hand warmers in wetsuit?

[Caribsurf]

I was wondering if the single use hand/toe warmer packets sold to go inside ski gloves and boots would work in wetsuit gloves and booties?

Has anyone ever tried this?  Maybe if they get wet they don't work, but they seem to be in an enclosed pouch and warm gloves and boots would create moisture/sweating so they must be able to work with some moisture.

any thoughts?

[PonoBill]

Interesting thought, I'm helping the founder of this company with a little advice from time to time. They've been selected to test for helping medical workers fight ebola by keeping them comfortable in their PPE's. Besides cooling they also use heating packs. I'll ask if they're water resistant. The packs have to adsorb O2 through the  liner, so I'd think not, but maybe goretex could help.

http://www.qoreperformance.com/

They control your temperature and comfort by heating or cooling the pulse points, where arterial blood comes closest to the surface. They work best on the big femoral artery in your legs, but the sleeve heaters keep your hands warm. I have one of each of the products, they work very well. You don't really feel warm or cool, you just don't get uncomfortable.

I've only used the cooling packs. They're particularly clever. They use a compound that changes phase at 57 degrees F, so they pick up a lot of heat energy during the phase change, but don't chill your skin. You can recharge the insert packs in a cooler with plain ice. 

[supthecreek]

ha ha ...Welcome to the ice box caribe 

Surfing your hands and feet should be fine... I assume you are talking flat-water?
flat-water is tougher.


Flat-water solutions:
Hands - I now wear thicker ski gloves with grippy palms... BUT... I tuck my 3 mil- 5 finger wetsuit gloves under my deck-top cargo net, for "get home" safety, if I fll in. Wet ski gloves will freeze your hands pretty quickly.

Feet - Neo-sport Explorer boots - 2 sizes big so I can wear 2 pairs of warm socks... best solution, but not perfect. I still stop for the occasional beach walk, to help circulation in my feet, if its really cold. Geoff C & I did a 2.5 hour paddle Sunday in the high 30's and some wind... nice and toasty the whole way, but the feet got a little numb and chilly from standing still that long.

I am going to try adding "Toasty Feet" inserts... hunters swear by them... they say all else is crap. The theory sounds good.
http://www.toastyfeet.co.uk/

[Badger]

Hey Carib,

The packets won't work if they get wet.

I have Reynaud's Syndrome. My hands get cold very easily even in summer. I still paddle surf and flatwater all winter. Here's what helps.

This is if you're wearing neoprene gloves or mitts. Before you leave the house fill a one gallon plastic jug with hot water. It will stay warm for quite a while.  Just before you launch, pour the warm water into your gloves/mitts and put them on while they are full of the warm water. As long as you are wearing the right thickness of neoprene for the conditions, your hands should stay warm. Same goes for your boots.

I wear Excel 7mm mitts for below freezing, 5mm lobster mitts for above freezing and 3mm gloves when it's above 50 degrees. My hands rarely get cold.  As long as your body stays warm, your hands should stay warm as well.

[PonoBill]

I'm going to make some goretex pouches for iron powder handwarmers. I think it might work and could be useful to the guys are qore. I happen to have a couple of yards of goretex sitting around. I tested a heat back after immersing in seawater and it turned to a chunk of rust instantly without releasing noticeable heat.

[55NSup]

I have these:  http://www.heliosuk.com/products/XEROTECH®--Dry%252dglove%2C-Blue%2C-wrist%252dseal-type%2C-size-08-%28Medium%29.html

Totally dry. Totally warm. Total grip. Easier to put on than surf style - so called dry gloves.

[XLR8]

I have also simply worn thin latex surgical gloves recently when I left my 7 mil mittens in a friend's car.  I had to go back to a well worn 5mil pair of gloves that I recently experienced numb clubbish fingers in.  I slipped on a pair of latex gloves and under the the neo gloves and it helped tremendously.

[Caribsurf]

Good suggestion Shoals, I will have to try that.  I do bring along an old Tide detergent bottle full of hot water, but I generally use it after my session.  Will have to try some before too.

XLR8 I was thinking of trying some kind of glove liner to accompany my 5 mm gloves and will have to try the latex gloves.   
Looks like might be surf tomorrow so might have to find some latex gloves

[Board Stiff]

Hi Carib ,

I've found anything thicker than 2 mil gloves too restrictive to paddle comfortably in,  but my hands stay warm enough even in January in Maine as long as I keep my head,  core,  and feet warm enough. 7 mil boots,  4/3 wetsuit,  1 mm shorts,  hooded vest and hat,  and my hands are toasty even with thin gloves.

[Badger]

Hi Carib ,

I've found anything thicker than 2 mil gloves too restrictive to paddle comfortably in,  but my hands stay warm enough even in January in Maine as long as I keep my head,  core,  and feet warm enough. 7 mil boots,  4/3 wetsuit,  1 mm shorts,  hooded vest and hat,  and my hands are toasty even with thin gloves.

Luke,

 You're one of those people who have no trouble staying warm most of the time anyway. Your core inner furnace has no trouble sending warm blood throughout the body.

Covering your head and core certainly helps but a lot of people like myself get cold hands extremely easy probably due to poor circulation. My hands wouldn't survive with just gloves most of the time when it's below 40 degrees. Luckily I have fairly long fingers so 5 and 7mm mitts work pretty well for me.

Whether it's gloves or mitts, filling them with warm water before putting them on is the key to keeping your hands warm. It really works.

[supuk]

There's a windsurf wet suit out that I think basically has a small pvc tube going to your gloves and boots that you just blow down and the heat from your breath is enuff to help keep the temp up. It would be super easy to make a similar thing for any other suit but I don't suffer in the surf with cold feet and I can't stand gloves so go with out but there are not to many times we are out below freezing

[SUPladomi]

There's a windsurf wet suit out that I think basically has a small pvc tube going to your gloves and boots that you just blow down and the heat from your breath is enuff to help keep the temp up.

http://www.ianovated.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ianovated-Wetsuits/431045660289009
It works.

[PonoBill]

The Qore guysa are going to experiment with goretex enclosures for heat inserts. If that works it could be a pretty interesting thing.

[Caribsurf]

That sounds great Bill..on paper it should work, looking forward to hearing how testing goes.
This is my first winter SUPing in Maine, and although it's been rather mild, I had a few days in the 30s already and only my fingers were giving me trouble even with 5mm lobster gloves.  Hand warmers would solve that

[supthecreek]

Hey caribe.. you can borrow the gloves I wore today... they have a handy opening, perfect to slip in a hand warmer 

2 years ago, I paid some good money for 5mm O'Neill Claw gloves... I hated them, I gave them away to a stranger who forgot his gloves. For some reason, my hands stay warmer in 5 finger 3 mm gloves... plus they are so much better for paddle handling. I bet, the blue divers gloves (above) might be really good.
I still don't know if you need them for flat-water or surfing.... flat-water is harder to keep your hands warm.