Insulated Sailing Gloves with protected palm
This spring I bought new pair of Gill Three Season Gloves having gotten so tired of cold fingers.
The gloves are made of 1.5mm neoprene insulation with a high tech non-slip fabric on the palms and fingers. The entire hand is insulated with the neoprene and the cuffs are a bit longer to go under the sleeves of foul weather gear making these warm even in wet weather.
The fingers and thumb are curved in a natural curve that makes the gloves very comfortable to wear for long periods of time.
I have been happy with them so far. The gloves are flexible and comfortable to wear for long periods of time.
They are related to divers and work gloves with the addition of a non-slip fabric palm and finger area for chafe protection from line handling. The Gill Three Season Gloves should also work nicely for Paddle Sports.
Yes the inside of the gloves can get a bit clammy, just like a regular wet suit, but your hands will stay warm. With your hands sweating into the inside of the gloves, rinsing inside the gloves after using them is a good idea.
These are similar to some gloves I saw when I was first starting to sail, manufactured in Canada with full neoprene around the hands and leather over the neoprene in the palm. Was never able to find them in the US.
Years ago I tried a pair that had regular leather palm area with Neoprene on the back of the glove, nice as long as the leather did not get wet, at which point the older gloves got real cold.
Gill also make a Neoprene Winter Glove that is 3mm Neoprene for more warmth. Stearns also make a Neoprene glove, the last ones I bought did not have the fabric palm, but was not an issue for me and they lasted fine.
I also wear the gloves when I take a walk in the wet and cool weather we have had of recent. The nice thing about the fingers is they are flexible enough for me to change stations on my radio.
I contacted Gill and ask how long the gloves had been available and was told 2 or 3 years, guess I don’t upgrade my equipment often enough.
Gill Three Season Gloves, available at most marine stores that stock equipment for sailors and at $35.00 MSRP reasonable enough to give your favorite skipper or crew member this Holiday Season.
Thanks for your interest in ans support of boating safety.
– c / m –
Boating Safety Tips, Tricks & Thoughts from Captnmike 
I’ve used my pair of gloves thru sailing in the area last winter & currently. They are wearing fine with weekly use..
Glad they are working well for you –
I had those gloves a couple years ago. I think I lost them or threw them out, but they were not good cold weather gloves. I don’t mean to rain on your parade – I hope they work for you. But in my experience real cold weather sailing gloves need to be mittens, they need a waterproof outer Goretex shell, and they need to be thick with abundant insulation.
When Gill made these three season gloves I think they were thinking the three seasons are summer, late Seattle spring, and early Seattle fall. Or maybe three seasons in Florida. They quickly get wet, and the wetness soaks through the neoprene. They also don’t block wind well, and they’re not thick enough for warmth in 30 F degree temps. They are pretty decent however if you use them just as border season gloves – mild 50-60F temps with cloudy overcast or light rain seems to be their sweet spot.
If you can dexterously handle lines while wearing your winter gloves, they’re not warm enough. I know that seems self-defeating, but for cruisers I think the only solution is to take off your warm super insulated mittens whenever you need to handle lines. Maybe have inner fingered gloves under the mittens. Then when done handling the line, put your hands back in the nice toasty warm mittens.
I use Goretex ski mittens (ex, Outdoor Research makes some good ones), with an inner glove under them if necessary. Gear designed for mountaineering / skiing / snowboarding is better than any sailor gear I’ve found.
I will keep your experience in mind if I go out in 30 degree stuff. The last few years I have tended to be a bit of a weather wimp from the years that I raced in the winter.
thanks for your feedback & no you are not raining on things, I always like it when someone has a better idea and shares it with others.