gloves for photography in low temperatures

Home · Register · Search · Software · Hosting · Software · Join Upload & Sell

FM Forums \| General Gear-talk \| Join Upload & Sell
1 2 3 end

Archive 2012 · gloves for photography in low temperatures

SteveF
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.2 #1 · gloves for photography in low temperatures

I've been very happy with the thin glove inside a much bigger mitten approach. The mitten "top" can be opened to expose the fingers when needed.

Key for me is the chemical hot packs inside the big mittens (and adhered to my socks inside my boots). Use these correctly, have some spares in your pockets and you can stay out for a long time.

Jan 21, 2012 at 10:35 PM

splathrop
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #2 · gloves for photography in low temperatures

I spent 3 hours last week, shooting in approximately 0 F, with 20-30 mph wind. Used heavy woolen mittens that would go on and off easily, and kept my hands in them except to make adjustments. Shot off a tripod with a cable release, and kept the mittened hand in parka pocket, releasing the shutter with a thumb press.

All worked fairly well, except that the weave on the mitten was no match for the wind. Too much time with the hand out of pocket (1 minute) and all feeling in the hand disappeared.

It was good light and bad light, intermittently. Funny thing, as the light got better, the hand got warmer. Adrenaline.

Jan 21, 2012 at 11:43 PM

JohnJ80
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #3 · gloves for photography in low temperatures

What's "really cold" to the OP?

These bike gloves and other thin gloves are not for "really cold". To me, really cold means -10 to -20F and bike gloves are about as useful as no gloves at the temp. Same goes for thin neoprene versions etc.. I'm with sjms on this one - for "really cold" you need some serious hand protection. You take your hand out briefly to shoot and then put it back, maybe wearing glove liners. And a big part of keeping your hands warm is keeping your core nice and toasty warm. If you put on a thin, inadequate jacket and then put on warm gloves, you still will have cold hands.

I shoot for hours on end (ski racing) in very cold conditions as above. For that I use the Swany Arctic Mitten:

This image is copyrighted by the owner

It's an extremely warm mitten, it's got a zipper along the body of the mitten that you can open and get the glove liner like interior out to operate the camera. You pop your fingers back in to keep them warm. I often drop in some of the Grabber Hand Wamers - little packets that have a metal powder that oxides in the presence of air/O2 to create an exothermic reaction that lasts for hours. With these in the mittens they are HOT to -20F.

For most of those other gloves, I wouldn't bother.

J.

Jan 22, 2012 at 02:01 AM

Gord SW Ont
Offline
•
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #4 · gloves for photography in low temperatures

Not for the arctic but not too bad .... you could try "Twittens".

http://twittens.ca/look/20C794F46CBF4ED3BD5A.html

Jan 22, 2012 at 02:54 AM

Steezus
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #5 · gloves for photography in low temperatures

The only reason that I don't go with mittens is because most 3 ply GoreTex gloves with fingers have never left my fingers cold despite working on the ski slopes for years, skiing most of my life, growing up in the mountains. Since I ski, I like my gloves to double for both photography and skiing. IMO, I can't stand mitts for skiing, fine for boarding though. Now I live in Nebraska and it is far colder here than I have ever felt in any mountain I have been to ever, it's kind of crazy actually. Still never got to my fingers with the Marmot gloves even hanging on to moving metal rail cars in the middle of a blizzard at 2am, easily the coldest experience in my life. Still have not had to crack open the hand warmers yet.

Jan 22, 2012 at 04:32 AM

Imagemaster
Offline
• • • • • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.2 #6 · gloves for photography in low temperatures

gspiridakis wrote:

Photographers who photograph in really cold conditions, and others who may know, what kind of gloves do they use?? I would like to combine it with waterproof ability...

For a start, I consider really cold conditions don't start until -20 degrees below zero. At those temperatures, waterproofing is not usually needed because there is nothing around that is wet.

I simply use a cheap pair of glove/mitts from Walmart for about $5. When shooting, I bring my fingers out of the mitt part, then put them back in after shooting. I always have about four "Little Hotties" in my pockets:

http://www.littlehottieswarmers.com/

You can also put the Little Hotties in the mitt part of the glove/mitt. When sitting in a blind/hide for hours, my hands will be in my pockets holding onto the Little Hotties.

http://www.gamehide.com/Gamehide_Knit_Shooting_Glove_Mitt_p/cg3.htm

Jan 22, 2012 at 07:20 PM

martines34
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #7 · gloves for photography in low temperatures

Plus one for the SWANY Arctic Toaster.

