I sailed in builders gloves for years, they're cheap and grippy but don't keep your hands warm during the winter when wet. 

So I moved to all weather neoprene gloves, they're fairly grippy, fairly warm but not particularly tightly fitting. They're good if your sheets are wet as they don't transfer through the gloves much but on a really cold day the wind chill gets through them. 

I then went for thermal waterproof building gloves. These are brilliant, so warm your hands sweat, they're tightly fitting and they're completely waterproof up to the wrists so unless you submerge your hands they'l stay completely dry (also cheap as chips!!).  The only draw back to these are that they are bulky, fine when sailing the 400 as the mainsheet needs to be gripped hard as the loads are so high on it but when I moved to the 200 you need much more feel. 

So I started sailing without gloves for the first time ever. The feel you get makes the boat so much faster in the light stuff and through the tacks rather than trying to let the mainsheet slip through your hands like you're wearing a pair of mittens, I could now let it glide out seamlessly. 

This was fine for the summer and most of the winter but now I'm sailing nearly every weekend from November to April (at least I hope to be this year!!!) there are a couple of really cold days where if I don't wear gloves I can't stay out for the full schedule of races. 

What gloves to get? They need to be warm and waterproof while still being able to retain a lot of dexterity. I thought I had solved it when someone showed me a pair of their Rooster aquapro gloves which were miles to small for me. I ordered a pair in the right size and after trying them on they don't have the snugness I thought they would. The quality looks great but they just don't have the right length to width ratio for my long skinny fingers.

What other options do I have? Have spent hours trying to find the right gloves and am pulling my hair out. 

ps. why is formatting on this forum so rubbish

The formatting on the forum has been off for a long time. Certainly last 3 years or more.

This gives me a good combination of fit, dexterity and protection which has worked well against Europe mainsheets, RS400 and Etchells jibs and kites.  I usually get about 12 races out of a pair, which if scaled up to the longevity of real sailing gloves works out a lot cheaper.

You can get sailing wear branded "builders' gloves" but they don't last any longer than the cheapo ones.

Most gloves seem to hold water against your hands, making them colder as it sucks the heat out of you; without, the water disappears.

also, when the gloves fail, the soft skin then exposed is really not going to like it. Better tough hands.

However, I'm not to looking forward to the likely aftermath of my hands ripping up during 4 days of sailing over Easter, after they've done damn-all except soften up for months.

 

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Oh yeah- I work in building and could go all season without gloves doing just a mainsheet and not get one scratch on my hands. The minute I jump in the front and hoist the kite I won't be able to move my fingers for a week. 

Wondering how thick the layup would be on; polypro hand warmers/ Latex gloves/ Cheap as you can get thin builders gloves to protect the latex. 

You know what they say about layers... 

..

Here... https://jonti.co.uk/douglas-gill-extreme-glove" rel="nofollow - Douglas Gill Extreme - Glove | Jonti

After years of wearing these over the top of other socks I found its actually warmer to not wear cotton socks on your feet...

Added benefit of folding them down over your boots to tidy them up and prevent them coming undone. 

Feet, in winter boots a size too big with neoprene wet socks inside tucked inside the wetsuit, keeps the feet dry and warm whilst launching but not if stood in the water for a long time, also works with a dry suit with thermal socks laex dry suit socks inside the boot.

 Summer time either Gill aqua tech shoe or winter boots with a pair of socks to fill the space up to stop the boots moving about on the feet

Sailing crewed boats I struggled with sailing gloves providing enough grip for spinnaker hoists/ drops, so have always liked the builders glove option.  I've tried the normal orange gloves with liners (too cold in winter), the grey thermal ones (too bulky), some latex lined ones with a fleece liner (bulky and a nightmare to get on if your hands are even mildly damp), cheapo visitors gloves for site (don't bother they barely last a race).

Ordered a pair so will give them a go...

Mind you, those hot-hands are a right faff to get on and off, so make sure you can still hold a bacon bap with just those on 

Try something like this. I had to stop using them because they were too grippy! Also no issue with wear/warmth as they are incredibly well insulated 

I would recommend a size bigger than your normal with them as they are sized small in my opinion

https://www.amazon.co.uk/OX-Thermal-Latex-Work-Gloves/dp/B075SHXQ1P/ref=asc_df_B075SHXQ1P/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=207956646229&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5830903329615290861&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006755&hvtargid=pla-420403050900&psc=1

Mine have arrived, impressed, grippy and warm but you’re right on the size. Obviously not yet tried them out 

Look pretty good.  I like the waterproof bit .. don't think "too grippy" applies on a Javelin.

A third the price of the Musto and Zhik badged builders gloves too.

And a sixth the price of my new (discounted) zhik G2 dinghy gloves.