Cold Hands!

Skyline On Fire

Skyline On Fire

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Luke
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Just got back from a brisk walk in the countryside, snow and ice everywhere, minus 4 etc etc etc...

I took gloves, but all my gloves are either for mountain biking, extreme cold weather, skiing etc... And everytime I wanted to use my camera I had to take them off, put them in pockets, raise camera and so on and so forth. I missed several gorgeous shots of birds against the sunset because of this, and it was just too cold to have my hands out at all times holding my camera.

What do you do about cold hands? Cold to the point of being useless at operating a camera. Anyone have any recommendations for gloves? They need to be able to operate the twist to loosen and tighten on my 100-400 L series lens, and that's a pretty slippery area of the lens.

Thanks in advance
 
Hey there
I find best thing for me when really cold is the thinest pair of neoprene diving gloves (cut the tips of fingers off yourself) 3mm if I remember, when really cold topped of with thinsulate fingerless shooting gloves with the fold over finger cover.
When not quite that bad an option that also works is a pair of motorcyclists silk under gloves under the thinsulates.
Hope that helps
Oh by the way any colder than that in front of fire warm whisky sugar and honey!!
 
It's just operating the dials, zooming in and out and locking and unlocking the 100-400 lens is such a pain with gloves, I need some with heavy gripping, and preferably as thin as possible whilst staying toasty.
 
Best way ..Get warmed up by jumping up and down etc ...take the gloves off, rub your hands together.... slap yourself ;) wriggle them fingers, jump up and down some more.

After a few minutes the blood will start to rush back into your cold fingers, grin and bare the pain it aint that bad, few minutes later you'll have nice warm flexible fingers.
 
e-tips

After years of trying all sorts of things, these actually work!
 
I may not be the best to comment, I was out wearing a t-shirt and fleece (plus socks, trousers and a pair of shoes [shorts are in the wash]).
I don't trust the 100-400L hanging off the camera/strap, so I have one hand holding the zoom-portion of the lens, with a finger on the foot, whilst the other hand is in my fleece pocket.
I swap over every 10-15 minutes. No gloves needed.
 
I find it a bit difficult trying to use the zoom, AF-ON button and shutter button whilst concentrating on whats happening on the rugby pitch....:), so with one hand keeping warm it would be nigh on impossible.
 
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Its not the grip, its being able to use the camera controls while wearing thick cumbersome gloves.
 
Gloves? you big bunch of girls! (no offense to any girls who can cope with getting their hands a bit cold).
 
Jimmy_Lemon said:
Gloves? you big bunch of girls! (no offense to any girls who can cope with getting their hands a bit cold).
Click to expand...

Its not an issue when I'm riding or climbing etc... Its those slow walks, and long periods of standing around in the bitter cold that do it!
 
hehe, to be honest I just have the camera either over my shoulder or round my neck and then put my hands in my pockets (or up my sleeves if they are long enough). Look like a child but means quick access to camera.
 
Forbiddenbiker said:
Best way ..Get warmed up by jumping up and down etc ...take the gloves off, rub your hands together.... slap yourself ;) wriggle them fingers, jump up and down some more.

After a few minutes the blood will start to rush back into your cold fingers, grin and bare the pain it aint that bad, few minutes later you'll have nice warm flexible fingers.
Click to expand...

And where will all the dicky birds be while you're doing your callisthenics? :D

By the time they've come back you'll be a block of ice again!
 
I've just bought some fingerless gloves that have an attached mitten that covers your finger tips when you don't need them. Great if youre standing around, waiting to shoot, you just uncover your finger tips as and when you need to. I think they're lowepro or possibly north face, I'll look when I get home. Used them on 3 jobs this week, worked a treat!
 
footman said:
And where will all the dicky birds be while you're doing your callisthenics? :D

By the time they've come back you'll be a block of ice again!
Click to expand...

:D

Hiding in the bushes peeing themselves in hysterics Id imagine...


No good point. … But It is worth remembering that if your body is overly warm then you hands will heat up, within reasonable icy temperatures anyway. ...so eat porridge and get some layers on... if your core is cooking nicely the body will open the valves and warm your hands... and your feet.
 
