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Hands go numb on the ice

Original Post
Medic741 · · Des Moines, IA (WTF) · Joined Apr 2012 · Points: 265

Question for anyone with cold hands that go numb when ice climbing! Especially the ladies:

Getting my girlfriend into ice climbing and running into a wall. She loves it but we haven't been able to figure out a system where her hands don't go numb while climbing or belaying - even on 32 degree days. We've tried thick gloves, thin gloves and nothing's worked. It's great that she's loving the ice but not so much the numb hands. Anyone have ideas like favorite gloves, systems that you like the most etc.

No hx of frostbite/nip and circulation is fine. Anyone with thoughts on how to fix this problem would be hugely appreciated. I don't have much experience here -- thin leather gloves work fine for me so haven't had to play with doing anything else.

-Matt

Nick Grant · · Tamworth, NH · Joined Oct 2012 · Points: 424

Matt, some people just have poor circulation (or not enough body fat), and their hands are perpetually cold even if they're wearing neoprene gloves or three pairs of Dachstein mitts. My advice would be to pump some plastic at the gym (shorts! T-shirts!) until the warm weather comes, and then you can go out cragging or bouldering once again. Forget the ice climbing (at least with her), and keep your girlfriend warm and happy.

Just Solo · · Colorado Springs · Joined Nov 2003 · Points: 80

Two things... Two pairs of gloves. One pair to climb with, one to belay with. Keep one or the other tucked into her shirt or jacket next to her body to keep them warm and more dry. A few gloves like the OR Alibi has a pocket in them for chemical hand warmers if needed.

Also, make sure her core is warm, to include her head. If the hands are chronically cold it is usually an issue of core temp management... Provided all other things are good to go.

To a degree, cold hands are a bit a part of the game, screaming barfies are not fun, but keep the above in mind and that should help.

Jeff Thilking · · Lynchburg, VA · Joined Jun 2012 · Points: 65

Man same boat, my GF loves skiing but hands get so cold it's painful for her after a couple hours. No amount of glove seems to matter, as it's an issue with circulation , not insulation. Helicopters work pretty well. As in wildly swinging arms utilizing centrifugal force to force blood into the hands and fingers. Other than that I dunno, warfarin maybe? Ha, good luck.

Dave Bn · · Boise, ID · Joined Jul 2011 · Points: 10

Sounds like your girl has Raynauds, a disorder in which the blood vessels over-react to cold temperatures by constricting causing the hands to go numb and take a long time to regain feeling.

I've had this problem for years and just this year solved it through a combination of acupuncture to improve circulation and Murray's Method to retrain the hands to react to changes in body temp differently.

I just finished doing Murray's Method. It was a pain in the ass, but it worked.

wildernessmedicinenewslette…

Buff Johnson · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2005 · Points: 1,145

try chem packets.
bd has battery operated gloves, expensive though.
i'd still talk to a primary about a detailed history.

Nick Grant · · Tamworth, NH · Joined Oct 2012 · Points: 424

Yeah, Raynaud's disease (a circulation disorder) is a bear. My father-in-law has it, and his hands will sometimes begin to go numb and look discolored & waxy even when it's in the high 30's. Unless they're exercising strenuously (running, XC skiing), there's not much Raynaud's sufferers can do.

Just Solo · · Colorado Springs · Joined Nov 2003 · Points: 80

I'm not so sure about Raynaud's guys. If she had that she would know. Her hands would have trouble anytime it was cold. Plus she would have noticed the whitening of the skin during an episode. Doesn't sound like the case in this situation. But, worth investigating.

lucander · · Stone Ridge, NY · Joined Apr 2009 · Points: 260

Tape hand warmers to the underside of her forearm, right where her pulse it - this warms blood as it enters the hand.

Keep handwarmers in all belay and climbing mittens/gloves at all times.

Cold bodies = cold hands. Hat, balaclava, hot drinks, big belay parka.

Convert her to Catholicism. Suffering is the province of the Lord.

And remember, it's ice climbing. That game sucks, it's a major reason why relatively few bother playing it.

Ksween · · Wakefield, RI · Joined Jul 2011 · Points: 30

Something nobody mentioned so far is the climbing itself.
Lots of people(especially new ice climbers) tend to overgrip squeezing the blood out of their hands and keep their hands over their heads because they dont want to let go of the tools. Emphasize a relaxed grip. When you hang on the tool it should only be the bottom 2-3 fingers kind of like a pinky lock, with an open handed grip. Dont forget to have her take her hands off the tools and shake out/windmill, while climbing

Cor · · Sandbagging since 1989 · Joined Mar 2006 · Points: 1,445

Yeah I agree with the cool body core=cold hands! (Same goes for feet)

More clothes
Sometimes it's good to hike up in 1 layer.
Upon arrival, add 2nd long john layers.
Extra puffy for belays.
Puffy pants for belay… Some like this for cragging. Full zip legs for easy on/off.
Climb gloves, and heavier belay gloves.
+1 for chem packs on wrist with climb tape.
+1 for hot thermos. (Tea&Whiskey, chicken broth - mmm salt, whatever..)

