Heliski Gloves, Mittens & More: How to Keep your Hands Warm!
During the depths of the winters here in northern BC, believe us when we say it can get very cold. The extremely low temperatures can provide some unbelievable heli skiing opportunities with the softest driest snow, but this can come at a price. Trying to keep your fingers warm in these conditions can be a challenge in itself. Whilst the rest of you might be wrapped up nice and warm, your fingers are at the extremities of the body, far away from the heat giving warmth of the heart. For this reason, and their lack of insulation, other than gloves, they get cold a lot quicker than other parts of the body.
So here are our five top tips for keeping those fingers toasty, even in the midst of winter.
I know of some people who prefer gloves to mittens, but it is a true fact that the mitts will keep your fingers much warmer than their fingered counterparts. Having your fingers isolated, as with regular gloves, a lot of heat is lost quicker. While today’s technologies have reduced the difference in heat retention between mitts and gloves, those with circulation problems will do no better for a quick fix than invest in a good pair of mitts. Especially for heli skiing, where you need do no more than hang on to a pair of poles, we think they’re the best.
Although blowing on your fingers seems like a good solution when you start to feel that cold bite, this doesn’t actually help that much. After the initial relief from your warm breath, the moisture now on the skin will quickly cool, making them colder in the long run. Instead we recommend keeping your gloves in a warm place when (and if) you have to take them off. Try sitting on them in the heli, or placing them underneath your armpits. The same applies to your fingers – if you can deal with the smell, the warmest place you have going is under your arms!
We’ve heard rumors that rubbing cayenne pepper on your fingers stimulates the blood flow and warms them up. Whilst in principle this may work, we think there are much better ways to go about this. The simple purchase of some chemical heat pads prior to your heli ski trip will ensure wherever you are, you have a quick means of reheating those digits.
By no means a quick fix, this next method for keeping your fingers warm takes a bit longer, but may be worthwhile in the long run. You can actually train your hands to `acclimatize` to the cold long before your next heli ski holiday. Simple ways, like throwing snowballs without gloves on, or driving in the cold without gloves, will build up your tolerance before you get to the mountains. Once here, you’ll be much more used to the cold air on your naked fingers.
Lastly, more or a myth than an actual method, drinking alcohol will simulate the warm feeling throughout the body that you crave when cold. Whilst we wouldn’t recommend this whilst heli skiing (the alcohol will actually dehydrate you, and not improve your skiing as much as you may think it might), a shot or two or schnapps post ski will certainly make you feel a whole lot warmer, inside and out.
Tags: Heli Skiing, Heliskiing, Heli Ski, Heliski, Heli Skiing Tour, Heli Skiing Holiday, Heli Skiing BC, Heli Skiing Resorts, Heli Skiing Lodges