Jan 02, 2013 at 10:43 PM

sperraglia
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.2 #8 · gloves for photography in low temperatures

Another plus 1 for Swany arctic toaster mitts - I cut out their liners and use a seirus soft shells as my liner and pop in a warmer pack - I also fit my remote inside the mitt so when I am set up everything stays nice and toasty (Churchill -10 to -30 no problem). If it is a little warmer I use the seirus softshells and wear a pair of icelandic wool knitted fingerless gloves (I am female so can get away with rather garish knitted yarn) over them and stuff a warmer in between the two on the top of the hand.

Jan 02, 2013 at 11:35 PM

etchen
Offline
•
Upload & Sell: On

p.2 #9 · gloves for photography in low temperatures

I like these. I bought them 2 months ago and they're amazing. especially if you own a touch screen phone.
http://www.thenorthface.com/catalog/sc-gear/etip-glove_3.html

Jan 03, 2013 at 01:14 AM

3iron
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: On

p.2 #10 · gloves for photography in low temperatures

My set up is just a little different. I like a thin glove liner, then a glove or mitten, then a muff that I can stick both hands into when they get really cold or when the action is low. I can also add a heavier glove and no mittens, but the liners really help and allow precision touch on the camera.
For me, the muff is great, I can put a hand warmer in it and it is good to go.

Jan 04, 2013 at 06:31 PM

Bifurcator
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.2 #11 · gloves for photography in low temperatures

gspiridakis wrote:
Hello everyone,
i am looking for a pair of gloves to wear in low temperatures, to keep my hands warm and capable of using my camera and binoculars the same time. I already have 2 pairs, but no one is waterproof and i still feel the cold when temperature is near zero, or when wind blows frozen air..The one pair is also too thick..
Photographers who photograph in really cold conditions, and others who may know, what kind of gloves do they use?? I would like to combine it with waterproof ability...
Thank you in advance,
George

I like the feel of some cold air through the gloves. At 5˚C and above with a stiff breeze or -5˚ to about 4˚ with moderate wind or lower than -5˚C with almost no wind then I like cotton work gloves. Colder than that and I just forget about it. The ones I use are about $3 for 12 pairs this year - so virtually disposable when dirty or sweaty. I cut the tips off the right hand index finger and thumb and wear knit knuckless gloves over them. For me it's a perfect solution. With expensive gloves when they get dirty or wet that's it... your cameras and lenses are going to be glommed by dirty wet usually unforgiving material - and at such low temperatures there's little hope of drying them etc. For me it's better just to grab a new pair at the point. On this day I cut a little too much off the finger but you get the idea:

This image is copyrighted by the owner

Self Portrait With My Super Nifty High-tech Hand Warming Devices.

A half used bundle of about 6 pairs or about $1.50's worth.

Jan 04, 2013 at 07:28 PM

pbraymond
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.2 #12 · gloves for photography in low temperatures

I have terrible circulation at fingers (read they get very COLD), but for dexterity purposes I use windproof glomitts. In extreme condition place a chemical heat pack inside the mitt portion for in between sessions. I suppose a really light liner underneath a glomitt wold also permit a little more protection when actually shooting.

A pure glove alternative that may be slightly warmer would be neoprene bike gloves, wind and moisture proof, and usually grippy.

Jan 04, 2013 at 10:51 PM

sjms
Offline
• • • • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.2 #13 · gloves for photography in low temperatures

runamuck wrote:
Glommitts. Not sure of the spelling. Try outdoor shops. Mine work well, even at zero C. However, zero F is a lot tougher to do.

Good luck with the waterproof part.

that is a true marketing method answer. 0c sounds good but that's only 32f which many gloves and handle depending on the users metabolism. yes 0f is just a bit more of a challenge.

2 layers:
inner layer wind blocker pile gloves that fit nice, not tight or even really snug. shaped fingers. with reasonable dexterity.

over shell depending on the weather. mitten shells save fingertips.

Jan 04, 2013 at 10:51 PM

ben egbert
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.2 #14 · gloves for photography in low temperatures

Obviously some have better cold tolerance than others. My fingers have such poor circulation that I am very cold sensitive at any temp below 30 F. I spent lots of time at Lake Coeur d' Alene doing winter eagles in 0-30 f temps and often with wind.

