Thinsulate gloves for photographers

JimKarczewski

Not that I really spend a lot of time outside with my camera in my hands in the winter, but, it's HS football season and well, it's getting cold here in Chicago. Supposed to be mid-30's tonight and each week is progressively going to suck more. While I have some thin work gloves, they are probably marginally better than nothing at all on my hands while shooting. I stopped at the local Cabellas and even their gloves are really thick with Thinsulate. Add to that their 2x sized gloves felt like child sizes on my hands (big guy with big hands..)

So, anyone make gloves specifically for sports/outdoor shooters? I would think there has to be something out there that works for hunters who need s flexible trigger finger to shoot, so I'm sure that would work for photos as well. Maybe I just need to try somewhere else like Bass Pro or REI to see if their stuff is any better... but thought I would ask here first for suggestions???

ziggy53

Gloves for rifle shooting often give you access through a "panel" when you need extra sensitivity, and then you tuck your fingers back inside the glove to keep them warm when you don't need the sensitivity.

I normally use ski gloves and then add disposable heaters inside the glove when I need extra warmth. I have poor circulation to the extremities, so I usually have to have lots of insulation otherwise. Thinsulate don't seem to last more than a couple of seasons for me before they compress and lose their loft.

In extreme cold I'll even use a thin pair of gloves inside of larger mittons, pulling off the mitton to gain temporary sensitivity. The mittons that farmers use seem to work nicely.

Art Scott

Serius brand thinsulate

JimKarczewski wrote: »

So, anyone make gloves specifically for sports/outdoor shooters? I would think there has to be something out there that works for hunters who need s flexible trigger finger to shoot, so I'm sure that would work for photos as well. Maybe I just need to try somewhere else like Bass Pro or REI to see if their stuff is any better... but thought I would ask here first for suggestions???

Cableas should have a section of SEIRUS BRAND THINSULATE Gloves made with Thermax....which was one of the miulitary sock and glove liner materials for warmth.....this line of gloves has the reall thin but warm black / blue gloves and also a gold glove with a pocket for a hand warmer.....I have several pair of the black / blue (some are blk and some are blue....I wasn't refering to blk / blue as like a bruise :~]] }.....these gloves run at Gander Mountain or Dicks for around $15 per pair...it si good to have 2 pair......I also have a pair that I believe was dubbed super thermax or something that ran approx $45-50...really nice really warm and again thinner than most other gloves found at standard stores like walmart, sears, jcpennies and such..........as a bowhunter I could not use standard ski gloves and ran into the thermax gloves and have loved them....they also make gaiters for you neck and ski masks that are more warm than any knit ski mask I have see.......and the fact that all this can be nearly stored in a shirt pocket is fantastic......

Thermax gloves will stretch but are made to fit almost like a skin........
Off to check the Cabelas site to see if they have them.......

EDIT....hate to say it but I did not see any at the Cabelas site.....bur Gander Mtn has all kind os Seirus products..... http://tinyurl.com/2aw8nqx
There are several Cabelas around Il. but none in Chicago per se........

catspaw

I use fingerless gloves, but ones that have a slip over/on cover for the fingers/thumb for between shots. Add in a hand warmer (but put it on the underside of your wrist - it'll heat the blood flowing into your hand) and you're about as set as you can get. I can't do even thin gloves, since I need that skin to camera contact on my fingers.

ThatCanonGuy

See the part about gloves.

http://www.bythom.com/apparel.htm

Actually, read it all! ;~) This guy's a great photographer, not to mention writer.

Art Scott

ThatCanonGuy wrote: »

See the part about gloves.

http://www.bythom.com/apparel.htm

Actually, read it all! ;~) This guy's a great photographer, not to mention writer.

His article is nice...but one of Thoms probs is...not being real specific about what to use...except for the no cotton.....what kind of liners..synthetic...ok but all synthetics are not equal.....thinsulate as noted by the OP is bulky....Thermax is not and Sirius is one the best brands I know of.......{Thermax is a registered brand name, Seirus uses Thermax to make a lot of their clothing articles, but Thermax used to be the Manufacturer of the gloves and other articles when I started using it over 15 yrs ago as I could not find non bulky warm gloves for Archery hunting...basically all of my outdoor photog gear is shared with my bowhunting self}

The great thing about Thermax is not only is it not bulky and is warm and can be layered but it won't break the bank........A Seirus Thermax Balaclava can be worn as ear muffs, skull cap, neck gaiter and a full face ski mask......
Best watrerproof clothing or boots have Gore-Tex, whci i not as bulky as other waterproofing and much better smelling than rubbing mink oil into your boots and sole seams.....

Thom has great info but he seems to forget that not every outdoor photog has an unlimited clothing account......

JimKarczewski

Art, I live a mile from one of those Cabellas in the Chicagoland area... I went in there and they were useless... Girl couldn't get a grasp on what I needed, besides everything seemed to be Cabellas brand.. so much for diversity in products???

We have a look at Bass Pro and also Gander as they are both about 20-25 minutes away, I'll give them a shot when I'm out that way again.. Thanks for the info!

time2smile

I use 3mm scubadiving gloves, keeps fingers warm

Allen

I pull a couple fingers inside out and cut out all but the outer layer at the inside tip.
Or use fingerless gloves like in my avatar.

Sam

Lowpro makes a nice pair of gloves.

Sam

hgernhardtjr

FWIW, while not inexpensive by any means, qiviut (musk-ox wool) gloves are 8 to 10 times warmer than wool gloves or mittens while thinner and allowing for more dexterity. I used them in the 70's while teaching in Nightmute, Alaska, near Nelson Island and where the musk ox roam ... they were outstanding.

