Cold Hands

[2FishinBuddies]

Im at the point in my life were certain fingers get cold quicker than others. I suspect its from not wereing gloves and mittens for many years and it has obviously taking its toll. Anyone have any suggestions how to keep hands warm. Down side is obviously grabbing lines and feeling the fish ect but I'd rather loose a fish or two and keep a finger.

[tomahawkrider]

I wear rubber (surgical) gloves. My hands stay warm and I can still work with my fingers without taking the gloves off.

[Whopper Stopper]

Rag wool gloves for me. Even when wet they keep me warm.

            WS

[icefishnrancher]

. Anyone have any suggestions how to keep hands warm.

mittens, hand warmers, propane heater, hand drill your holes, move around, jig with one hand, tuck the other one in under your armpit and switch off...these are some things I do.

[nicjohnsrud]

Cabelas Fleece Muff. One of the best investments I've made. Throw a hand warmer in there and it'll warm up the coldest of hands.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Clothing/Mens-Hunting-Clothing/Mens-Blaze-Orange-Clothing/Mens-Blaze-Orange-Headwear-Gloves%7C/pc/104797080/c/104748480/sc/104222880/i/104026680/Cabelas-Big-Game-Fleece-Muff/750031.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse%2Fmens-blaze-orange-headwear-gloves%2F_%2FN-1101004%2FNs-CATEGORY_SEQ_104026680%3FWTz_l%3DSBC%253BMMcat104797080%253Bcat104222880&WTz_l=SBC%3BMMcat104797080%3Bcat104222880%3Bcat104026680

[2FishinBuddies]

The past two seasons have been getting tougher and i find myself with a coleman lantern running the entire time just to take the chill off of a few fingers. I just dont remember ever having cold hands.

[mackdog75]

Zippo hand warmer

[WEREGEL]

Cold hands for me consists of two issues. Keeping hands warm generally and keeping hands dry and more or less warm when working tip ups, jigging and landing fish.

If it's really cold out there I will set up my Clam Ice Armor Extreme Mitts with chemical hand warmers in the pockets on them at least an hour before I go out on the ice. They are big and easy to get on and off and you don't need to worry about turning the linings inside out when you pull them off quickly like you do with many styles of insulated gloves. Generally I find mitts much warmer than gloves. But they are pretty much useless when setting up, maintaining your sets, or jigging.

So based on other postings on the subject  I am currently experimenting using an industrial weight xl size of nitrile mechanics glove while setting up and checking tip ups, jigging or playing a fish and its working for me.

I got them in a size that is fairly big for me but that allows for quicker on and off. When working with tip ups or playing fish my hands will get cold but stay dry and you can handle the lines easily. I don't hesitate to reach into the bait bucket or into the water. They shed water and a quick shake or a wipe on a rag gets the water off and my hands are relatively warm again.

You need to experiment with different types to see what may work for you. Composition (latex v. nitrile), durability (some of the cheaper versions tear very easily), and sweating inside the glove are common issues.

I take them off in the shelter or I would quickly begin to sweat inside them. I keep them handy though and when I see a flag pull a pair on before I go out.

I don't know exactly how it works but the main value seems to be that you do not have exposed wet skin out there to take the hit from the cold. Although you feel the cold can quickly warm back up. Might be worth a try for you.

[johnm3091]

Hear ya there never had cold hands or feet till this year, just diagnosed with Raynauds this sucks.

[fishingPole]

In my 6th decade now and yes, my hands also get very painful when cold.  Mittens with hand warmers work for me.  Mittens restrict a lot of what you can do with your hands., but they come on and off quickly.

[kpd145]

Half finger wool gloves and if my hands get cold, I keep a pair of fleece half gloves with mittens that slide over inside my jacket to stay a bit warmer.

I am usually ok in any temp and if it is above 25 degrees out, steam will be coming off my hands when my wool gloves get wet because my hands get so warm.

Don't know why that happens but whatever.

[Baberuth]

The immediate cold your hands experience is because of the lack of blood flow caused by the temperature. Your system actually restricts the vessels in your hands when cold is introduced as it wants to keep the core of the body warm. Warming your hands after this  brings extra blood flow which will act like an insulator and bring swelling and redness. Just wearing gloves may not trigger this reaction. My suit has openings where I can put my hands inside where they are free to move around in a warm environment and not be constricted by gloves out in the cold air. Under my suit the warm dry atmosphere can activate blood flow to now dilated vessels, thus hand swelling, redness and very warm hands. When I do move them out to reset a flag or remove a fish they are so warm the cold feels good and I dry them right away and back they go. There are wet proof gloves that can be put on when you need them.To get the vessels dilated and blood flow to warm the hands, they have to be cold and then warmed. Some of you guys do this without knowing why it works, but it works. Keep ‘em dry and ready for the strike AND THE BEER.

[rgfixit]

Alcohol is the worst solution

Get yourself a pair of these;


Keep your hands dry!
Are your feet warm? If not invest in better boots and socks.
Is your head warm? Wear what you have to to prevent heat loss from your head. It's your biggest potential for heat loss.
How about the back of your neck? Wear a scarf! Large amounts of blood travel close to the skin to power your brain. Keep your neck insulated!
Drink some warm liquids like bullion or hot chocolate to help your core temp.

DO NOT DRINK ALCOHOL! (Until you get home)

Alcohol and warmth: the big misconception

Alcohol can make you think that you’re warm. But the balmy glow and red cheeks that come with a drink are deceptive.

When you drink, it dilates the peripheral blood vessels near your skin, which means more blood – and heat – flows to these vessels. That takes blood and heat away from the core of your body. So while it feels like you’re warm because your skin is warm, your vital organs aren’t as warm as you might think they are.

