion. I use leather fingerless sailing gloves for hoisting sails, etc, then swap to the window cleaner gloves.

Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk

 

[ShinyShoe]

The dinghy kids who sail through winter sometimes bashing ice off their boats and cracking the ice on the lake to go out swear by "Rooster Hot Hands" - which i think are a two part system.

Some also wear latex/nitrile surgeon gloves under that!

Basically they are a thin wetsuit material with a reflective surface. You put a pair of 'tough' outer gloves over them to handle the abrasion and give grip.

I'm not daft enough to sail in those conditions, but if I was, I'd certainly consider investing as if the skinny 9 year olds with no flesh to kepe them warm as hot and toasty in them they'd probably do me...

 

[dunedin]

Thin silk liner gloves keep my hands warm under wet ski gloves, motorcycle gloves, Gill helmsman gloves, everything except neoprene fishermen's with fold-back finger tips. Aye, I have a lot of gloves on board!

The voice of experience. So speaks a Contessa 32 submariner :encouragement:

I find I don’t need gloves to reach out and press the autopilot on button in cold or wet weather

 

[ShinyShoe]

I find I don’t need gloves to reach out and press the autopilot on button in cold or wet weather

Because you send the crew out to do it?

 

[awol]

I find I don’t need gloves to reach out and press the autopilot on button in cold or wet weather

So why were your crew forbidden from using it when crossing an icy North Sea? Some excuse about electrickety usage IIRC.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

As you can imagine from my forum name, I have some experience of clothing for use in much colder climes than the UK presents. And the problem of keeping hands warm is one without a good solution - what works in one set of circumstances doesn't work in others, and a single set of gloves simply won't fit all the possibilities. A layered approach can help - thin glove liners (traditionally silk) for those times when a sensitive touch is needed, thin woolen gloves for warmth over them (wool remains warm when wet) and strong gauntlets for ultimate protection when in a fixed position with not much need for sensitive handling - for example skidoo mitts which even have a spring loaded thumb to control the throttle! However, sailing also requires the ability to haul on ropes, so perhaps a system of liner, sailing gloves, outer gauntlet would work in most circumstances.

Personally I use fingerless sailing gloves with latex or nitrile surgical gloves under them if I expect wet weather. I have yet to encounter cold enough temperatures in the UK to require anything heavier, but if I did I'd probably put a pair of gardening gloves over the sailing gloves! The snag of surgical gloves is that a) they are fragile and don't last long and b) your hand sweats in them.

 

[MM5AHO]

I wonder if, from the various comments, that we've collectively stumbled on a market opportunity.
I use Musto HPX sailing kit for jacket and salopettes. If Gloves could be made like that, they'd do a great job. (I'm sure that the other major branded Goretex clothing works as well as Musto).
Breathable, weatherproof, warm, hardwearing. And in a size range to suit even ham fisted bods like me. We're not asking that much surely.

I'm going to try some industrial gloves. At a couple of pounds a go a new pair every month would be OK.

 

[Yngmar]

Gul EVO2: https://www.coastwatersports.co.uk/gul-evo2-winter-sailing-gloves-2019-full-finger-p-8386.html

Found them by accident and extremely happy with them. They're neoprene (wet) gloves, so they work like a wetsuit and stay warm when wet. I used these for sailing in cold weather (less often now that we've made it to the Med, but it does happen), diving and cycling. They're great, plus the handy red/green fingers for left/right are helpful in the dark. There's a variety of fingered and fingerless versions available. I like the full-finger ones. They last well too, still on the first pair despite three years of abuse, including trying to (unsuccessfully) tear out an anchor chain jammed under a rock at depth.

The very expensive "waterproof" Sealskinz I tried before were not waterproof at all and once soaked through extremely cold on a wet Spring channel crossing.

If you do this a lot, there is no shame in a pair of pocket warmers either. I've used re-usable chemical ones that recharge by being dropped in boiling water, but you can probably get Lithium battery powered ones too now.

 

[awol]

Not that I've tried them but here's a selection of heated gloves
https://www.glovesmag.com/heated-gloves/