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===== Cold Hands and Pogies =====

**Cutting it kind of close\\
Paul Reavley** \\
12:19am #28037

From TC Surfski

[[https://tcsurfski.com/2020/10/25/a-very-cold-virtual-chattajack/|A Very Cold Virtual Chattajack]]

**Nicholas Cryder** \\
9:40am #28038

Really similar story to what happened to Ivan Lawler on Loch Ness, of course he was downwinding and I believe it was snowing. As an example of heat bleeding out; swimmers who have been lost at sea in warm water environments like Hawaii get hypothermia eventually. Even tho the water is bath-tub warm, it's still relentlessly sucking energy away.

Now let's talk pogies: Any recommendations? Critique? How are remounts when it's time to thread the now cold hand back into a wet neoprene sock? I've always done thin neoprene gloves (1mil), but they get cold going upwind. When FF was healthier I was working on a glove with 2 mil top side, and a .5 bottom (thick gloves at the grip cause hand pump / tendon strain).

Nicholas Cryder

**Reivers Dustin** \\
1:20pm #28039

I have proly four pairs of pogies. I tried gloves and felt miserable with them. My favorite pogies are neoprene shorties. I think these are from Sierra Trading post and they are intended for white water. The cuff ends just about where my wrist bends. They aren't enough when it's mid-30's and below.

I have some NRS Mamba pogies. Fleece lining, just a bit too long in the wrist, but I can deal with it.

All my other pogies are bothersome long in the wrist. I've done a trick where I rolled the cuff a couple of times with an electrician's zip-tie inside. This stiffens the cuff so it stays expanded. It's a workaround.

What Nicholas is talking about is a big deal. I've dumped in the cold and after remount doing that little struggle with getting hands into the pogies is, in the words of Roseanne Rosanna Danna: "Really Really Stupid!"

One other thing: based on a clue from LB: keep the salt out. I used to get cuts and abrasions on my thumbs and knuckles. Since I've been careful to rinse the salt out of the pogies, not so much.

OK, now somebody else say something…

**Edward** \\
4:18pm #28040

I have not used neoprene pogies since switching to nylon a few years ago. They may not be quite as warm as neoprene but they keep my hands warm enough. I like them because they don't get heavier as they get wet. Pay so much for one paddle that is lighter than another only to throw it away with water logged pogies.

Eddie

**James Schulz** \\
4:45pm #28041

I use Snapdragon hypalon pogies. The Hypalon is water repellant so they don’t get heavier when wet and are super stiff so its easy to stab your hand back into them. So there’s no evaporative cooling. Super warm but not the lightest.

[[https://www.snapdragondesign.com/sdd-product/hyper-hands/|https://www.snapdragondesign.com/sdd-product/hyper-hands/]]

Jim

**Rick Lingbloom**

9:06pm #28042

My hands get super cold just hiking in cool weather. But … I started using nylon poggies a few years ago. I’ve worn them down into the teens and been just fine. They can be completely iced over and my hands still stay warm. They are SO much lighter than neoprene. Relatively easy to reinsert hands into. I’ve heard about some people inserting something like a long zip tie into the hem at the wrist to keep them open if that is a concern. I highly recommend them!

Rick L

**zach** \\
6:52am  #28043

Pogies are great. They do not need to be super thick because the hand is in a compact position with the fingers all touching each other. The downside of pogies is that they offer no protection if your hands are in the water. Immersed in ice water your hands only have a few minutes until they have no dexterity or strength whatsoever. Bigger hands last longer than smaller hands. But once the hands are cooled too much to function, they are not able to hold a paddle or rope or anything else to save one’s life. So that is the downside of pogies. If you end up immersed in frigid water for whatever reason you have very little time. Personally i use pogies on flat water but gloves or mitts downwind. I find they feel funny for about 5 minutes before I get used to them.
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