Long ago worn out, I never replaced them due to the high cost. But they were soft, warm, and simply ideal for taking photos in the extreme cold. On occasion you can find them for sale outside of Alaska or Canada, but in general you would need to purchase the yarn and get someone to knit them for you ... expect to pay well over US$125 a pre-made pair, though.

The second best pair of gloves I had for photography were the military liners (under-gloves to the leather outer-gloves) Art mentioned previously. They, too, were very warm.

lfortier

I use convertible mittens. The entire finger tip cover folds back when you want to expose your fingertips. Works great. there's even room for a heater pack if it's really that cold.

LL Bean, ORvis and Kohls all carry them.

kdog

Sam wrote: »

Lowpro makes a nice pair of gloves.

If you can find them. I don't see them on B&H, Adorama, or Amazon any more. Maybe they're discontinued. They're pretty good, but not really all that warm. If it's really cold, you'll need to keep your hands in your pockets with them and pull them out just when you want to shoot. They're fabric (wool maybe), with rubberized grips. So if they get wet with rain or snow, then you're pretty much hosed.

Last winter when I was getting provisioned at REI for my Yellowstone trip, I discovered the absolute bomb for winter shooting. These are the Scott T-32 Gloves

They're really two gloves in one: an inner liner glove, and a removable outer shell. The heavy outer shell is waterproof and has a lanyard which goes around your wrist. So when you want to shoot, you just pull off the shell and let it dangle from your wrist and shoot wearing just the inner liner. The liner is some kind of stretchy space-age material, with rubberized grips. The liners are actually thinner, more water resistant and warmer than the Lowepro gloves and work at least as well for shooting. When you have the outer shell over them, they are the warmest ski gloves I've ever used. I'm an avid skier, and I've tried many, many gloves. I normally get cold hands very easily. However, I was shooting in well below zero temperatures at Yellowstone and was toasty warm with them.

Ric Grupe

I use Under Armour glove liners...good to freezing. Below freezing add shooter's gloves or mittens. I bought mine at Cabela's! (Schaumburg)

HelenOster

Message from Helen at Adorama

kdog wrote: »

If you can find them. I don't see them on B&H, Adorama, or Amazon any more. Maybe they're discontinued.

How about these?

http://www.adorama.com/catalog.tpl?op=itemlist&cat1=Cases&cat2=General%20Accessories&cat3=Designer%20Apparel&feature1=SetWear

Snowgirl

lfortier wrote: »

I use convertible mittens. The entire finger tip cover folds back when you want to expose your fingertips. Works great. there's even room for a heater pack if it's really that cold.

LL Bean, ORvis and Kohls all carry them.

I also use convertible mittens, but mine are made from Alpaca wool and much, much warmer than traditional sheep's wool or any synthetic blend.

JimKarczewski

kdog wrote: »

If you can find them. I don't see them on B&H, Adorama, or Amazon any more. Maybe they're discontinued. They're pretty good, but not really all that warm. If it's really cold, you'll need to keep your hands in your pockets with them and pull them out just when you want to shoot. They're fabric (wool maybe), with rubberized grips. So if they get wet with rain or snow, then you're pretty much hosed.

Last winter when I was getting provisioned at REI for my Yellowstone trip, I discovered the absolute bomb for winter shooting. These are the Scott T-32 Gloves

They're really two gloves in one: an inner liner glove, and a removable outer shell. The heavy outer shell is waterproof and has a lanyard which goes around your wrist. So when you want to shoot, you just pull off the shell and let it dangle from your wrist and shoot wearing just the inner liner. The liner is some kind of stretchy space-age material, with rubberized grips. The liners are actually thinner, more water resistant and warmer than the Lowepro gloves and work at least as well for shooting. When you have the outer shell over them, they are the warmest ski gloves I've ever used. I'm an avid skier, and I've tried many, many gloves. I normally get cold hands very easily. However, I was shooting in well below zero temperatures at Yellowstone and was toasty warm with them.

Hmm.. I have some of those... My Ski Gloves. I didn't even really think of using them, but now I just recall that they have a liner/outer shell. D'oh. Will have to give them a try on Friday!

Fingertip

Depending on how cold it is - use golf gloves
My hands are very sensitive to the cold - but, it does not stop me from wanting to go out and snap some pictures. For me, as long as it's above freezing, golf gloves work very well as they keep the chill off my hands and they are very thin so I can still manipulate my camera. You'll have to look for a left AND a right hand as they're sold separately. Worked wonders in a recent trip to San Francisco.

Eadward

I got a pair of insulated pistol shooting gloves and they work well. Used them yesterday morning about 35 degrees and they were nice and toasty.

davev

I buy about the cheapest gloves that I can.
I've had down and thinsulate, I really don't feel that they're worth the cost.

At a local Menard's, they normally have a bin of "ski" gloves for $5 a pair.
I bought 5 pair last year, I should be set for years.

I've been out for hours in -20 degree temps using them, so far so good.

Not to get into a big how to dress thing, but I feel I know a bit about it working construction for 30 years. (in Minnesota)
The warmer you keep your torso, the more heat there is to send around to the rest of your body.

I see a lot of folks that have a fall jacket on in the middle of winter, with very warm, expensive gloves,
but their hands still get cold.

Do a layer thing on your body, and cover your head, then almost any winter gloves that block the wind will work.

eoren1

Anyone have experience with Freehand gloves (they have a peel-back thumb and forefinger)?
http://photographyminute.com/gloves-for-photographers-freehands-gloves-product-review.htm
E

senorjax

Those freehand gloves look interesting but it says they have magnetic strips in the thumb and forefinger to hold them open. Does it seem risky to have magnets so close to the camera electronics and memory cards?