Sealskinz Gloves - Are these the Cold Weather answer

[smudger564]

Hi All, I have this thread posted in the UK and would be interested in your input, regarding Sealskinz Gloves. Particularly how you prep your hands for fishing in Cold Weather and what you wear.

We are just experiencing a cold snap here in Shropshire, UK. I'm thinking of using these gloves, which are very good.

I'd be interested in your comments and feedback. I'll leave the link for the UK flyforums, so you can see what's been posted so far.

Best Regards

Stuart

Sealskinz Gloves - Are these the Cold Weather answer? - Fly Fishing Forums

[fredaevans]

First a warm welcome to you Stu!

First, I've never had a problem with the Sealskinz products I've used (the socks are several years old and still work like new) over the years .... save for the gloves.

Nothing wrong with the gloves .. except the cuffs. Once water gets beyond them (damned easy to do in a driving rain) they're toast like anything else.

If I had my 'druthers,' and maybe someone actually makes something like this, are waterproof gloves that go half way up your forearm. This would keep the cuffs well out of the weather.

Anyone heard of anything like that?
Fred

[jcw355]

Not good when it's really cold, that has been my experience. A pair of 3mm neoprene scuba gloves have served me well. They leak now from being pulled off and put on for over a season but my hands still were good in the 48 degree water and 40-50 degree air temps. I'll start using the new ones when it gets colder.

[fredaevans]

48 degree water? Woozie. That's only 4 degrees lower than our top of summer here on the upper Rogue. And we 'wet wade.' Well ... the air temperature can easily be in the 90's.

[jcw355]

I live further south than you but the water temp does get colder, but not cold enough for freeze over. The 48 was in West Virginia now, but in Oklahoma, where I live now, the water might get in the lower forties upper 30's in the coldest part of winter. Fishing all winter for me unless there is a freaky cold winter.

[fredaevans]

Great post JC, great post.

Just a thought from 3,500 miles North and West .. is there anything 'sexier/WOOF-WOOF' than a beautiful woman with a 'Southern Accent?'

Personal opinion here only, but I can't think of one. We 'Northerners,' well I was born/raised in the middle of 'nowhere' Canada, hear one and melt.

It is just something .. something .. something .....

[Frank Whiton]

Hi smudger,

I spent fifteen years hunting and fishing in Alaska. My favorite gloves for around the water was skin divers gloves. They definitely helped keep the hands warm in the rain or snow flurry when pulling anchors or driving the boat. They had one flaw and that was you couldn't take them off and put them back on. If you put them on with dry hands and never remove them they worked fine. If you pulled one off your hand would be sweaty and the cold temps would cool the moisture on your hands. When you put them back on you hand was immediately cold.

I use to hunt Kodiak and Afognek Island a lot with a zodiac boat. I would put on the skin divers glovers and never remove them as long as I was operating the boat and got to a dry spot camp. Then I would remove them and use other gloves to fish or hunt. The best gloves I found were the cheap cotton work gloves worn over wool liners. The work gloves came in a pack of twelve pair and when one got wet you pulled out another pair. This work great for around camp on cold and wet days.

Work Gloves


Frank

[smudger564]

Hi All, Iv'e been glancing through the UK flyforums on this post. Latex gloves are certainly a very good liner, for whatever you're going to wear. I wore some about three days ago, on a typically cold Shropshire day and felt comfortable.

I suppose it depends on what you want really. I think Sealskinz could certainly help the Cold Weather Fly Fisher. Especially in extremes of temperature.

Iv'e e-mailed Sealskinz for some measurements and dimensions, so I'll see what turns up, then let you all know.

Best Regards

Stuart

[smudger564]

Hi, Some recommendations so far.

From what forum members have said, we need longer cuffs and thinner material in the fingers, for the feel factor.

There has been some very good feedback info so far. We'll have to wait and see what else comes drifting in.

Best Regards

Stuart

[part270579]

Hi Smudger. I used to live in west Berkshire (2003) and purchased some Seals for winter carp and chub fishing. I just didn't get on with them. I'm quite small at 5'5" and have fairly small hands. I found that they did indeed keep the water off, but were always cold and far to cumbersome to fish with.

I now live in BC and must admit I rarely wear gloves. If you are dead set on getting some look at what the construction industry has. There are waterproof gloves that have a much more dexterous feel to them.

All the best,

Patrick