Gloves

[Captain Scarlet]

The Winter season is rapidly approaching in the N hemisphere and here in quite-dark-land I find winter nights to be some of the most sparkling and crisp. I have Uggs for my feet, thick trews and a lovely thin but incredibly warm down jacket.

But I haven’t found gloves yet that are sufficiently thin and supple to press small buttons yet warm enough to be handling aluminium objects in the cold?

What do you use?

M

[johninderby]

Look for touch screen gloves made for using a smartphone. Might be thin enough.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=touch+screen+gloves&ref=nb_sb_noss_1

Sealskinz gloves are great but not sure if there is something to suit

https://www.sealskinz.com/gloves?gclid=CjwKCAjwzvX7BRAeEiwAsXExoyWHOYZuBr4rrM5XaD65wBJ-a3ms3aMjAFJ3Syl7sCjzVQHterQsARoCeA8QAvD_BwE

Edited October 7, 2020 by johninderby

[Matt61]

Gore windstopper cycling could help. Or look on cycling websites as some are touch screen compatible. Failing that thin neoprene Kayaking gloves may work 

[Shimrod]

48 minutes ago, Captain Magenta said:

The Winter season is rapidly approaching in the N hemisphere and here in quite-dark-land I find winter nights to be some of the most sparkling and crisp. I have Uggs for my feet, thick trews and a lovely thin but incredibly warm down jacket.

But I haven’t found gloves yet that are sufficiently thin and supple to press small buttons yet warm enough to be handling aluminium objects in the cold?

What do you use?

M

I use a pair of mittens that convert to fingerless gloves similar to these random example of mittens on amazon They provide dexterity when required, and keep my fingers warm the rest of the time. I've always found mittens keep my fingers warmer than gloves.   

[DaveL59]

I curl my fingers around a lit ciggy, keeps one hand warm at least 😉 

[scarp15]

Maybe perhaps depends on how cold it gets. I will wear a pair of North Face windstopper gloves, which provide some dexterity, but prefer to remove them each time for instance I switch between eyepiece filters. I to wear a down outer garment, which is a smock version, having a very warm through pocket, enabling hands to get warmed up between fiddly tasks. On particularly cold nights, or where there is wind chill, I will wear a pair of windproof mittens whilst observing, but again just accept removing if required.

[Stu]

@Captain Magenta I use these, Astro Gloves which leave the tips of your thumbs and first two fingers uncovered, making controlling keypads, phones or changing eyepieces much easier. It has to be said, if very cold those little pinky tips do start to feel it, but you can alway stuff your hands in your pockets I guess.

http://www.astrogloves.net

A search for Astro gloves showed up a few other similar options but these are the ones I have.

[johninderby]

These perhaps worn under fingerless gloves? 

https://thewritersglove.com

[markse68]

I got some military surplus thin leather gloves (french iirc) and if it’s really cold a pair of cheap decathlon glove liners worn inside them- the leather is pretty grippy and dexterity isn’t hindered too much but i don’t think i could sketch with them on. They were warm enough last winter but it never gets really cold here

[fireballxl5]

I've used Gill's sailing gloves for some time now, these are what I currently have. They may not seem to be particularly warm but do the job for me.

https://gb.gillmarine.com/championship-gloves-l-f-1-1/

[Whistlin Bob]

I use very think heat holders gloves with the tips of the thumbs and right first finger snipped off and sealed with duct tape (!) Cheap and works very well!

[Guest]

Look up MACWET gloves. They are light  but warm and still allow you to have dexterity.

[AlexK]

I'm using thick knit wool mittens with the flip-off fingers pocket on magnets. When open, the pocket stays on the back of the palm on the magnet exposing 4 fingers in the semi-fingerless knit glove). Can't tell the brand or anything, as that was a lucky find at the local general store. Nearly ideal when it's really cold (well, in California it's rarely blow freezing, but often quite chilly at night in winter) and super kozy.

[Mr Spock]

I use Thinsulate type. I have two pairs: some old and tatty Peter Storm Thinsulate 40g gloves which have a palm patch for driving; last year I added a pair of Berghaus. I find them warm enough but also thin enough to grasp things.

[banjaxed]

My rechargeable hand warmers inside my mitts keep me nice and warm. I just use my bare hands for adjustments and put my hands back in the mitts.

[Captain Scarlet]

Thanks everyone, lots of options here. I hadn't realised there was such a thing as dedicated astro gloves, but applying a second's thought, given everything else that's available, of course there is! I probably won't start smoking though

M

[aderyn]

+1 for the Gill's sailing gloves.  Mine have cut off first finger and thumb. Also recently been given a pair of fingerless gloves made from recycled cashmere very cosy - think they will make good wrist warmers in any gaps between gloves and cuffs.

Louise

[Hallingskies]

I use ordinary Thinsulate gloves and button-push with a rubber-ended pencil! 
Not so easy for anything else though!

[Andy0306]

How much do you want to spend  https://www.theheatcompany.com/en-gb/gloves

 

[Captain Scarlet]

29 minutes ago, Andy0306 said:

How much do you want to spend  https://www.theheatcompany.com/en-gb/gloves

 

Christ!!!!

I think the Heat 3 Special Force should just about suffice 😳

Edited October 8, 2020 by Captain Magenta

[Paz]

I use some super warm Scott mitts that are no use for fine control of anything when they are in but they keep my hands so warm when they are on that I can take them off from time to time to do things that need fine finger control and still be ok.

[PeterW]

If cold metal is an issue then cover the bits you might want to touch in thin rubber sheet so you don’t freeze to it. I just want to find some gloves that keep my hands warm.... dexterous or otherwise.... I have a small pile.. sadly not able to put them all on top of each other... 😞

@Captain Magenta how cold does it get down your way then...?

Peter

[Captain Scarlet]

3 hours ago, PeterW said:

 

@Captain Magenta how cold does it get down your way then...?

Peter

not too cold by temperature measure alone, but where I am there's no place with protection from a stiff cold NE wind: at 2-3 degrees with that wind I've been forced to abandon observing sessions fairly regularly due to numb fingers. Once I even had to contemplate leaving my whole rig outside overnight as I barely had the dexterity to undo the saddle-knobs to get my 12" off the mount.

[Peter Drew]

I use an observatory so not much of a problem.  Not a cheap option though!       🙂

[Rusted]

I use cheap Thinsulate gloves with the first two finger tips cut off both, with scissors, for typing in the obs.

I bought a pair of ridiculously expensive £60 Sealskinz, years ago, for winter cycling.
Sweaty, even in the cold and not particularly warm either on their very first ride.

At the first natural stop the furry linings stuck like glue to my hands and pulled completely inside out!
So I was stuck miles from home with no usable gloves. I couldn't even get my finger tips back in!
The pain of that ten mile ride home was excruciating!
I had planned to go very much further but had to abandon.
Those Sealskinz were lethally dangerous garbage IMHO.

It took me years more to discover GripGrab 'Nordic' winter cycling gloves in the form of divided mitts with rubber dots for grip.
Totally windproof, they breathe well, flex easily, are neutrally warm and don't make my hands sweat during exercise.
Downside it they aren't remotely typing or touch screen gloves.
Their fingered gloves are great autumn and spring cycling gloves.
Though I haven't tried to type in them they aren't bulky.

A down jacket and hood are a great way of keeping your hands warm.
Core temperature stays warm so the extremities are too.
Big warm pockets when you aren't typing War and Peace on the laptop.
Thickly lined, winter boots will keep you comfortable and happy too.