Gloves

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Backwoods Savage

Minister of Fire
Feb 14, 2007
27,811
Michigan
Okay fellas, I've read the thread about safety gloves but that is not my interest. What I am looking for is something to keep the hands warm in winter that will still hold up when handling wood.

I generally use two pair. I like a lighter pair when running the saw but want something a bit more bulky when loading/unloading wood and also when driving the atv.

One thing I have found is that one generally needs to stay away from Thinsulate. The biggest requirement seems to be that a warm glove needs some sort of a pile lining. If it is a smooth lining, the cold comes through super fast but not so with pile lining. But then, this lining has a tendency to pack down rather quickly and I go through 2-3 pair every winter.

Any suggestions?



btw, I also use the little soapstone boot driers that Woodstock sells and they are fantastic. I put a pair in a pair of gloves, insert them into a handwarmer muff or wrap in old towels and head to the woods. When done, or if gloves become wet, I simply switch and those warm gloves are then worth their weight in gold.

But what I am still looking for is a pair of gloves that are warm and will stay warm for a while and not wear out quite so fast. Perhaps part of my problems is my age old problem that I had polio in my youth and cold just gets to me faster than most and my hands and feet are naturally the worst.
 
A fire fighter friend of mine gave me an old pair of his gloves. They smell like structure fire but they are warm and very tough. I can't find any label on them but I'm assuming they ain't cheap.
 
I've been using this kind for years:
IMG_4998.jpg



I bought them in a bag at Farm & Fleet:
IMG_4999.jpg



I don't remember how expensive they were, but I'm sure they weren't too bad or I would not have bought them. One pair easily lasts a whole winter of firewood making. When working all day in the snow, like yesterday, they don't soak all the way through until I'm about done for the day anyway. They are a pile lining, but the leather eventually wears out before the lining does with these.
 
I like the Boss Frosty Grips. They are plenty warm most of the time, allow for good dexterity and grip, and they are cheap. I wore one pair last winter, and finally got a hole in one finger toward springtime.
 
Also, check this place out http://www.showabestglove.com/site/
I'm not sure about their cold weather selection, but their Skinny Dip Select KV item no 4841 is my favorite warm weather glove.
You can request up to five free samples.....
 
jeff_t said:
Also, check this place out http://www.showabestglove.com/site/
I'm not sure about their cold weather selection, but their Skinny Dip Select KV item no 4841 is my favorite warm weather glove.
You can request up to five free samples.....

Is that 5 free of 1 type or does it give you the option to try 5 different kinds?
 
I've only gotten five different kinds.
Natural rubber/latex coatings last MUCH longer than Nitrile coatings when handling firewood.
 
Really? I've been using their nitrile Fit gloves the past few years and can't believe anything will last longer than the nitrile. Unfortunately, I'm not very patient and just ordered 5 pairs of the nitrile covered, including 2 pair of insulated ones. They have one called Snowman, Dennis. Maybe you shoudl give those a try. :cheese:
 
quads said:
One pair easily lasts a whole winter of firewood making...
In Winter, I only cut so there isn't as much wood handling to wear out the leather. I wear full grain leather mitts in the coldest weather. Full grain leather wears better than split hide.

In the Spring is when I start splitting and that wears on the leather the most. Stacking is a close second. The nitrile gloves wear better than leather.
 
LLigetfa said:
quads said:
One pair easily lasts a whole winter of firewood making...
In Winter, I only cut so there isn't as much wood handling to wear out the leather. I wear full grain leather mitts in the coldest weather. Full grain leather wears better than split hide.

In the Spring is when I start splitting and that wears on the leather the most. Stacking is a close second. The nitrile gloves wear better than leather.
I cut, split, and stack all winter if there isn't too much snow. I'm not sure what nitrile is. I just buy cheap, and these happen to last pretty good, keep my hands warm and dry. I also use them for chores on the farm. I carry a pair with me when I go trail riding on my ATV, but I usually never wear them as I have a big pair of chopper mittens for that. Next time I'm at the farm store I'll look for nitrile and see what they have.
 
