Author Topic: Better wing Grip for gloves and mitts.  (Read 3867 times)

Badger

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Better wing Grip for gloves and mitts.
« on: January 20, 2022, 08:42:17 AM »
As it got colder and I started wearing gloves and mitts it became harder to hold on to the handles on my wings. The mitts especially were constantly slipping requiring a death grip hold on the handles. So I came up with a simple way to make the handles more grippy.

I took a piece of rubber shelf liner and cut it to the length of the handle. Then wrapped it tightly around the handle and cut it to where it overlaps one inch. 

Amazon link shelf liner shorturl.at/xVY56  Most stores should have it. Wal-Mart, Target, Lowe's, etc.

On each side, I added a strip of adhesive velcro to hold the two sides together on the handle. So far, the velcro has been sticking to the material very well in the tests but just to prevent any chance of failure, I've added a few drops of epoxy here and there through the holes to make the bond permanent.

It works awesome. The shelf liner is super grippy. It's very rugged stuff and holds up very well. It stays put on the handles and doesn't move around. It should last a long time but if it ever wears out, it's cheap to replace and easy to make. It will work on any handle or boom and you can take it on and off easily. Plus, they are ultra-light. Mine weigh 17 grams each. I only have it on the two main handles that I use the most.

It's so comfortable on my hands that I'm going to use it year-round.

For Ozone Wasp V1 handles, the cut size is 9" x 4".

« Last Edit: January 20, 2022, 09:29:00 AM by Badger »
Kalama E3 6'1 x 23" 105L
Axis HPS 980 / PNG 1300
Sunova Flow  8'10 X 31"  119L
Me - 6'0" - 165lbs - 66yo

burchas

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Re: Better wing Grip for gloves and mitts.
« Reply #1 on: January 20, 2022, 06:20:46 PM »
Looking good Badger. I may use this. I never have issues with grip, I have too much grip and the material on the handles for all the wings I own is abrasive.
All my gloves are worn-out within 3-5 sessions. This might do the trick. 8)
in progress...

Badger

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Re: Better wing Grip for gloves and mitts.
« Reply #2 on: January 20, 2022, 09:57:56 PM »
Yes, it should solve your glove wear problem for sure. That's another use I hadn't considered. What brand of wings has abrasive handles?

Kalama E3 6'1 x 23" 105L
Axis HPS 980 / PNG 1300
Sunova Flow  8'10 X 31"  119L
Me - 6'0" - 165lbs - 66yo

Badger

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Re: Better wing Grip for gloves and mitts.
« Reply #3 on: January 21, 2022, 05:54:41 AM »
Correction, the cut size for Ozone WASP V1 handles is 9" x 4.5".
Kalama E3 6'1 x 23" 105L
Axis HPS 980 / PNG 1300
Sunova Flow  8'10 X 31"  119L
Me - 6'0" - 165lbs - 66yo

dns

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Re: Better wing Grip for gloves and mitts.
« Reply #4 on: January 21, 2022, 10:43:05 AM »
FWIW I used to whitewater kayak a lot in winter. One good solution I found was neoprene waterski gloves with leather palms then I'd melt surf wax into the leather with an iron. Super grippy, great paddle feel, and never wore out. Might work for winging too.

sflinux

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Re: Better wing Grip for gloves and mitts.
« Reply #5 on: January 22, 2022, 06:58:33 AM »
Nice, thanks for posting.
For winter kitesurfing and Sup I like to use Darkfin Black O.P.S. gloves instead of neoprene.  They are great for windchill, great dexterity, offer great grip without tiring the hands, and have great wear/tear.
https://darkfingloves.com/
Also, I have found that paddling jackets are great at keeping the winchill off your arms, which helps to keep your hands warm, so you can get by with a thinner glove.
« Last Edit: January 22, 2022, 07:19:19 AM by sflinux »
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Badger

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Re: Better wing Grip for gloves and mitts.
« Reply #6 on: January 22, 2022, 08:21:44 AM »
Nice, thanks for posting.
For winter kitesurfing and Sup I like to use Darkfin Black O.P.S. gloves instead of neoprene.  They are great for windchill, great dexterity, offer great grip without tiring the hands, and have great wear/tear.
https://darkfingloves.com/
Also, I have found that paddling jackets are great at keeping the winchill off your arms, which helps to keep your hands warm, so you can get by with a thinner glove.

For me, those would be a spring/fall glove for days around 50 degrees. I have Reynauds so I need at least 5mm when it gets below 45 and they have to be mitts. I don't mind wearing my 5mm Excel lobster mitts as long as they keep my hands warm. I just wish the wing handles weren't so slippery.

Apparently, a lot depends on the brand of wing you have. My WASPs have very slippery handles. I assume they are made of dacron or something. Burchas's wing handles have plenty of grip but the abrasive material quickly wears right through his mitts. Hopefully, the industry will at some point agree on a handle material that has both grip and low abrasion that can be used with mitts. For the time being, I'm really liking the covers I made.

A lot of people wing foil in cold weather for half the year. Wings are also becoming popular on ice and snow. People will want handles that don't slip.

Paddling jackets are a game-changer. I got the Windrider Spray Top on Amazon for only $53 and I love it. Definitely holds in the warmth and takes the chill off. 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078SK4QK1?ref=ppx_yo2_dt_b_product_details&th=1&psc=1
« Last Edit: January 22, 2022, 08:54:07 AM by Badger »
Kalama E3 6'1 x 23" 105L
Axis HPS 980 / PNG 1300
Sunova Flow  8'10 X 31"  119L
Me - 6'0" - 165lbs - 66yo

dns

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Re: Better wing Grip for gloves and mitts.
« Reply #7 on: January 22, 2022, 08:37:49 AM »
You should give pogies a try. They take some getting used to, but are super warm, especially for something like winging where you don't have water constantly flushing through them.

Badger

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Re: Better wing Grip for gloves and mitts.
« Reply #8 on: January 22, 2022, 09:11:35 AM »
You should give pogies a try. They take some getting used to, but are super warm, especially for something like winging where you don't have water constantly flushing through them.

I went back and read your posts from 2016 regarding the LiftSUP handle where you were saying the same things. You are just one of those lucky people whose hands can withstand much colder temperatures than most of us. I'm sure you would be very warm with Pogies but I can't see how they would work for winging having to insert your hand into them each time you grab the handle. In the event of a fall, my hands would freeze the moment they come out of the Pogies and hit the 40-degree water. When I foiled the other day, air temps were in the upper 30s with the wind speed in the 20s. I had to wade through 50 feet of loose ice just to get out to open water. I need 5mm mitts for these conditions. Once I got out there, I was perfectly comfortable. Everyone has different requirements when it comes to dressing for the cold.

« Last Edit: January 22, 2022, 09:37:16 AM by Badger »
Kalama E3 6'1 x 23" 105L
Axis HPS 980 / PNG 1300
Sunova Flow  8'10 X 31"  119L
Me - 6'0" - 165lbs - 66yo

 


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