Lobster Claws, really?

[Lise]

I ran an 8K Turkey Trot today. The temp was 19F, windchill -6 (if you live somewhere warm and don't know what windchill is...well, I'm just jealous). As soon as I stopped running and walked back to my car, my fingers nearly froze off. I was wearing the thin base gloves I usually wear, covered with Patagonia wind-stopper gloves. Pretty heavy duty, and they felt like paper bags. Is it just too damned cold to be outside, anyways, or would some of those lobster claw gloves have made a difference? I mean, especially with riding, where my hands are out there on the frontline. I want to ride this winter, but I don't want to sacrifice digits. Experiences?

[pkq]

When it's really cold, I layer gloves and use those cheap chemical heat packs from Wal Mart. Those things work great. I use them in my cycling shoes, too.

[Grog]

Why not just plain old mittens?

I have good mittens that I have worn at -40 (Celcius) and for as long as I was moving/walking I was okay. But even basic mittens (with windbreaker) will help keep your fingers warm, simply because they're all together.

[Selkie]

Lobster claws made a big difference for me. They really aren't too hard to acclimate to for shifting, breaking, and gripping. I have some of those chemical handwarmers on order from REI and intend to use them on extra cold days.

For running, I would go with a good old pair of mittens with windstopper protection. You can always wear glove liners beneath them.

[Lise]

Mittens! Duh! I knew that! Got a little too techical for my own good. All the things I "knew" about being outside in the cold weather from long ago, before I owned a car, are coming back to me. For example, my feet do better in the cold when I wear knee-high nylons under the thin wool socks. I am going to try the lobster glove/mittens for riding though. Thanks, all! L.

[DeniseGoldberg]

I've used Lobster Claws for the last few winters. I go from my summer cycling gloves, to summer gloves with a light glove liner under them to an insulated winter cycling glove to PI AmFib Lobster Gloves as the temperatures go down. I really prefer gloves to the lobsters from a dexterity standpoint, but when it's really gold I need the lobsters...

--- Denise