Umbrella/Gloves

Mim

Good Morning H/A,

So today after school I'm going to go shopping for gloves and an umbrella to keep me warm and dry. What recommendations do you have for the BEST (and I do mean best) gloves and umbrellas out there? Also, where would I be able to purchase them because as of right now the only place I'm thinking of is Burlington Coat Factory.

The gloves definitely need to be warm as I have problems with body temperature and all the gloves I've tried thus far have not kept me warm (but I did get a blood test today to test for anemia/thyroid issues so these could be the cause).

I'm looking into bubble umbrellas but the umbrella itself needs to be large and provide adequate coverage. I only considered bubble because it seems to encase me and I'd bump into people less, but I'm worried about water dripping from the top of it onto my clothes/bag.

Rhesus Positive

I'm in the UK so I don't know what brands are available, but I would suggest looking for leather gloves with a fleecy lining. They'll keep your hands warm, and also dry, which is just as important.

Seattle Thread

I buy whatever cheap umbrella they have at the grocery store. I think I found my current one on the bus, actually. The point is that there's no reason to go nuts on one--they all provide the same basic coverage.

Niceguy Myeye

For the gloves, you should probably get a glove liner and some mittens. Just wear both at the same time for layered warmth. On less cold days, you can just wear the liner. For a glove liner, you can also use those thin elastic knit gloves that you can find everywhere. Mittens are always warmer than gloves. You'll probably be a lot more fashionable in normal mittens than you would be in the warm outdoors-style gloves.

The warmer gloves and such you'll have to get them at an outdoors store like REI.com or backcountry.com. The main problem with them is that they mostly do not match casual or dress wear. Gloves typically have this relationship between warmth and dexterity where the warmer your hands are the harder it is to do things. Now, really expensive gloves will make it better, but it's still there.

Burns

For umbrellas, I've always been partial to golf umbrellas as they provide enough coverage to share. I am over six feet tall though, so collisions are less of an issue as people either pass right under the umbrella or I raise it up enough that I don't brush other umbrellas.

Gloves wise I have a pair of Mountain Hardware gloves with little rubber hex bolt grips that keep me from dropping stuff. They're warm, but aren't bulky as they're made from a stretchy spandex-like material.

Rhesus Positive

My advice with an umbrella would be to go cheap, as you'll end up leaving it at a bus stop or in a taxi at some point.

You could even pick one up free - just check out the local bus stops and take a few taxis while shopping for gloves.

Mim

I was thinking a golf umbrella but I was also thinking about getting those bubble ones so that it'd keep the umbrella clashing to a minimum. I hear they cover well, but I just don't know how well.

As for gloves, I was actually thinking of getting 150 gram weight gloves. I mean today I was wearing 3 scarves, a hat, long johns, gloves, two shirts, a jacket, another jacket and jeans. I was still cold. I'm not too worried about moveability as I am about warmth.

I am also waiting for my blood test results to come back to see if its anemia messing me up or something.

Improvolone

For warmth, you really want mittens.

Mim

Improvolone wrote: »

For warmth, you really want mittens.

what about mittens that you can remove the top and have like, finger glove things? I had one like that but it is gone now...but are those just as good?

Sir Headless VII

Mim wrote: »

Improvolone wrote: »

For warmth, you really want mittens.

what about mittens that you can remove the top and have like, finger glove things? I had one like that but it is gone now...but are those just as good?

Not in my experience no. If you are that cold though mittens really are the only way to go. If it is really cold outside a good pair of mittens will go a hell of a lot farther than 3 scarves. If you are cold you need a warm hat, warm mittens and warm boots. Those are what will get cold first and keeping those warm will keep you warm.

Improvolone

Mim wrote: »

Improvolone wrote: »

For warmth, you really want mittens.

what about mittens that you can remove the top and have like, finger glove things? I had one like that but it is gone now...but are those just as good?

The section that they split at, even if its like some sort of zipper, is going to be a spot to allow cold to get in. They do make mittens with a glove lining, those feel nice.
What are you doing outside that you need the dexterity of a glove? Strapping into a snowboard using snow packed bindings is frustrating as hell, and I'll bet if I could do that in mittens you can pretty much do whatever you need to do too.

japan

If you use urban streets, please, for the good of those around you, don't get a golf umbrella. When we had a couple of weeks of bad weather here I nearly lost an eye on more than one occasion thanks to twits with golf umbrellas.

I bought a Fulton folding umbrella in 1995 that I still use.

Does it matter particularly how the gloves look? I second looking at outdoor stores and such. I have a pair of Endura Strikes which I've used when bombing about on the bike in driving sleet and temperatures several degrees below freezing and had warm, dry, hands. I doubt you'd be able to source those specifically since it's a UK brand, but serious hiking/ski/board/bike gloves should be able to offer the weather protection you're after.

Mim

Improvolone wrote: »

Mim wrote: »

Improvolone wrote: »

For warmth, you really want mittens.

what about mittens that you can remove the top and have like, finger glove things? I had one like that but it is gone now...but are those just as good?

The section that they split at, even if its like some sort of zipper, is going to be a spot to allow cold to get in. They do make mittens with a glove lining, those feel nice.
What are you doing outside that you need the dexterity of a glove? Strapping into a snowboard using snow packed bindings is frustrating as hell, and I'll bet if I could do that in mittens you can pretty much do whatever you need to do too.

Really, the most I do without my gloves when outside is grip my bus pass out of my wallet or change songs on my ipod.

As for umbrellas, I am thinking the bubble umbrella might be the best first on an urban street, I just need more feedback from people who use them. Do any of you guys have any experience with those types? I just need to be dry and see through and protect against wind.

brain operator

Mim wrote: »

I just need to be dry and see through and protect against wind.

Get one of those yellow fishermen's oil jacket thingies and forget about the umbrella. You'll either lose it or a freak gale will pop it inside out and it'll be useless. A proper jacket will protect you from the wind too, and considering how you're layering up so far I don't think an extra jacket will be that much more of an inconvenience. And just pick up a cheap foldable umbrella for when it's not cold enough to warrant the jacket.

Liiya

Mim, I get cold easily too, have you tried buying thermals? I got a top and leggings for work, where we don't have the heating on and they're good.

Also, if you need something for your feet in winter, I swear by Timberland - they're expensive but they're brilliant.

Mim

Liiya wrote: »

Mim, I get cold easily too, have you tried buying thermals? I got a top and leggings for work, where we don't have the heating on and they're good.

Also, if you need something for your feet in winter, I swear by Timberland - they're expensive but they're brilliant.

Thermal pants and the like? I do wear thermal pants and two shirts (plus sports bra) on top. I can, however, still feel the cold through my jeans and thermal pants.