Best gloves for people with cold hands

Looking for both a ice climbing glove, and one for mountaineering.

Ive tried a lot of gloves, but I have perpetually cold hands..nothings worked so far, so figured would find out what other people with similar problems are using.

I am looking into the black diamond enforcer for ice climbing... have read good things so far... havent narrowed it down too much for mountaineering yet.

thoughts/ suggestions?

Gloves a la Cordes

From the article mentioned above (by Kelly Cordes), this section nailed it:

"These days I often head out with a mere three pairs of gloves – same as most climbers I know. Warm ones for belaying and easy terrain, and several pairs of thin, dexterous ones for the harder pitches, since there’s no such thing as a truly dexterous waterproof glove."

Get a super-warm thick glove to belay with, and thinner gloves to climb with.

The other important thing to think about for ice climbing is your tools. Are you climbing leashless? If not, then we have likely found your problem. Thin gloves, leashless tools, and the ability to shake out and keep the blood flowing in your hands will keep your hands warmer than fat gloves, leashed tools, and less shaking out.

Im well aware of brinign 3 gloves, but was looking for specific gloves to look into.

Thin gloves have simply never worked for me. No matter what my hands are frozen halfway up a pitch when using a thin glove.

Other people must suffer from this issue.

Kincos, you can buy them at a hardware store for $20, just as good as any $100 glove out there

I have cold hands (frost nipped them multiple times when I was younger and didn't have the system down).

I use a cheap pair of Head brand gloves for the approach (from Costco), which are usually too warm.

For belaying/rapelling, I use the Rab Ice Gauntlet and do a fair numer of windmills.

For leading, I use the Camp Hot Gloves (wore them in negative single digits and never got cold). I love these gloves. They are available at Prolite Gear.

I recommend gloves that are a bit large for circulation and doing a lot of windmills in general and shaking out on lead.

thanks Jack.. will look into all of those.

Still open for other suggestions as well

I've come to LOVE the waterproof winter work gloves by Kinco. I've started using them for ice climbing and will never buy another expensive pair of gloves again. They're about 17 dollars, and are nice and warm with a decent amount of dexterity.

superkick wrote: I have perpetually cold hands..nothings worked so far, thoughts/ suggestions?

Howdy, not to be off topic but consider this seriously: it is becoming clear in modern ice climbing--especially leashless--that HOW we climb often has more to do with hand warmth than just the gloves.

The trouble is that if one over grips AND doesn't shake out at every opportunity, circulation becomes the primary factor for warmth both due to keeping muscles constricted and also from having them overhead.

Bulky gloves ARE warm, but because you lose feel and dexterity, one might be over gripping.

I've found that when alpine skiing, relaxing my hold of my poles has done more to keep my hands and fingers warm than one might think.

Also, if you get wet gloves, you also need to change them out, so try bringing a spare pair or two.

So all I'm suggesting is take a hard look at what you are doing to see what might be contributing to your problem. Hydration, food, proper core layering, warm boots etc.

It may be you are losing warmth elsewhere. Hope that helps!

I dont climb with bulky gloves...

I just want a good thin, dextrous glove, with some sort of insulation, and some knuckle padding, for ice climbing. I was only looking for glove recommendations, nothing else.

Right now Black diamond Enforcers, and Camp G Dry Hot gloves, are both looking along the lines of what Id want. So similar recommendations would be appreciated.

Thanks.

IMO, Enforcers are big and bulky for technical ice. I agree with all what Coldfinger said - leashless tools, learning to relax, hydrating and proper nutrition all are important for keeping hands warm. Having said that, I see you climb in New England and the advice you get from climbers say in Colorado may not be the best - I have only got screaming barfies once here, and I remember that back East I used to get them every time I went climbing. There was a good discussion last year on gloves on NEIce.com. Most guides I know use OR Extraverts for extra cold days and BD Punishers for warmer/wet days. Extraverts are not waterproof, but are relatively inexpensive so you can get 2-3 pairs and keep changing them throughout the day. I don't own a pair (have been pretty happy with Punishers here in SW Colorado), but have demo-ed them back East and loved them. They're really warm and have a great dexterity. You can find women's versions on sale sometimes. For belays and after the climb, I bring a pair of down ski mitts that I got at Wabi Sabi for $4.

Thanks doigo. While not waterproof I will check them out.

I am well aware of everything already mentioned, and not trying to sound like a jerk, but I dont need layering, nutrition, etc reiterated, I am well aware of all of these things, and still get cold hands.

