Wet-weather bushwhacking gloves?

[Raymond]

But before I get into the gloves question, what the heck is going on with the avatars?

So, what kind of gloves are good for wet-weather bushwhacking? I wore some plain ol’ leather ones and my hands got pretty wet; the skin was actually a bit wrinkly by the time I got back to the car. Coincidentally, just as I walked into an EMS the next day to look at gloves, a woman behind me who walked in at the same time asked about neoprene gloves. That seemed like an inspiring idea, so I checked them out after she did (in the kayaking section), but figured I shouldn’t buy them until I asked here if they would be worthwhile. They didn’t really look waterproof to me. Maybe I’d be better off with some dishwashing-type latex gloves and protective mitts?

It was so wet my Gore-Tex boots had water sloshing in them and my clothes were soaked right down through my underpants. Which reminds me: If anyone should see my name in a canister register and it’s barely legible (dated October 2, 2008) feel free to darken it in if you can get the pen to work. I used the pencil and was shivering so badly I hardly was able to write — or print.

 

[TCD]

It's been my experience that in really wet conditions, none of the "magic" fabrics like goretex work well for handwear and footwear, even though they may be "OK" for something like a jacket. I think the constant contact, pressure, and flexing wet the fabric, and at the very least "drown" the pores and result in no breathing, or possibly even force water through the fabric. There are a variety of systems people have tried to solve this: neoprene, vapor barrier, wool, wearing latex first aid gloves under mitts, etc.

The only glove system that works for me in really wet conditions is the "lots of spare pairs" system.

Tom

 

[1HappyHiker]

Agree!

The only glove system that works for me in really wet conditions is the "lots of spare pairs" system.

Tom

Couldn't agree more!! I’ve found that for bushwhacking in wet weather (including snow) the BEST GLOVES are LOTS OF GLOVES!!

Gortex gloves seem to work pretty well for me, but in really wet conditions, they eventually become saturated as well.

 

[Barbarossa]

I don't know the model, but the basic EMS winter gloves with the glove liners work pretty well for me, even wet. The gloves come off for heavy exertion, and the liners protect against the shock of putting on cold wet gloves.

 

[Kevin Rooney]

You can get heavy-duty, construction grade waterproof gloves at a building supply center. The problem is that your hands sweat, and so at the end of the proverbial day your hands may be wrinkled regardless of where the moisture originated.

You might try thick wool gloves/mittens. Wool has some amazing properties, and when really wet you can wring them out and restore some warmth.

 

[Craig]

As Kevin suggests, a pair of cheap gloves from a hardware store is the way to go. Don’t waste your money on those fancy expensive gloves that won’t last one season.

I wear these while whacking. Their cheap, relatively waterproof and most importantly they protect my manicured fingernails.