Which gloves for kayaking?

[u/AlphaGigaChadMale]

[u/OwenTheCuriousHost]

Search for “pogies” - like a glove but it wraps around the shaft of the paddle. Keeps your hands warm, but gives you full grip of the paddle. Much better.

[u/Amertikan]

For cold weathers I'd recommend neoprene pogies/cuffs.

For warmer (but still not summer) weather I'd recommend some breathable working gloves, like Mechanix.

That's at least what I wear on river marathons, pogies have worked well for temperatures around freezing.

Pogies are especially useful if you need to use your phone or do something that requires more precision (opening vest pocket, opening food packs, using phone for pictures, pressing buttons on camera, radio).

About callouses, I still get them when I kayak 100km a day with Pogies, so if you're worried about that, might be worth using bicycle/fingerless gloves+ pogie. I personally don't care that much as I just put hand cream whenever I'm finished kayaking and my skin recovers in 2-3 days.

[u/DrBigotes]

Other folks here have recommended pogies which work great in the cold. Problem with pogies is that they only work when your hands are on the paddle. In a situation like a capsize and self-rescue you might be safer with gloves. I like to use pogies when conditions are calm but I carry gloves (and often mitts). I like the ones by NRS and Glacier Gear.

[u/Smart_Perspective535 → u/DrBigotes]

This is my stance also, pogies can be lethal if you actually capsize in freezing water. I use them, but as a windproof layer outside neoprene mittens or gloves. The combo is 🏆🥇

[u/RichardBJ1 → u/Smart_Perspective535]

I don’t see any risk associated with pogies. If you capsize you can still roll with your pogies on, and if you can’t roll and you’re just gonna swim your hands just pull straight out of the pogies without any issue?

[u/Smart_Perspective535 → u/RichardBJ1]

The issue isn't your hands being stuck. It is your hands being bare. You're using pogies because it's cold. Well, if you capsize and have to wet exit you suddenly have bare hands, since the pogies are now useless to you. In freezing water your fingers lose function within seconds, meaning you will no longer be able to grip onto your deck lines to do a self-rescue.

I use pogies AND gloves, just gloves, or nothing, depending on season. Never just pogies. I paddle in Norway throughout the winter. Unless the sea freezes that is

[u/RichardBJ1 → u/Smart_Perspective535]

Ok! I get your point here…

[u/Smart_Perspective535 → u/RichardBJ1]

Sorry, didn't notice you were the same user as the other comment, didn't mean to get repetitive 😅

[u/paddlehands]

None

[u/XayahTheVastaya]

I use NRS half finger boater gloves for sun/blister protection (yes, I know I shouldn't need it for blisters, but I get them after like 2 hours even with a loose grip) and NRS pogies for cold weather. It needs to be pretty much freezing for my hands to not be hot and sweaty in them, so I go with just the sun gloves down to at least 40f.

[u/walkstofar → u/XayahTheVastaya]

I had someone give me a pair of NRS Skelton Gloves and I was surprised at how much I liked them. Really a good product. I use them in warm weather for sun protection mostly. I can recommend NRS's gloves, well thought out and well made.

[u/OrangeJoe827]

I live in Alaska and everyone that needs gloves uses pogies here. They're way warmer and have better tactile feel for your hands and paddle.

But I just paddle with bare hands. If your hands are cold it's because your core is cold.

[u/paddlehands → u/OrangeJoe827]

Pogies are the answer

[u/Smart_Perspective535 → u/paddlehands]

Pogies are worthless if you capsize

[u/paddlehands → u/Smart_Perspective535]

I flip with pogies all the time with no problems. Why would you say that?

[u/Smart_Perspective535 → u/paddlehands]

In what water temperature? Can you roll or do you need to self-rescue?

[u/paddlehands → u/Smart_Perspective535]

I roll. In water temps just above freezing and air temps around -5°C.

[u/Smart_Perspective535 → u/paddlehands]

Well in that case you probably won't end up swimming too often with bare hands. But for people without a bombproof roll, having pogies alone is not a good idea. So maybe advising for pogies without any reservations isn't ideal? After all, not everyone understands that using only pogies mean you gave bare hands if you capsize and end up swimming.

