i like gloves for lead belaying and raps and some times lowering - it depends somewhat on the "hand" of the rope. gloves could save someones ass (and hands)!
Never used to. Now I wear plain old cow hide work gloves a lot of the time. When I remember to bring them anyway.
I have this finger... no really, I do. The index finger on my right hand will split the tip along the line of the left side of the nail bed.
I tried scrubbing, I tried soaking, still, ring around the collar.
Oh,,, flashback, sorry.
I tried everything, Doctor (he didn't give a shit), anti-fungal, varying nail trimming techniques... nothing worked. Every time I went out my finger would split.
Annoying and painful. For wall climbing it becomes acute from the 2nd day on once aluminum oxide and dirt gets in there, yowza!
So when I broke my ankle I was with Beth and she had some of those swank metolius belay gloves. The only crutch stick we could find had some nasty burl of a handle so she loaned me a glove. As chance would have it that was my right hand.
So after hours of painful descent, back at the car, I take off the glove and whoa... no split finger! Ankle hurt like hell but my finger was fine.
So I started wearing them more. Rgold's cautionary note about trad belays and high impact falls got me to thinking more about it.
ANYWAY... when I wear the gloves for approaches and descents my finger doesn't split. I think the gloves help keep my hands from drying out and cracking, simple as that.
It was a real problem for me, which is why I took the time to write about it. I can't be the only one. This split finger started bothering me in my early to mid 30s so for 10 or 15 years its been an issue.
An issue that's been solved, at least temperorily, just by wearing gloves.
I also do a shit load of exploring and trail cutting work and gloves are pretty much mandatory for that sort of labor.
It was a real problem for me, which is why I took the time to write about it. I can't be the only one. This split finger started bothering me in my early to mid 30s so for 10 or 15 years its been an issue.
Thanks, Dingus. I get splits in the skin on my fingers, as well. Mine are less specific, but most occur in the pad or sides of the tips. I've had splits lower on the finger, as well. It's very annoying when the split skin starts to dry and the rope catches against it. They typically don't bleed, but pulling down on them or getting debris in the split is uncomfortable at best. I've considered getting a pair of gloves for belaying and rappelling to see if it helps, and certainly intend to follow through if it's been a help to others.
Where's the option for using gloves while belaying and rappelling. It's easier and safer to catch monster whippers as well as saves your skin for a nice full day of climbing.
I always wear fingerless gloves for belaying. I think everyone should, but I see little evidence that they're catching on. Being fingerless, they leave open the possibility of burns on the finger tips, but palms and finger base are protected and you have good dexterity for manipulating gear. The severe belaying burns I've heard about are usually to the palms, so I'm hoping I'll be ok.
Since I have them with me anyway, I also use them for rappels, and I've found that they help a bit with rope handling. I can coil faster with gloves, and when setting up raps I can let the rope run full speed through my hands. When rappels are interspersed with easy downclimbing, the fingerless gloves give me enough ability to hang on that I can often leave them on for an entire descent. Your hands end up much cleaner at the end of the day, but gloves do allow you to rap faster and that is probably a bad thing.
I discovered the hard way on a recent S & R excursion that full-fingered gloves would be very nice if you have to travel off-trail in heavy underbrush.
(This post was edited by rgold on Aug 16, 2007, 3:50 PM)
I just got a pair of these after a slight rope burn incident woke me up a bit. (Rich i got a nice blister on the distal end of my pinky, so you are correct) They are more supple than the Metolius or PMI gloves and are full finger except Index and thumb are 3/4 which is nice for screw gate lockers and holding my Cinch. I figure sailing crews do as much or more rope work than we do so they should work well. edit: for belaying only..
(This post was edited by jakedatc on Aug 16, 2007, 5:14 PM)
I carry the Metolius fingerless gloves with me at all times for belay and rappel use. Every time I forget to put them on and rap without them I'm reminded how much more in control I am wearing them.
I also climb in the same gloves when the weather gets colder. It's amazing just how cold your hands can get from cold rock and how warm fingerless gloves are. Even though they take some getting used to, having warm and functional hands actually makes me a better climber in the cold than I would be without them.
For safety and performance, I wear gloves.
Best, Kim
(This post was edited by kimgraves on Aug 17, 2007, 2:11 PM)
FREE - I don't use gloves when I'm climbing, necessarily. I use them when belaying, rapelling, and for everything else. The way I look at it, I want to save my skin for climbing. There's nothing cool about damaging your hands for any other reason.
AID - My gloves go on and come off at the same time as my shoes. In other words, I wear them all day long.
I just got a pair of these after a slight rope burn incident woke me up a bit. (Rich i got a nice blister on the distal end of my pinky, so you are correct) They are more supple than the Metolius or PMI gloves and are full finger except Index and thumb are 3/4 which is nice for screw gate lockers and holding my Cinch. I figure sailing crews do as much or more rope work than we do so they should work well. edit: for belaying only.. [image]http://images.westmarine.com/full/7814494s.jpg[/image]
How much did they cost? How is the durability (have you had them long enough to gauge)?
i bought a pair of west marine gloves like....4 years ago, maybe more, still have them. they're starting to wear through now. i don't wear them that often though- i'd say you'd likely get a season, maybe two out of them if you wore them all the time.
i tend to wear gloves on walls, or any time i'm running on skinny cords- under 9.8mm. that said, i do like using them, and keep thinking i should carry them more often....
You can order them from West Marine http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/producte/10001/-1/10001/246070/377%20710%201868/0/Sailing%20Gloves/Primary%20Search/mode%20matchallpartial/0/0?N=377%20710%201868&Ne=0&Ntt=Sailing%20Gloves&Ntx=mode%20matchallpartial&page=CategoryDisplayLevel1&isLTokenURL=true&storeNum=null&subdeptNum=null&classNum=null they also have a womens version also.
I luckily have an actual store about a mile down the road so i got them on sale for 15 but they retail for 20 so it's cheaper than the Metolius too. I have not used them yet.. i just got them last week and i'm not sure when i'll get out roped climbing next.
i saw a lady at rumney using baseball batting gloves and she said she loved them. which is another option..
Thanks guys, I appreciate the information. I was thinking of picking up a pair of gloves, as I am usually belaying on double 8.1's. The Metolius gloves seem a bit over-priced, so this at least gives me another option (and there are several boating shops near me).
a friend of mine was belaying me and i fell. i only fell about 10 feet but it was enough to burn away nearly half of his calluses and wore the sides of his pinky and ring finger almost down to the bone. it scared me enough to wear gloves when i belay and rapel
As long as I have been climbing (15 years now) I have always worn gloves on rappel except when I knew I was going to need intricacy with my fingers. There have been very, very rare occasions when I have worn fingerless wool gloves while climbing, but only when there have been icicles on the rock.
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