riding with raynaulds

[happyclappy]

I am pretty sure there will be other riders here who have raynaulds. I have got my feet sorted for warmth when I am out but am hoping for some glove recommendations. Just binned a pair and the pair I am now using are too thick and not very warm or waterproof. Any recommendations for gloves that are warm, waterproof but allow a good light feel on the reins. Thanks

 

[pottamus]

I have the same struggle and to be honest you wont keep your hands warm without having to contend with thickness of material. I take my heating gloves with me and put them on in emergencies for a little while when needed. I also use heating hand warmer pads, but find they dont really help the fingers element.

 

[babymare]

I have suffered all life with Reynards and you have my sympathy. All my fingers go pure white and no feeling at all. This even happens with a temp drop of couple degrees in summer . I have tried all sorts of gloves etc and basically i have to just put up with it (oh and the pain when the blood starts coming back can be horrific) one thing that whilst it doesnt prevent the blood stopping but does help to get the blood starting again is a hand warmer called "hot rock". x

 

[gingernut81]

I use seal skin gloves. They are quite thick but I find them really warm. I got told by my rheumatologist to wear layers on my body to radiat the warmth out. Works to a degree. My issue is my feet - can't keep them warm at all. :0(

 

[Blythe Spirit]

My father is a sufferer and he uses battery powered socks and gloves. But he is happy to ride in very think gloves - dont know how he can!!! I recemmend really thin thermal glove liners under something like woof thermal riding gloves which are thin but walm

 

[Ruth17]

After suffering for many years with Raynauds I have found the only thing that helps - nifedipine. I put off getting the medication but would not be without it now.

 

[Abacus]

I don't know the condition but am firmly converted to wrist warmers - the theory being that the blood loses a lot of heat here where the arteries are close to the skin, and many coats and gloves leave a gap here. An added bonus is that if you have to take your gloves off to do something, they do keep your hands and fingers surprisingly warm.

http://www.storm-chase.co.uk/testimonials/

 

[JLD]

I second thin thermal liners from outdoor/ski shops with thin seal skins over the top if wet, the best warm but thin enough gloves I found were thermal artist ones. Artist winter jobs boots or riding muck boot were the only things to keep my feet warm.

 

[babymare]

my doctor advised medication but said it would meke me go red like a tomato all over so declined. But this was some years ago though so prob different now

 

[Domirati]

Sealskinz. Keep your hands dry and warm. They also make merino wool linings for them.

sorry didn't mean to add the question mark. There are various thicknesses of gloves. Mine are quite thick but not bulky to ride in.

 

[Fransurrey]

I use the highest rating sealskins. I also bought the large size, despite normally being a small. I have the sealskins hat. Now if anyone can recommend non-slip yoga socks I'd be grateful. I had blue toenails and white toes last night in body balance, which made things really difficult as I couldn't feel what my toes were doing!!

 

[happyclappy]

thank you very much for your replies. i completely forgot i bought some lining gloves last year, i wonder where they are?
i have just been looking at an equestrian magazine which turns out to have a selection of hats and gloves, and i am liking the look and sound of the mountain horse performance glove. it has an rrp of £27.99 and is fluorescent, i like bright hi-viz stuff. i will look at the sealskinz range.

happyclappy is happyclappy.

 

[Buddy'sMum]

Lots of layers, hat and welly socks. If my hands get wet then it's game over so I have lots of pairs of thermal gloves at the yard and just switch to a dry pair if the ones I'm wearing get damp. This year I'm loving a thick pair of Horze gloves -actually bought them to wear on the yard because they look a bit too thick for riding but they're great so I'll be buying more.

 

[Morag4]

For very cold weather I use my old motorbike gloves, yes they are thick but I have good feel with them and nice dry toasty hands no loss of circulation so far!

 

[Carlosmum]

I have some 'compression' fingerless gloves which are supposed to keep the blood flowing. I use them when driving as that is when my fingers freeze from being in the same position on the wheel. Haven't used them for riding, I see no reason why I shouldn't but would wear another pair over the top.

