Come wintertime are you one of those unfortunate folks who suffers from perpetually frosty fingers? Don’t despair, its likely comes down to glove/mitten choices and we have an absolute expert on the subject matter to walk you through the decision making process. Meet Sailor, a veteran of the Finnish military services who is currently on the last leg of an expedition from Norway to South Africa by way of muscle power including running, cycling, swimming, sailing and skiing. She knows her stuff when it comes to keeping her hands warm and functional in the frigid climes Scandinavia and her tips and tricks can apply to anyone looking to maintain hand heat in the winter.
Here are the 3 main rules to avoid cold hands in winter:
- Choose gloves that trap your body heat inside: The key is not thickness, but insulation that keeps the warm air your hands produce trapped inside the glove. Your own body is the only heat source, so the glove must act like a thermos and prevent that heat from escaping.
- Always layer your gloves: Use a thinner, dexterous inner glove (ideally windproof and touch-screen compatible) inside a much warmer outer mitten. This way you can take the big mittens off to do fine tasks (filming, using phone/maps, tying knots, etc.) without instantly freezing your hands.
- Always carry at least one spare pair of gloves/mittens against your body Keep a dry spare pair (or spare removable liners) in an inside pocket next to your body so they stay warm and dry. If your main gloves get wet or cold, you can immediately swap to a warm, dry pair. Removable liners are especially good because you can dry them separately at night.
Bonus Tips
- Mittens are significantly warmer than gloves (fingers heat each other).
- Removable liners dry much faster.
The above rules governed their hand heat decision making in the 1½ months of winter expedition they spent battling wind, rain, snow and cold in Norway and could help you keep your hands nice in toasty this winter.
