cold hands

[StrikerBrands]

A Glove Primer-

Although it is obvious that mitts are warmer, there are several features to look for in good quality winter gloves (but perhaps not for ice fishing gloves?). Many gloves on the market today fall short on covering the basic elements required to provide warmth and dexterity, but this is often due to cost issues. First, always look for waterproof and breathable fabrics. Some models have a plastic liner inside to make them "waterproof", but its like wearing a plastic bag on your hand. A number of mitts also have the bag- avoid them! Second, good quality thin insulation is crucial- Thinsulate being amoung the best. Avoid high-loft insulations and fiberfill in gloves. Usually 100-200 grams is needed to do the job. Third, look for a performance W/B insert, the most popular being Hipora brand. Fourth, make sure the seams are taped to block water and air leakage (this is often an expensive feature). Fifth, if there is a lining, be sure that it is sewn into the shell at the fingetips to avoid pullout. Last, leather palms are great but can hold water. Synthetics feel like dish gloves.

The trick is to get the best combination to offer you enough warmth and dexterity. A good winter glove may not be great for ice fishing due to the bulk or the leather palms. Everybody is different here and personal preference will prevail. I don't know anybody that can tie up a jig with gloves on!

Our Lake Effect snowmobile glove has all of the above features and a goat skin palm to boot, but this would not be my first choice for fishing because of the bulk. I am biased, but I like our Striker Ice glove for 90% of my time on the ice. I even use them for running the chain saw in winter! They are single layer and do not have the Hipora liner but they are very comfortable, warm enough for most and cost only $29. We plan to come out with a new glove next year but our target is not to have the warmest ice glove on the market- we already have a good one with our Lake Effect snowmobile glove.

I hope this helps to answer some of the glove questions out there, regardless of the style or brand you buy.

[Al.Wichman]

I posed this same question a while back. My dad's hand are shot from years of icefishing without good outerwear. One response I got that he now swears by is to use Therma Care heat wraps on his hands under his gloves. He can actually get out of the shack and hole hop without his hands getting so cold that they hurt for hours after we get off the ice.