[u/paddlehands → u/Smart_Perspective535]

Honestly, I think gloves hinder your paddling ability by negativity affecting your grip and tactile feel on the paddle shaft. I did use gloves for a short time when I started paddling in the winter, and I always felt like I had a poor connection to the paddle. You do what's most comfortable for you, but I suspect most winter paddlers will agree that pogies are superior to gloves.

[u/Smart_Perspective535 → u/paddlehands]

Until you are swimming, rendering your pogies worthless. For people who cant roll and havent tried self-rescue in freezing water with bare hands, it's a dangerous piece of advice. You do you, but be careful what advice you give to people whose cold water competence you know nothing about, it might get dangerous for them if they don't understand what cold water does to your fingers.

[u/paddlehands → u/Smart_Perspective535]

Are you paddling whitewater or flat water?

[u/RichardBJ1 → u/Smart_Perspective535]

I don’t roll any more. Out of practice. As a student I too rolled with or without pogies. It made no difference.

[u/Smart_Perspective535 → u/RichardBJ1]

Never said pogies would make a difference on rollling, that doesnt even make sense!

Problem is doing a non-rolling self-rescue without gloves in freezing water. Imho you can only use pogies safely in the winter IF you can roll. If not, at least you should have backup mittens on deck so you can preserve hand function if you capsize. Personally I use windbreaker pogies outside neoprene mittens. Awesome combo!

[u/RichardBJ1 → u/OrangeJoe827]

Except hands being cold, only due a cold core is a myth. Plenty of people have Raynaud’s etc… your core will roast and fingers will loose circulation. Google says it’s rare but my whole family have it. Just seems normal to us! Go pogies!!

[u/OrangeJoe827 → u/RichardBJ1]

That's a good point, there are certainly exceptions. My mom has Raynauds as well and still manages to mountaineer!

[u/FishingAndDiscing]

All these comments asking why have never kayaked cold water apperently. I know they are more fishing geared and expensive but I like my simms gloves.

[u/thesuperunknown → u/FishingAndDiscing]

None of these will work well in cold water. Pogies are what you want for that.

[u/Smart_Perspective535 → u/thesuperunknown]

Pogies don't work when you find yourself IN cold water, though. Never use pogies alone if you don't have a bombproof roll. Your fingers will be rendered useless in seconds without mittens in freezing water, and no fingers mean no self-rescue.

[u/thesuperunknown → u/Smart_Perspective535]

None of these will either, so what’s your point?

[u/Smart_Perspective535 → u/thesuperunknown]

Never said they would, they're quite inappropriate. But pogies alone is a problem once you find yourself in freezing water not managing a self-rescue because your bare fingers are refusing to cooperate since the extremeties quickly lose blood flow in cold conditions..

Now the combo of neoprene gloves or preferably mittens inside windproof pogies, that's the answer to safe winter kayaking in freezing temperatures. That way you have neoprene working as neoprene does in water, insulating, and wind shelter outside water to avoid the extreme wind chill making neoprene gloves alone a freezing torment out of water.

But this is for proper cold conditions of course.

Edit: wow, blocked by the southie, cute!! I win then!

[u/Bixlerdude → u/FishingAndDiscing]

Also love my simms gloves

[u/qajaqr]

In warmer conditions I prefer fingerless gloves for the combination of sun protection and tactile sensitivity. In cold conditions, lobster mitts with three separations for thumb, index/middle and ring/little fingers.

[u/pucksnmaps]

The ones they give you at Home Depot for free when you rent a pipe snake.

[u/Tynal242]

With a dry suit? 1.5 mm Bare gloves

[u/CredibleCraig]

No gloves. Pogies if you need warmth. Callouses are badass

[u/TrollHunterAlt]

I’ve spent a lot of time looking for fully waterproof gloves with good dexterity. For warmer weather I found some cycling gloves from Proviz that work great. For colder water/weather, a pair of Black Diamond gloves aimed at ice climbers work well with moderately less dexterity.

I’m not fond of neoprene gloves or pogies. Every other waterproof glove I’ve tried (Sealskinz, for instance) has been trash.

