I think I would like to try wearing gloves but would like to find out what works from other people that do the same.

Thanks.

I always wear gloves to protect my hands and fingers.
You never know in which situations you might be, that's why I always wear shoes as well (the shoes saved one kite for me so far).

In winter I use thick ones and in summer thin which originally were made for kayaking.
No problems whatsoever.

Greetings
Toby

Water ski gloves are used by some people. Most people in kiting and windsurfing don't use them because they do reduce endurance and fatigue the forearms quicker.

I use gloves and think that if you use them all the time they are absolutely no hassle whatsoever. If I do have to pull in a line (especially a really fine one in strong wind) I'm glad I've got them on.
Only problem is you can tend to forget them on the beach when packing up, especially if its dark.

See the post thread on Leashes for what one good local kiter said he'd do if he got hit by big wind, he don't wear gloves and i wouldn't like to try it myself.
Imo, leash + gloves is a healthy combination.
Jo

I have used them for almost four years. Mainly to keep the skin on them. A good 6 hour continuous kiteboarding session can really mess up your hands. Also for line handling they are invaluable.

I have been using Ronstead Saililng gloves recently. They cost about $29. USD but have Kevlar panels in them that may reduce the chance of line cutting in marginal incidents. I strongly recommend using full finger gloves for kiteboarding.

http://www.murrays.com/archive/10-11.pdf

Rick Iossi

Thanks everyone for the input. I have already got my moneys worth out of my helmet so gloves seemed like a logical thing to wear. I will check out some water sport type places. If they have leather in them will they be OK to get wet over and over?

I am glad to see all the talk on this board about safety concerns. I have come from other sports where failure to follow the rules almost always ended up in disaster (Skydiving, race tracks). Hopefully we (as a group) are spread out enough to continue promoting safe practices and it will become the rule rather than the exception.

Hi Zoomie,
I'd say go for specific watersport's gloves. Mine are neoprene with polyamide and polyurethane rienforcements on the plam and fingers (full fingers) they have an elastic velcro strap around the wrist and should be quite (but not ciculation stopping) tight so they won't pull off.
No leather imo
These are the one's I use in spring, summer and autumn, in colder weather you'll need thicker ones.
Hang loose.
Jo

hello
i ride all the time with leather sailing gloves. i like them.
no neoprene imo.
full finger is safest, but i find that even ones with the fingertips cut off are much much much much much much much much much much better than having no gloves at all. less fatiguing than the full fingered ones too.
no full finger imo.
which ever you use, they are invaluable. gloves should alwys be used when doing any activity that involves string under stress.
they may not really be considered a life saving device, but they may save your fingers or hands some day.
xrays of a frinds hand who had been cut by line revealed the line actually wore into the bone too. cut bad enough to get a prescription for vicoden for pain.
they also make dealing with the lines safer in general so you dont end up tied up and unable to swim.
gloves also make you look kewl and you never know when you may run into a mermaid that needs romancing.


KC

Word of warning. If you buy gloves for warm water and keeping your hands from getting killed, no problem. If you buy them to keep your hands warm, make sure you get some form of rubberised ones instead of standard wetsuit material. I learnt this lesson the hard way. The wind blows through the wet gloves and your hands getting even colder than they were without gloves.