Pogie question

[Dabend]

I am looking for other paddlers' points of view on the use of pogies versus gloves.

Let me first say that I am a three-season paddler. I have paddled as late as November and as early as April but i have yet to be out in truly frigid temperatures. I have a pair of NRS 3.5 mil gloves that I use in cold conditions but I have never tried pogies. Although they look like they would be warmer than gloves, I have concerns about two things:

1) What happens if my roll fails and I have to wet exit? Exposed fingers will become useless in seconds in frigid air/water. Do people who use pogies have a completely bomb proof roll?

2) I use my hands to do more than paddle. I may adjust my skeg or get some food out of my deck bag. On a cold fall day with a 15 knot wind and some rain mixed in, taking my hands out of the pogie to do this will quickly lead to numb hands.

So all you pogie paddlers, can you tell me why you use them and how you avoid or handle the two scenarios I describe above.

thanks,

David

[boatbossbsb]

I never got into using Pogies. A fellow paddler turned me onto the idea of using playtex gloves under neoprene paddling gloves. Just don't tuck them under the sleeve gasket of your dry suit or you may have a wet arm like I did last weekend. For the most part, the rubbergloves keep my fingers toastie. Some winter paddles the cold gets to my fingers no matter what I do but this way my hands are at least dry. that's my 2 cents

[Phil Allen]

I'll bite. I love poagies for the contact between the hands and the paddle shaft. Yes, there's a trade off that the hands can get cold when outside the poagie. For me, warm gloves add too much fabric in strange places. If it's really cold, I'll use thin 1mm gloves and poagies as compromise. I dont find my hands becoming useless in seconds if they start off warm. And most importantly, when the weather is cold I cut back on activities where I'm more likely to swim, and paddle with folks I trust to quickly get me back in my boat. To each their own.

best

Phil

[bob budd]

By three seasons do you eschew the winter (my second most favourite season) or the summer (my least favourite season)?

As for rolling, I use a GP and depend on an extended paddle roll. This would be more difficult with pogies, including (more) exposed hand and removing said hand from the pogie. I also prefer to have gloved hands "24-7" and don't miss that tactile feel some do with (especially heavy) gloves/liners. Then again, I am not readily given to delicate movements. I have developed methods to paddle in winter but do avoid the most challenging days weatherwise which is more about wind speed and staying warm overall.

[northerngirl]

By three seasons do you eschew the winter (my second most favourite season) or the summer (my least favourite season)?

As for rolling, I use a GP and depend on an extended paddle roll. This would be more difficult with pogies, including (more) exposed hand and removing said hand from the pogie. I also prefer to have gloved hands "24-7" and don't miss that tactile feel some do with (especially heavy) gloves/liners. Then again, I am not readily given to delicate movements. I have developed methods to paddle in winter but do avoid the most challenging days weatherwise which is more about wind speed and staying warm overall.

Bob,

Have you tried your GP roll with your hands in the paddling position? Easy enough to do, just a little practice and paying attention the cant of the blade. Can be done just as a euro roll can be done. Something to practice this summer for you. Let us know how it goes.

[bob budd]

I can roll in "combat position". If I'm not in a hurry all I need to do is extend my body (with PFD) and paddle to come to surface where I can hip snap to right the boat. In one pool session I tried rolling without a paddle at all and nearly got it, learning more than anything else rolling is very much about the body. As noted in the rolling discussion elsewhere on the board you can (and probably should) try all sorts of rolls/self rescue methods but when the time comes you are going to fall back on what some call "muscle memory" or perhaps "instinct". I'm pretty sure when the time comes I'm going to go to a sweep roll. Otherwise I would prefer to have the option.