Peter D. · · Fairfield, OH · Joined Jul 2010 · Points: 25

Well at least you have a reason to suggest she stick her hands down your pants, more often when really cold. Then again if her hands are really cold could result in some seriously uncomfortable shrinkage, if you know what I mean.

There are wrist pockets - fleece and lycra - that hold a hand warmer over the artery's.

Woodchuck ATC · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 3,280

Lots of chem handwarmer packs. 2 pair of dry gloves. One aside with warmers inside of them, tucked in jacket. Other belay gloves, keep the warmer inside on back of hand so not to block your hand dexterity. Then swap back into the warmed gloves in the jacket just before climbing, and stuff the warmers inside the second pair to keep warm in the pack while you climb. And on it goes. Too tight gloves don't help at all, huge gloves have no feel for tools or dexterity for placing a screw. Drink warm liquids, take a thermos along if you have to or stove to heat up drinks. It's tough, my hands have got worse with age and old frostbitten areas that get much colder now than they have in past. Good luck.

Wiled Horse · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2002 · Points: 3,669
lucander wrote:And remember, it's ice climbing. That game sucks, it's a major reason why relatively few bother playing it.
I thought this was normal for ice climbing and one of the reasons i didnt like doing it much.
jhn payne · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 46

Just a random thought,perhaps the whole ice climbing thing makes her nervous and that in turn constricts the vessels making her hands cold, nervousness can do some crazy things. Try the funky Penguin.

Wiled Horse · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2002 · Points: 3,669

i dont know if anyone does anymore, but is she a smoker? Nicotine is a vasoconstrictor, and smokers notoriously have cold hands. just throwin it out there.

Gregger Man · · Broomfield, CO · Joined Aug 2004 · Points: 1,759

This works for me (usually):
Avoid caffeine completely before a cold day out. Chocolate, too.
Hydrate, then hydrate again.
Keep your calorie intake as high as you can.

Dave Bn · · Boise, ID · Joined Jul 2011 · Points: 10

The waxy-white appearance is only a symptom of Raynauds and one that not everyone experiences (e.g., me).

I'm not saying not to try the other options people have suggested, but if her hands go numb when it's not really all that cold than no matter how you slice it her body is *over-reacting* to cold temperatures.

The constriction of blood vessels is an intrinsic response, the body needs to be retrained to react differently.

Scott McMahon · · Boulder, CO · Joined Feb 2006 · Points: 1,425

I've found that wearing mittens in between laps, on the belay or on the approach helps overall during the day. I have a pair of highloft mittens I wear over my light gloves on the way in.

For my hands and feet once the cold sets in, it's tough to get rid of. I start out making sure they are warm from the start.

LIV Veraldi · · Lone Tree, CO · Joined Dec 2007 · Points: 495

Guys - I have one of the worst cases of Reynauds that I've ever seen, and my hands immediately go numb when they get cold(they go numb if my steering wheel in the car is not super warm, and pretty much whenever its cold outside and I touch something cold). It was miserable to ice climb when I first started, but now its tolerable (even rock climbing outdoors and indoor rock climbing they go numb if its slightly chilly in the gym). I've learned to rock climb with the palms of my hands until my fingers warm up.

This is the way I deal with it when I'm ice climbing. I open and put hand warmers in my Black Diamond Mercury Mitts before I even leave the car in the morning. I put those Mitts in my pack. I wear lighter mittens (always mittens, not gloves) on the approach, where my hands will be sweating slightly - don't want to get the Mercury Mitts wet with sweat.

When I get to the crag, my hands normally stay warm for a few minutes while I put on my crampons. If they start getting cold, I put my hands in my armpits for a couple of minutes. Then right before I start to climb or belay, I put my Mercury Mitts on (already warm).

When I'm ice climbing, I have to take off the mitten to place or remove the screw, and then put it right back on. My hands stay pretty warm that way.

I try to do squats, swing my non-belaying arm, etc., if I'm belaying just to keep the circulation going. If I need to when I'm at an ice crag and not climbing right away, hike down the hill and back up several times to keep my core warm.

pashka · · Toronto, Ontario · Joined Jul 2012 · Points: 0

One other possibility is that she might have TOS (thoracic outlet syndrome). That is impingement of blood vessels or nerves at the level of collarbone. It usually show up with arms elevated.
There are curtain tests to check for Reunaulds and TOS, talk to your doctor.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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