If you then go out in the cold after drinking, because you’ve got a lot of heat on the periphery of your body, you can lose heat very easily and quickly. And that can be dangerous.

When you’ve been drinking heavily and then venture out into arctic conditions, the faulty internal thermometer coupled with the dulling of senses and bravado that alcohol can create, can spell trouble.

Drinking leads to bad decisions.

RG

[mr.clean]

Baberuth and Rgfixit thank you for your scientific explanations . I have mittens similar to the ones in Rg's post mine are called Eskimo made be Kid gloves inc.  . extra liners are available for this style of mitten a good idea to have a spare set with you to change out liners if one get wet. You can also stick chemical hand warmer packs inside the mittens . I wear Polypropylene liner gloves inside my mittens. They are sold in different thicknesses ,I can remove mittens to reel in a fish or work tipup and still have some protection from the cold. Again bring a few pairs with you to make it through the day. Another option is sheep skin shearling mittens I have a pair very warm you can make the outer leather more water repellent by applying Sno-Seal. Beside looking for the Ht Enterprise mittens among our website sponsors below are some websites that sell the liner gloves and shearling mittens.

 Eastern Mountain Sports    (www.ems.com)     ,Campmor      (www.campmor.com)    , Egli sheep farm  ( www.eglifarm.com)  the sheep farm also sells hats.

If anyones problem with cold hands persists see a doctor you may have circulation problems or Raynuad's syndrome
Steve

[conesuscrab]

First, Merino wool hat, second good boots and wool socks, hand warmers (chemical or zippo), good mittens and liners.  My wife has reynaud's and this helps when we cross country ski.

[BaitBucket]

I have come up with two different systems I use for combating cold hands.

The trick is to always have something on your hands at all times, and to keep them as dry as possible. You would be surprised how much warmer your hands stay by just carrying a hand towel around as you setup/tend tip ups.

On the warmer days I have a nice pair of Glomitts. The are mittens that have the top part fold back and under is half finger gloves. When you need the use of your fingers just flip the top back. Make sure to get a pair that is windproof and water proof/resistant if possible.

Like these: http://www.basspro.com/RedHead-Convertible-Fleece-Gloves/product/12121105455638/?cmCat=CROSSSELL_PRODUCT

On the more extreme cold days I have a pair of Frabill FXE Mittens. I got them in the largest size they sell. I also wear a pair of wind proof fleece half finger gloves (like the glomitt without the flip over mitten part) i put on the half finger glove and then slip into the mittens. When i need to tend a tip up i can pull the mittens off and i still have use of my fingers while the majority of my hand is covered in a windproof glove.

[BucksNDucks]

Zippo hand warmer

X2

[loneranger]

I'm at the point in my life were certain fingers get cold quicker than others. I suspect its from not wearing gloves and mittens for many years and it has obviously taking its toll. Anyone have any suggestions how to keep hands warm. Down side is obviously grabbing lines and feeling the fish etc but I'd rather loose a fish or two and keep a finger.

I wear a pair of no finger ragwool gloves and for a quick warm up they fit inside  a pair of sheep lined buckskin mittens save your money don't by hand warmers seems like I'm forever picking up someones wrappers or if you believe even handwarmer sets like someone changed them and dropped the old ones on the ice

[Dakota Angler]

Mittens or a glove that allows your fingers all together and not separated like a fingered glove will keep your hands warmer. I feel your pain bud my hands get so numb its crazy. Fact is once your hands get wet its any moisture must remove quickly. I am a hole hopper so my hands are always messing with line, tip-ups, ducers..etc. Sometimes I put up the flip up for a warming hut

[Tackle]

I forgot all about my muff this year!! I'll need to find that thing. I forget how well it works and how convenient it is. Thanks for the reminder. The cold doesn't seem to be letting up.

[2FishinBuddies]

Yeah I think my issues are from hoping hole to hole taking gloves off and getting hands wet ect. Gonna try the surgical glove idea to keep m dry then back in a pair of gloves / mitts

[TeamBlueGear]

I hate being cold period. Like many said, keeping them dry is #1 so I keep a dry bath towel with me, also being out of the elements just makes sense to me. I take a Buddy Heater with me always and its the last thing I pack up because I leave it sit there and cool down, but when its cooling down I put my cheap ars felt lined brown work gloves in front of it to get them toasty. By the time I pack everything up, all I have to do is pack the hub up and now I have super warm gloves

[fish8mybait]

Wear heavy gloves outside while drilling holes and setting tip ups. When done, GET IN A HEATED SHANTY! 

I don't jig outside unless it is pretty warm. I hate cold fingers.

[big bobber]

Hear ya there never had cold hands or feet till this year, just diagnosed with Raynauds this sucks.

me too...due to that fact,i sit in my shanty most of the time and dont even run tip ups unless its warmer out...im content in my one man.i fish mostly at night for crappie..i move when i have to...but remain in my 70 deg shanty most the time...thus...warm hands.

[Dan J]

I have Raynard's. It is a restriction of blood flow caused by cold and stress. What has worked for me is keeping my hands dry and fishing inside my Fishtrap Pro. I have it set up for hole hopping so I can drill my holes and then move from hole to hole very fast. I use the Clam muffler that you put around your waist and neoprene gloves. Once your hands get cold your done, so keeping them warm to begin  with is important.

[beershanty]

I hate having cold hands when I'm fighting a big fish on the tip ups, especially if its windy and nasty out but I've found that leather gloves work well, I have a pair of insulated pigskin gloves and they let the line run off your hand smoothly when fighting a large fish like a pike or laker. gotta keep em dry though.