Light weight inner gloves and wool fingerless mittens and a chemical heater in the mitten flap worked fairly well. It helps if the rest of your body is warm which is nearly impossible when you are standing in one place for hours. I always used warm socks and heaters in my boots with multiple layers of clothing and a snowmobile suit on top. I was always surprised at how little clothing other people required.

Keeping nose and ears warm is also tough as well as breathing throat numbing air.

Jan 11, 2013 at 04:59 PM

khurram1
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.2 #15 · gloves for photography in low temperatures

kmorgans wrote:
http://www.naturescapes.net/store/aquatech-sensory-gloves.html

Check these out. They work really well for me.
I have these. They are okay for fall or spring, but absolutely useless for winter. I find the north face wind stoppers the best bet, but even then, I take them off a lot.

Jan 14, 2013 at 04:38 AM

sjms
Offline
• • • • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.2 #16 · gloves for photography in low temperatures

Bifurcator wrote:
gspiridakis wrote:
Hello everyone,
i am looking for a pair of gloves to wear in low temperatures, to keep my hands warm and capable of using my camera and binoculars the same time. I already have 2 pairs, but no one is waterproof and i still feel the cold when temperature is near zero, or when wind blows frozen air..The one pair is also too thick..
Photographers who photograph in really cold conditions, and others who may know, what kind of gloves do they use?? I would like to combine it with waterproof ability...
Thank you in advance,
George

I like the feel of some cold air through the gloves. At 5¢ªC and above with a stiff breeze or -5¢ª to about 4¢ª with moderate wind or lower than -5¢ªC with almost no wind then I like cotton work gloves. Colder than that and I just forget about it. The ones I use are about $3 for 12 pairs this year - so virtually disposable when dirty or sweaty. I cut the tips off the right hand index finger and thumb and wear knit knuckless gloves over them. For me it's a perfect solution. With expensive gloves when they get dirty or wet that's it... your cameras and lenses are going to be glommed by dirty wet usually unforgiving material - and at such low temperatures there's little hope of drying them etc. For me it's better just to grab a new pair at the point. On this day I cut a little too much off the finger but you get the idea:

This image is copyrighted by the owner

Self Portrait With My Super Nifty High-tech Hand Warming Devices.

A half used bundle of about 6 pairs or about $1.50's worth.

the wind goes right through that setup like you said. I actually used a set of the whities when hiking on Asahi-dake in the Daisetsuzan National Park in Hokkaido. they did help against the rock surfaces but then it was only summer.

Jan 14, 2013 at 04:52 AM

lara_ckl
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: On

p.2 #17 · gloves for photography in low temperatures

khurram1 wrote:
kmorgans wrote:
http://www.naturescapes.net/store/aquatech-sensory-gloves.html

Check these out. They work really well for me.
I have these. They are okay for fall or spring, but absolutely useless for winter.

Obviously everybody's tolerance to cold is different. However, I would have to agree here. I've found that a pair of Marino wool liners, even when wet, felt warmer than the Aquatechs. (Used around -20C to 0C.) Can't explain it, but that's my experience.

Jan 14, 2013 at 05:12 PM

Bifurcator
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.2 #18 · gloves for photography in low temperatures

In my case they keep me fingers toasty warm but allow just enough airflow to keep my hands dry. I ski in this setup when the sun is out or when partly cloudy - of course I don't fall and haven't for years and years.

That's the deal for me anyway, the hand sweat builds up inside "good gloves" and not only partially defeats the insulating factors but also makes me feel kinda yucky. Of course removing a glove at that point and my hands go from "warm enough" to "OMG, I can't feel my fingers" in just minutes - and even faster holding a cold camera!

I picked up this trick while working the ski resorts (lift operator, snow management, ski patrolman) in California and Utah for a few years and it works really well for me. But some people's hands don't sweat - I get that. So for them a different solution would be better I'm sure. And really I'm not out to convince anyone of anything - this is what works for me. Two extra pair in a pocket or bag, knit knucklers over me palms, and I'm good all day at 8,000ft on most winter's days that a person would think about bringing a camera outside!

Jan 14, 2013 at 05:15 PM

Vinnie_VdB
Offline
•
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #19 · gloves for photography in low temperatures

I, for one, am very happy with these gloves from Snickers workwear:

This image is copyrighted by the owner

Jan 14, 2013 at 07:05 PM

edelf
Offline
•
Upload & Sell: Off

p.2 #20 · gloves for photography in low temperatures

no electrical heated gloves ?

Jan 14, 2013 at 09:28 PM

1 2 3 end
FM Forums \| General Gear-talk \| Join Upload & Sell 1 2 3 end