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Helly Hansen base layer...go for the "warm" version, designed for activity/inactivity between -5 and -30. I have the pullover with a zipped turtle neck. The sleevs are long with a thumb hole to allow the cuff to keep your wrist and back of your hand warm - excellent. Recommended.

Interested in those specialist socks....my feet are never warm, even with two pairs of thermal socks on! Thanks for the pointer.
 
I always keep a pair of RAF pilots gloves in the camera bag. They are very thin being made of chamois leather and enable a full sense of touch whilst keeping off the biting cold wind.
 
Know the feeling well, been plagued by Raynauds for a few years now and its nigh on impossible to do anything without any feeling in the fingertips

Some gloves are better than others, not found anything that great yet though

I just carry on for as long as I can then use one of the aforementioned handwarmers that can be recharged by boiling
 
I wear two layers of gloves. A sealskinz windproof on the outside for when I'm not using the camera
http://www.tauntonleisure.com/windproof-glove/p3015
and a thermal glove on the inside which is thin and stretchy so I have no trouble operating the camera
http://www.tauntonleisure.com/meraklon-glove/p837

Plus keep one of these in you pocket
http://www.tauntonleisure.com/grangers-little-hotties-hand-warmers/p6728

or splash out and get one of these
http://www.tauntonleisure.com/zippo-hand-warmer/p5604
 
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Lensflare said:
....Interested in those specialist socks....my feet are never warm, even with two pairs of thermal socks on! Thanks for the pointer.
Click to expand...

I actually emailed them and told them what I wanted them for and they sent me a list

"As you can see from our website our range is huge and there are many socks we can recommend but we will narrow it down to the most popular for you.
Firstly we would recommend wearing a liner sock underneath the main sock. Liners socks act in the same way as base layer tops in that they are thin and tight fitting and trap a layer of warm air between the skin and sock. This helps to regulate the temperature keeping your feet much warmer.
For the outer layer sock we would recommend any of the 4 Season expedition style socks. Such as -

Smartwool Mountaineering (SW133)
Icebreaker Mountaineering (IBN321)
Thorlo Full Mountaineering (ST)
XSocks Trekking Extra Warm
Bridgedale Endurance Summit
1000Mile 4 Season
Brasher 4 Season

All of the above socks are for use in very cold conditions and though probably a little too much for trekking in this country they are ideal if you are standing still a lot.
If you really want to be warm then consider the XSocks Ski Metal. Though it is expensive and as a ski sock they are extremely warm due to the addition of silver fibre."

 
Stumpy said:
I always keep a pair of RAF pilots gloves in the camera bag. They are very thin being made of chamois leather and enable a full sense of touch whilst keeping off the biting cold wind.
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Same here.
I also have the USAF versions in sage green/grey and desert tan.

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Leather palms and a Nomex back. Warm in cold weather and breathable in hot weather.
More than adequate for this weather...

For really cold weather (below -15C) I still use my issued Arctic mitts (they go over the pilots' gloves) with optional Gore-Tex covers for really, really vile weather - though to be honest if it's that grim outdoors, I usually drive instead. :D
 
Rob, where do you recommend we get them from? Thanks
 
 
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try these

so of the best mechanis around the world use them , great for grip , keeping warm , dont have to take them off when using i used them when i use to mechanic during the winter cold metal aint good but provided me with the a great grip and warmth

us site but are available in the uk i think there about £20 ish i use to get them trade but dont know who do them anymore

LINKY
 
wegotitugetit said:
try these

so of the best mechanis around the world use them , great for grip , keeping warm , dont have to take them off when using i used them when i use to mechanic during the winter cold metal aint good but provided me with the a great grip and warmth

us site but are available in the uk i think there about £20 ish i use to get them trade but dont know who do them anymore

LINKY
Click to expand...

Very good they are and available on Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mechanix-Original-Gloves-Medium-Black/dp/B0001VNZQO/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1292669044&sr=8-6
 
I just use a pair of thinsulate fingerless gloves with the fold over tip cover, no need for anything else.
 
I use a pair of lowepro gloves - had them for about 5 years now. Keep my hands nice and warm and also can use the camera while wearing them.
 
I use thin neoprene in very very cold but otherwise just keep one hand warm in my pocket
 
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