 

[Mariposa]

I have raynauds, although it is usually worse in my toes than my fingers for some reason!
My mum bought me some Sealskinz gloves last year which are great, really help to keep my fingers skin coloured and not white!

 

[photo_jo]

Alongside whatever gloves you get go out and buy a jar of molasses-I get Meridian Pure Cane molasses from Holland and Barrett (not as sickly sweet as some) and eat a spoonful every morning. My hands could go white on a hot summer day-cant remember when it last happened since I've taken molasses and I don't get chilblains now either-I take it all through the year.

 

[Simbacat]

I have it and use disposable toe warmers I buy in bulk from e bay, they are chemical thingys that you open and they warm up. They come in pairs ,I put one each in my shoes - and then only wear normal socks and another pair I just pop in each pocket. I wear Macwet gloves for grip and when my hands get too cold reach for a warmer, you can also slip them inside your gloves - marvelous! nothing else works anywhere near as well.

 

[Gazen]

I ride in a pair of Sprayway ski gloves that have rubber on the grip and reinforced finger tips. I kept destroying the Sealskins so I had to find something else to ride in.

 

[EventingMum]

I found taking Gingko Biloba definitely helped my Raynauds, it's a horrible thing to suffer with

 

[JustMeThen]

I haven't got Raynaud's but have a blood condition with the same symptoms and am on the same quest for the perfect riding gloves! Don't get Ariat Tek Grip insulated; I thought they'd be great but not that warm at all and fell apart really quickly.
I've just got some Tredstep winter silk gloves and they seem ok but it hasn't been that cold yet... also, definitely get a pair of silk liner gloves - mine are Trekmates, they're thin enough even to wear under my leather show gloves and they make a big difference. Also, ski gloves for yard work (with silk ones underneath if necessary) are great.
My friend has Raynaud's and she said the best thing was keeping her feet really warm, which weirdly stopped her hands getting too cold

 

[JellyBeanSkittle]

I have Raynauds and find the best way of coping with hands is by keeping wrists warm amd covered (think along the lines of those jumpers with the thumb hole at the end of the sleeve!) And also my pair of leather, thinsulate lined Mark Todd gloves. They are fantastic for around the yard and riding.

I used to have to sit in the car with the heaters full blast when my hands went white, then crying in pain when they started to go pink again!

Am yet to find a good feet solution though! I am wearing two pairs of socks at the moment, cotton underlayer then a thermal pair on top - not too thick so you can still wiggle your toes! Seems to be ok so far, only had one lot of chilblains so far this winter x

 

[Slightlyconfused]

http://www.sealskinz.com/UK/equestrian/kj671-ladies-winter-riding-gloves-black.html


these are what i have and they help alot but once it gets to minus temps in in agony.

I've even been known to wear gloves in summer as my hands and feet (and end of my nose :/) are affected by the tiniest drop in temp.

 

[pansymouse]

I suffer badly with it and I find silk liner gloves and Woof Wear neoprene gloves work well for riding and Seal Skins for yard work however if it gets too cold I can't risk riding; the pain of my hands coming back to life is almost too much to bear. One tip I got from my Mum who is fellow suffer (and probably donor of a dodgy gene) is to put your hand in COLD water when they are coming back to life to reduce the pain.

I've heard Viagra is sometime prescribed for Raynaulds

 

[Leitrim]

Columbia Sportswear sell gloves with an 'omni-heat' reflective inside layer that ... as it says ... reflects the heat you generate back to your hands. I get Reynauds in my hands and these are the first ski-gloves I've had which have actually stopped my fingers becomingly freezingly numb even in Austria in February when the temperature was -5 and there was a strong biting wind.
They aren't as thick as lots of ski-gloves and I can use them quite happily riding; wouldn't be much good for anything other than recreational riding though unless your riding clothes colour-coordinate with black, electric blue and white!

 

[happyclappy]

black, electric blue and white sounds good. thank you for all your responses. sealskinz has come up a lot.