Fans

[Carl Watts]

Fans make a huge difference to your performance.

Far easier on a bike now because I can pickup a small hand towel at anytime but during a 60 minute ride I may have 4 or 5 drips of sweat hit the floor or bike. Rowing without a fan left a trail of sweat down the slide and a pool of sweat in the seat.

[HornetMaX]

I can only have it front-left (opposite side of the wheel, almost parallel to the rail), but I like it drying my face anyway, so that suits me.

Now I'm curious to check if it makes a difference in terms of drag factor: I'd say minor, but yeah, worth checking (even if I always have the fan on, no matter what, so no real impact for me in any case).

Needs to be on your back, it's the largest area.

Uh, how can that be ? I'm tempted to say actual area is probably marginally bigger on the front as back is comparatively flatter, no ?

[Carl Watts]

Fan at the front of you covers the most area of your body or else all of your legs and arms are in the draft.

You want the air in the front and in your face, probably double the area covered with it at the front of you.

[haus]

I use a box fan aimed at me from the front, as well as a C-Breeze, which rewards you the harder you pull. It does lower the DF a bit but you can compensate by raising the DF on the erg and checking the value on the PM.

[reevio]

I use a 20" industrial fan from front at the ceiling. It blows on my complete upper body, legs and - this is important for me - my hands. When I lift my fingers during recovery, this dries my fingers.

One of the biggest issues I have is sweaty hands on longer pieces.

Usually do say 5k intervals with a couple of minutes break for a drink and wipe of the handles if going steady. But if I want to go for PBs at 10k+ then it gets awkward!

[Sakly]

I use a 20" industrial fan from front at the ceiling. It blows on my complete upper body, legs and - this is important for me - my hands. When I lift my fingers during recovery, this dries my fingers.

One of the biggest issues I have is sweaty hands on longer pieces.

Usually do say 5k intervals with a couple of minutes break for a drink and wipe of the handles if going steady. But if I want to go for PBs at 10k+ then it gets awkward!

On my steadies the load is low enough, so I don't break a sweat like hell with the fan on stage 2 in the summer (20°C in the basement). But on TT attempts from 5k on I need wrist bands to hold back the sweat pouring down from my arms and the fan on stage 3. But this also helps only for a short time, probably long enough for a 5k TT, but all above hands get wet.
I use slim leather pads, so I don't get blisters by rubbing my hands on the handle, but grip is getting a bit compromised, if all is wet.

[HornetMaX]

I use slim leather pads, so I don't get blisters by rubbing my hands on the handle, but grip is getting a bit compromised, if all is wet.

I'm willing to give that a try: any picture/link of what you use (or something similar) ?

[Sakly]

I use slim leather pads, so I don't get blisters by rubbing my hands on the handle, but grip is getting a bit compromised, if all is wet.

I'm willing to give that a try: any picture/link of what you use (or something similar) ?

Sure, I use these: MACCIAVELLI Pull Up Grips https://amzn.eu/d/hNdKDBo
I cut the wrist bands off and only use the leather grip part loosely put on the handle.
If they get wet, hands get coloured black, but this can be rubbed off with a pumice stone.

I bought these for my training actually, but they were absolutely failing their job. Wanted to send them back, but the shop didn't want to. So they were laying around when I started using the rower and I thought to give that a try, when the blister problem started
Works really well for me!

[HornetMaX]

Sure, I use these: MACCIAVELLI Pull Up Grips https://amzn.eu/d/hNdKDBo

Hmm but when I do get blisters (it's strange, I went without any for months and now, after 2 weeks break, I had 3 after the 1st rowing session) they are on the fingers, so I guess these won't help too much.

[hikeplusrow]

Sure, I use these: MACCIAVELLI Pull Up Grips https://amzn.eu/d/hNdKDBo

Hmm but when I do get blisters (it's strange, I went without any for months and now, after 2 weeks break, I had 3 after the 1st rowing session) they are on the fingers, so I guess these won't help too much.

I use Assos RSR Speed Gloves for erging. (Assos are a Swiss company that manufactures high end cycling gear.) These gloves are very thin, and have a slightly rubberised material covering the palm/underside of the fingers. The rest of the glove is Lycra. I tend to get blisters on my fingers, particularly when they get wet and slide about on long pieces.

[Sakly]

Sure, I use these: MACCIAVELLI Pull Up Grips https://amzn.eu/d/hNdKDBo

Hmm but when I do get blisters (it's strange, I went without any for months and now, after 2 weeks break, I had 3 after the 1st rowing session) they are on the fingers, so I guess these won't help too much.

My blisters were on the fingers as well. Typically right below the joints, were the skin is squeezed by rubbing on the handle.
Using a thin pad decreases friction between skin and handle, as the pad will slide and not your skin. Ergo, no blisters due to rubbing.

[HornetMaX]

I use Assos RSR Speed Gloves for erging. (Assos are a Swiss company that manufactures high end cycling gear.) These gloves are very thin, and have a slightly rubberised material covering the palm/underside of the fingers. The rest of the glove is Lycra. I tend to get blisters on my fingers, particularly when they get wet and slide about on long pieces.

I use Crew Stop Paddlers, probably similar to what you use (very thin and, have to say, surprisingly sturdy and not smelly).

My blisters were on the fingers as well. Typically right below the joints, were the skin is squeezed by rubbing on the handle.
Using a thin pad decreases friction between skin and handle, as the pad will slide and not your skin. Ergo, no blisters due to rubbing.

Oh OK, I didn't understand you correctly, you don't wear the Macciavelli as they are "supposed" to be, I see.

I'm going to raid my wife's wardrobe and steal a LV (or something) sac a main to butcher it for the good cause

[reevio]

But on TT attempts from 5k on I need wrist bands to hold back the sweat pouring down from my arms and the fan on stage 3. But this also helps only for a short time, probably long enough for a 5k TT, but all above hands get wet.

Oh yeah, I pretty much always wear sweat bands but they don't help enough. Recently upgraded to some bigger Nike ones after I saw Rafa wearing them!

Perhaps a silly question, but wearing gloves they must just get very wet inside...?

[Sakly]

My blisters were on the fingers as well. Typically right below the joints, were the skin is squeezed by rubbing on the handle.
Using a thin pad decreases friction between skin and handle, as the pad will slide and not your skin. Ergo, no blisters due to rubbing.

Oh OK, I didn't understand you correctly, you don't wear the Macciavelli as they are "supposed" to be, I see.

I'm going to raid my wife's wardrobe and steal a LV (or something) sac a main to butcher it for the good cause

Right, as I wrote, I cut off the wrist part and use it as a simple leather pad on the handle.
If you can find appropriate materials in the wardrobe of your wife - go for it

Main advantage for me compared to gloves: I can lift my fingers to get them ventilated. In gloves my fingers/hands are heavily sweating, even if they are thin.

[HornetMaX]

Perhaps a silly question, but wearing gloves they must just get very wet inside...?

Mine actually help: hands sweat maybe a bit more (maybe), but they absorb it a bit too making the handle less sweaty.
But yeah, wrist bands always (and fan).