just27 wrote:Edscapade wrote:Hi Team,
I am having a hard time finding the gloves I use over here - I need to order new ones as the sweat has taken care of my last pair. My question to you all, is there a particular glove that you have found works best for rowing? I can finally order and get things sent here - it is still amazing to me in this day - of - age that there is NO mail service here.
Appreciate any suggestions!
Happy Rowing,
Ed
My son's crew coach wouldn't let them sully themselves with gloves. The macho thing, even for women rowers, was to build callouses which ultimately split, peeled and bled on the oars to show they were working hard! The callouses are more hardy than gloves, and you don't lose them. Snort. That said, I have a pair of New Grip gloves (more like pads) which I use from time to time. They are great, while you're building up callouses ... there are no seams, and your hands can "breathe." (Yes, it's hard to scratch your nose!) I've also used a couple of drops of tea tree oil on my palms, and sports tape to wrap my middle and ring fingers, if the occasional hot spot presents itself.
Yes, I know about those hardy rowers, but they really don't care about the erg. In on-the-water rowing, I can understand that you want to feel the oar, and really optimize your oar technique. But that really doesn't apply to the erg handle.
But, while I prefer to keep my hands silky-smooth
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
, that's really not why I wear gloves.
There is something that sometimes happens for me - more on longer rows, even more on longer harder rows - where sometimes I somehow manage to compress a nerve on the outside of my hand (ulnar nerve, which goes up to the elbow, and then to around the armpit), and gloves fix that problem. I don't know why it happens. I never saw anyone else say it happened to them. I was certain there had to be something wrong with the way I held the handle - but I do hold it loose, and I am holding it like a hook, using my fingers, but the handle is still fat enough to have some touching of the hand (the straight Model C handle, not the curved plastic handle that came later). Anyway, bad things happen, and gloves fix that, and I don't know why. And I guess I will just have to order the invisible color, so I don't lose my membership card when the inspectors come-a-calling.
By the way, I order X-Large for those gloves even though I'm not some hulking monster. I think most people must like a tight fit, but for rowing at least, I don't prefer that. Also, these gloves are vented at the top, so your hands can breathe. I never had any issues with my hands gasping for air, only my lungs.