Winter Sailing Gloves

Has anyone ever noticed how hot your hands get after being cold?  I was building a snowman with the girlfriend the other day (yes, I am still a kid....) and after ten minutes of snow related fun (without gloves on) my hands were boiling hot.  Basically, when they get cold your body increase blood flow to them, that's why the scouts always used to say if you want warm feet in your sleeping bag you should dunk your feet in the cold stream for a bit.

So my point is, I think it's best to just cowboy up and wear your normal gloves.  No point in sailing badly because you have stupid thick winter gloves on.  After 20 minutes of cold hands and a bit of work, your hands will warm up.  And if they don't, who cares, as we're sailors and are meant to be tough.

Right, back to my snowball fight.... :)

I never wear gloves (laser radial sailor) and my hands stay warm enough when sailing.  If I'm hanging around inbetween races I'll stick em inside my buoyancy aid to keep them warm.

As for feet I wear the rooster hot socks inside my wetsocks.  My boots are a size bigger for winter to allow more layers and my feet have stayed nice and toastie since adding the hot socks.

Originally posted by Skiffybob I've got a pair of those Gill ones, and they're the muts when it's really cold.

       Bob, do you find you can grip kite halyards and other small lines?

Chicken power hot socks are great.  Had them on Saturday with gill trap boots.  Wow, for the first time I could actually feel my feet during winter sailing, I would actually go as far as saying they were toastie.  'Cos they are really thin [less than a mm] I guess you could wear they with normal wet socks.  But wear the hot socks as the first layer as they are titanium or at least they have that silver lining stuff.

Wetsocks question: I know you're not supposed to wear socks under them as it messes up the insulating thing, but what about nylon tights/socks? (any ladies out there?) Helps warmth under a wetsuit, but will they stop the wetsocks working?