The enforcers looked no more bulky than punishers, just slightly warmer... I will have to take a look at a pair in person I guess. I tried punishers before, and they worked well until temps drop below 10 degrees, as to which point my fingertips went numb.

Given that its not usally too wet out here, the OR's might be a good bet for the price.

I can't find it right now but there was an REI expert advice article on people with chronically cold hands and feet. Have you thought to talk with a medical professional seeing as your hands being cold all the time could be a deeper physiological issue? I'm sure they would give you some tips.

I know I get cold toes when I'm resort skiing or snowboarding and have talked with a doctor about it who gave me some good tips for keeping it from happening.

I have the same problem with cold hands. I have owned the BD guides and they were a good glove; the new version is really nice and has a greatly improved liner. They are also a gore-tex glove so you'll be dry. Recently I got a pair of TNF Kelvin gloves and I can say that they are the warmest glove I have tried thus far. I had to get an XL b/c the fingers were narrow while I'm a L in the BD's. Thus far both have worked well for me on the ice and in the mountains. They aren't so thick that you will feel like you are gripping marshmallows instead of your tools.

superkick wrote:Thanks doigo. While not waterproof I will check them out. I am well aware of everything already mentioned, and not trying to sound like a jerk, but I dont need layering, nutrition, etc reiterated, I am well aware of all of these things, and still get cold hands. The enforcers looked no more bulky than punishers, just slightly warmer... I will have to take a look at a pair in person I guess. I tried punishers before, and they worked well until temps drop below 10 degrees, as to which point my fingertips went numb. Given that its not usally too wet out here, the OR's might be a good bet for the price.

You do seem stubborn. If you don't change something, you'll continue to have cold hands. I doubt there is a glove out there that will silve the issue.

Have you tried belaying in mittens and then switching to gloves to climb? No glove can match a warm pair of mittens and if you aren't warm when you start climbing, you'll have a hard time warming up. I'll bet you are over gripping, though.

I'll disagree with Kelly. Some lwt gloves by Mtn Hardware that are water proof. MinusOne and Hydra for example.

So I carry two pairs these days but not three.

All the rest is true. Go leashless and use a lwt glove and still be warmer.

My favorites currently are MTN Hardware OutDry versions. Reviews of the ones I use and better OR gloves as well @ Cold Thistle.

check out a mid layer with thumbloops too, they keep the sleeves from riding up and help keep all the blood flowing into your hands from getting chilly...it helped me out immensely with keeping my hands warmer when skiing.

I myself am still fairly new to ice climbing. A few things already mentioned def hold water big time.

The whole over gripping thing is a fact. I am cozy on WI4+, I can climb WI5 but it makes for a short hard day and cold numb hands as i am a bit over my head. On WI3-4 i am confident enough i can barely hold my tools and often just let go of them and catch a rest.

A guide i climb with suggest the BD mercury mitts to me. At first i thought "no way those things are huge i refuse to even carry those" i live in New England though and finally broke down and got them. I use them on belay 100% of the time now as you can never start a pitch with your hand to warm!!

I also never climb in a glove thicker than the BD torque or Arteryx Cam Sv glove. My hands are never cold even on those 0% plus a wind chill days. Mostly thanks to those belay mitts!!

froggy wrote:check out a mid layer with thumbloops too, they keep the sleeves from riding up and help keep all the blood flowing into your hands from getting chilly...it helped me out immensely with keeping my hands warmer when skiing.

Use one already and ill second that recommendation.

A system not yet mentioned is a pair of big ole warm mittens (l like the mercury mitt too but each new model gets cheaper and cheaper in quality) with a (optional) small knuckle-shaped pad of closed cell stuck in the mitt protecting your digits from the ice. Climb in em with thin liners; when it comes time to place pro set the tool and remove your hand from the mitten, leaving it hanging in the leash. Do your quick business and stick your hand back in the warm mitt and climb on

Superkick,
I prefer to climb with 2 gloves... 1 pair of super thin silkweight gloves like these Manzella Windstopper
Then I wear a pair of thin softshell gloves over them.

While these arent waterproof, there are 2 major advantages. The thin gloves mean you always have a pair of gloves on and your hands dont get as cold when you take your gloves off. Also the 2 pairs of thin gloves give you plenty of dexterity. The more dexterity, the quicker you get screws in, warmer your hands stay. I find the only time i ever get cold is from overgripping trying to place screws.