Far from it for me to start a thread thats been done a bazilion number of times elsewhere but having seen one of Al's recent diary entries where gloves are mentioned , I was just wondering if any new products have come to market recently which may be worth trying (Marigold II perhaps)

I can't get on with any gloves normally whilst windsurfing, but I have got an old pair of Gul gloves which are completely palmless and simply have a thin neoprene back, a thumb and 4 little 'cups' that just fit over the tips of your fingers. They work a treat for me, keep me warm but don't result in any loss of feeling between my hands and the boom and don't lead to forearm cramps or fatigue in my hands like all other gloves do.

I wore them this morning in 20 knots winds whilst the air temp was 2¬?C and I was fine.

Al.

Found a pair of those Gul mitts last week on EBAY and wore them for the first time today. Excellent

I've heard mention of the gloves Al described but can I find 'em...? can i 'eck
Anybody seen them on the market?
And on the subject of winter gear in a minimal styleeee, any headgear ideas bar a full on hood. Thinking something a bit less body armour like...

I think you've got to bring this into context. This time (temperature) of the year it does come down to your own personal tolerance. Some can go out with no gloves and suffer hot aches for a short period of mild discomfort where as others can be doubled over in pain weeping like a child several times during one sail. It's very much down to the efficiency of your body to maintain the extremities blood flow as your core temperature drops. Some, like Al, can comfortably go out in 2 degrees where as I have a cut off of 8 degrees. Four years in NE Scotland taught me that, where I got to the point of vomiting with the pain at least 3 times per session. Sometimes you've got to find an alternative to windsurfing no matter how windy it is or how long since you've been out.

[Edited on 3-3-2006 by IainO]

Iain... I wouldn't say I can 'comfortably' go out in 2¬?C... In those temps I'm quite often doubled over in pain weeping like a child.. And I too have been close to vomitting from the pain. It is the ice cream headache that really gets me... I even get it in the summer when surfing sometimes, but at this time of year it really is a killer. Which is why my neoprene hood come out as soon as it starts getting cold and stays out until May, without it I would deinfitely black out, which wouldn't be advised.


Al.

Re Headgear, I'm thinking of trying one of these Neoprene Beanies.
I haven't been able to find those palmless things either - can't get on with full finger - just end up having to take them off.

Johndoc - Here's a pair http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ProLimit-palmless-wetsuit-gloves-med_W0QQitemZ7223827662QQcategoryZ117166QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Glad to see you're human Al

I choose to wait for temps above 8 degrees (C). Unfortunatey I'm stuck moving house on the first weekend we have wind AND mild temps here in the SW since December

Before thinking about gloves ive gotta fix my boom, using it last friday there was no sleeving/padding on my boom on port tack where both hands grip the boom,(North Boom) Which was extremely cold gripping bare metal!!! Once the hands thawed it wasnt too bad
Anybody know where i can get some boom padding/sleeving from?

Hey Dudes,
I'd rather wait till it was warm or go somewhere hot,
But one of the guys from the lake where I work wears parmless gloves, but he puts those hand warmers in the back, you know the ones you boil in da bag, he's got about 4 sets and says they last for about 20 mins! Central heatin for sailin eh?

quote:

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Spencer
Before thinking about gloves ive gotta fix my boom, using it last friday there was no sleeving/padding on my boom on port tack where both hands grip the boom,(North Boom) Which was extremely cold gripping bare metal!!! Once the hands thawed it wasnt too bad
Anybody know where i can get some boom padding/sleeving from?

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Hi Spencer,

You can boom grip from Blue Chip see:

http://www.aqua-patch.co.uk/aqua_boomgrip.htm

Maybe check windsurfing mags for other places.

Yeah cheers Andy just ordered some thanks through boards website via blue chip Ta...