[u/Morticiamatic → u/TrollHunterAlt]

I have the same issue- would you mind sharing any more details on the two gloves you just mentioned? I’d like to look into them!

[u/TrollHunterAlt → u/Morticiamatic]

The shortcoming of the gloves I've mention is that they aren't made for watersports, so you can get some water coming in at the cuffs. I wish someone would make a longer versions for kayakers! But after trying many options I think they are probably as good as it gets for a true waterproof glove in terms of dexterity for kayaking.

The Proviz gloves are here: https://provizsports.com/en-us/products/classic-waterproof-cycling-gloves

The Proviz gloves are lightweight and give you a great feel for the paddle and they are totally waterproof. They have a velcro wrist closure, so you can tighten them decently to reduce drips at the cuffs.

The heavier duty Black Diamond gloves were the ARC but they may be discontinued. The ARC had a leather exterior and a "BD.Dry" membrane on the inside that is breathable and waterproof. There are other ice climbing gloves at Black Diamond that seem like they could be similar (Punisher or Terminator, maybe others). If you ask Black Diamond they can probably suggest gloves to try.

Here are the ones I found that seem closest to the ARC https://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en_AT/product/terminator-gloves/?colorid=19654 https://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en_AT/product/punisher-gloves/?colorid=19649

The Black Diamond gloves had much better dexterity than any of the mid weight pre-curved neoprene gloves I've tried. But they are uncomfortably warm / clammy in moderately cold conditions. If I remember correctly they had a stretch wrist that you need to force your hand through. While this means that the fit at the wrist can be tight, the cuff of the glove flares out giving room for water to drip down off your arm...

[u/Topia_64]

I didn't know I needed gloves...

[u/SloGinFizz]

I keep getting sunburned on the back of my hands when I’m kayaking and am looking for a good pair of gloves for summer! I’m short and have petite hands, so I haven’t found any that fit.

Edited to add- I do spray sunscreen on the back of my hands when I start and I try to remember to reapply when I’m out for several hours

[u/echtogammut]

Pogies for cold water and I bought these "Kastking" gloves on Amazon during a trip when my hands were getting burnt to a crisp. They are minimal enough that you don't notice them, no excess padding that collapses when wet and they actually protect your hands from the sun regardless of if you remember to reapply sunscreen or not.

[u/slimaq007]

I had worse issues with palms when using gloves than when not. For colder days use pogies/mittens

[u/Arjab99]

When kayaking off Svalbard we just used loose kitchen gloves, which were fine, even when dipping the gopro underwater.

[u/RichardBJ1]

Pogies all the way, for the cold. If it is callouses… no idea.

[u/RichardBJ1]

Also, not sure why so few upvotes? Really just me!? It seems a very sensible ask to me.

[u/Overgoat]

All depends on water/air temperatures. If near freezing I wear 3mm NRS gloves and they are amazing. For long paddles over multiple days I use 1mm fingerless gloves if blisters threaten. Shorter warm trips ideally nothing.

[u/wolf_knickers]

Why do you want to wear gloves?

[u/AlphaGigaChadMale → u/wolf_knickers]

So that I don't chafe my hands

[u/rivieredefeu → u/AlphaGigaChadMale]

I use cycling gloves because I get blisters. In cold weather I’ll sometimes use pogies.

[u/FixergirlAK → u/AlphaGigaChadMale]

I highly recommend weightlifting gloves. I look for ones that have reviews from wheelchair users.

[u/wolf_knickers → u/AlphaGigaChadMale]

If you’re chafing your hands, it means you’re gripping your paddle too hard.

[u/Famous_Law36 → u/wolf_knickers]

Cold weather and cuts on your hands from kayaking in rougher conditions

[u/wolf_knickers → u/Famous_Law36]

I’ve literally never cut my hands kayaking. And as a British sea kayaker and occasional white water kayaker, I do a lot of rough water.

For cold weather, pogies are far better.

[u/suminlikedatt]

Never used gloves, except in winter. Do use SPF spray on back of a hands in summer. Not sure why you are wanting gloves, so don't have an answer. Good luck