I get at least double the life with latex dip compared to nitrile. There is no comparison to leather. I can wear out cheap leather gloves in a day. And I'm too cheap to buy expensive leather gloves.
 
I buy leather winter lined glove, with an elastic cuff. not sure of the brand, get them at sams club. about 19 dollars for a two pack. they are the only ones that I've found that the linning hasnt bunched up in, shifted around, or seems like the glove is floating around loosely on my hand. I also like to put a little hotties heater pack on the backside of my hand where it warms the back of my hand where all the blood vesels are exposed. longevity is decent, but handling wood takes its toll on any leather glove. To keep my leather goods soft, supple, water repelent, and last a littlelonger under hard use I use a product called o'benauefs (spelling?).
 
For a handwarmer, I use an antique Jon-E. I normally don't need it cutting wood, but if I go ice fishing, or ATVing, or out in the winter with my telescope, I throw it in my pocket. They still make them.
IMG_6256.jpg
 
Dennis, We share the same cold hands problem. When working outside during cold weather the only gloves able to keep my hands warm are snowmobile mitts. I use these while snow blowing and some chores not requiring finger dexterity. However, they are too cumbersome to use for working wood. I've tried all kinds of fabrics at a full range of prices and have not yet found a good pair of gloves for my outdoor winter working needs.

But, here is some very good news: I have found the perfect (for me) three season glove. It is the Kinco style 1790. It is latex dipped acrylic fabric which is warm, fits nicely, allows very good feel and dexterity, have a snug wrist, and far outlasts leather and nitrile dipped for splitting and stacking firewood. They cost a whopping $3.95 per pair. I just purchased two additional pairs for myself and will give two pairs to a couple of farmer buddies who are also always looking for a good glove. These Kinco's prevent splinters very well. I believe Leather would be better when working with barbed wire.

Best,

John_M
 
John, where do you buy them?
 
Thanks John.
 
Dennis, do you have Blaine's Farm & Fleet or Mills' Fleet Farm in Michigan? Kinco is also the brand of the gloves that I use and that's where I got them. Otherwise, there is a web address on the label in the picture I posted. I think it's kinco.com and maybe they have a dealer finder.
 
Don't have them around here quads but thanks. I've looked up several on the Internet so might be confused but on one, I think Kinco, there is a rep listed who lives only about 10-12 miles from us. I'll probably be contacting him. That family is a good farming family and I went to school with 2 boys who are now retired and their sons have the farm and doing very well too. Well, I knew 2 generations of them and now it is time to get to know the third maybe.
 
My hands do not get very cold it seems but the joints that I have jammed over the years sure do ache. I have 4 fingers that have been jammed over the years and they really let me know it when cold. I have moved to wearing very warm skiing/snowmobiling gloves. May be a bit expensive but they keep my hands warm and dry.
 
Nitrile is short for acrylonitrile butadiene which is a synthetic rubber. It isn't as elastic or cut resistant as natural rubber (commonly referred to as "latex" or NR) but it is resistant to petroleum that would dissolve NR quickly. A heavy nitrile glove can be very stiff when new new but will break in quickly and will outlast a comparable leather glove several times over. Showa Best Glove has an Atlas Therma Fit 451 that is essentially the same as the standard Atlas Fit 300 NR coating with a heavier napped liner. We also sell these under the Best brand as a style 3812. They are my preference for working outside in cold weather. There isn't a nitrile coated equivalent to the 451/3812. The 2950 Snowman glove mentioned earlier is cut and sewn coated nitrile with a pile lining. I don't think it would stand up to heavy use like the 451/3812 will.
 
Jeff, I love your gloves. My last pair of Fit lasted over 5 cords, C/S/S. Not bad for under $5! Especially when I use to wear Ironclads which cost over $20 and wouldn't even make it through 3 cord.
 
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