Kayaking is a great way to spend time on the water but paddling can take a toll on your hands. You don’t need to kayak for long before blisters and calluses form, particularly if your hands haven’t been toughened up in a manual job. In colder weather, your fingers will soon get too wet and frozen for you to carry on.
The answer is to wear some kayaking gloves. These tend to be three-quarter length so you can use your fingers with more feedback when rotating and pulling on the paddle. For colder conditions, you should consider a full glove made from neoprene, the same material used for wetsuits. They also need padding to protect your palm from the abrasion and vibrations of paddling. Fit is important so adjustable wrist straps will help you get that right before you pick up your paddle. Here are the kayaking gloves we would recommend.
FitsT4 Sailing Gloves 3/4 Finger Padded Palm
Durable gloves with a breathable back
These durable gloves use synthetic leather on the palm and thumbs for extra grip and protection. The stretch mesh fabric back ensures your hands stay cooler in warm weather and dry out quicker. The padded palm adds comfort for prolonged paddling and they are double stitched for extra strength.
KANSOON Breathable Workout Gloves
Protective palm and adjustable fit
Designed for the gym, they work just as well on the water. The palm is padded to protect you from blisters and has an anti-skid texture for grip. Adjustable velcro fastenings mean you can get them fitting like, well, a glove. Toweling on the back of the thumb is there to wipe away sweat when paddling.
FitsT4 Unisex 3/4 Finger Surfing Gloves for Water Ski, Canoeing, Windsurfing, Kiteboarding, Sailing
Well-padded but lightweight
These three-quarter length gloves allow for more movement and make it easier to pick up the equipment while still protecting your hands and giving you a good paddle grip on the water. The synthetic leather palms are padded and vented for comfort with a spandex back to make them fit snugly. Wrist support is adjustable and they are lightweight and quick drying.
Seibertron Half Finger Padded Palm Lightweight Breathable Gloves
Synthetic leather and neoprene for protection
Feature-packed gloves that will work well for outdoor sports like climbing and sailing as well as kayaking. They are made from synthetic leather with Kevlar thread stitching on the palm for extra durability while your knuckles are protected from knocks and abrasion by neoprene. Velcro on the wrist keeps them well fitted and there are d-rings for hanging the gloves up after use.
OMGear Neoprene Gloves
Full gloves for cold-weather paddling
Made from 3mm neoprene with highly textured anti-slip palms these work well for kayaking in colder conditions. An adjustable wrist strap gives a good fit and the glued and sewn seams minimize water coming in even though they are not waterproof. The neoprene used is soft and flexible with 4-way stretch nylon to give you the flexibility paddling a kayak requires.
Bottom line
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Everyone going kayaking should invest in some gloves. You wouldn’t go running without specialist sneakers on and prolonged paddling can take its toll on your hands, particularly in cold, wet conditions on the water. For most kayakers, we would recommend FitsT4 Sailing Gloves 3/4 Finger Padded Palm. They give you a good level of protection and grip but will also dry off quickly. The double stitching means they should help you clock up the paddling miles too.
For colder conditions when you need warmth as well as protection we would go for the OMGear Neoprene Gloves. They act as an effective barrier against cold water but are flexible enough not to frustrate your paddling technique.
