Saturday, September 16, 2006

Anyone want to make a million dollars??

Okay, well maybe not a million, but I think there is an untapped market here that would be very fruitful! You've heard me gripe about this before, and I thought it only fitting that since I just posted about winter coats, I follow that with a post about winter gloves!

I have yet to find the perfect pair of winter gloves. That is the understatement of the century. I go through gloves pretty quickly, or I make due with cold, wet, clammy hands. As a wheelchair user in a particularly cold, wet and snowy climate, I am appalled to find that there seems to be no such thing as "Canadian winter" wheelchair gloves. I did a search for winter wheelchair gloves and I found these things made in Britain that were probably great for British winters, but may only suffice here on a cold, rainy fall day. I am talking wet, slushy, thick snow that coats your hands as fast as it coats your wheels. Wheeling even a block in such condition is impossible. Okay, well it's possible, but frostbite is not fun, folks. When your gloves are cold and soaked through wet, you cannot wait until they dry to wheel the rest of the way. All you can do is wheel a few feet and wait until the painful tingling in your fingertips stops and you can feel again for another few feet.

I really would like to find someone who would be able to make these wonder gloves. Here are the requirements:

1. COMPLETELY WATERPROOF. Rubbery sounds good, except it impinges on requirement #2...
2. NON-LATEX. As many wheelchair users (especially those with spina bifida) have latex allergies.
3. GOOD GRIP. When you're wheel is wet, it is hard to get a grip sometimes. And when you're wheeling through snow, even harder. The gloves would need some sort of grip material on the palm.
4. WARM. They would need some sort of warm lining to keep the hands warm while the gloves are in contact with the wet, slushy snow.


Four things. That's not a lot to ask. Is it? Anybody out there have superiour sewing abilities? :)

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I use two...a non latex lining and leather "driving gloves...but I like Katja's better...

Anonymous said...

I use these..... they're frightfully expensive and I end up hating myself if I lose them ... but on the good side, my current pair is about to enter their second winter.

http://www.pearlizumi.com/product.php?mode=view&product_id=527525

Wheelchair Dancer

Ranter said...

Thanks for the replies, folks. You've all used these on snowy, slushy sidewalks? They really work? Would you recommend getting a pair a bit larger than you take so as to wear a warm thin pair of gloves underneath?

Anonymous said...

Hey Ranter,
I'm with you. Because I can't get used to frostbite I'm searching too. I'm considering designing something. Neoprene works but it doesn't last long and gets wet pretty quick. Are your allergies to rubber so much that you have different composite for your wheels? What kind of material is that (if it is not rubber)?
I think there are some work gloves that may have potential for grip but wetness may still be an issue. Also, post if you find anything that may work. Thanks, Canadianly yours.

Larry C said...

Try Sealskinz, 100% dry - warm - tactile.
I have the same problem but got talking to the good blokes at aarse.net (army rumor website)and they came up with all sorts of options. Seal Skinz work well for me here in German winters, even when the grip-ring is frozen

aduboyce51 said...

I sell Chiba Winter Wheelchair Gloves, and these Gloves are made in Germany , and I am the USA distributor. I am a T-3 Paraplegic 29 years using a chair, and Chiba has the best Wheelchair gloves I have ever used, and the only Winter Wheelchair Designed Gloves. I usually place 1 sometimes 2 orders a month to Chiba, if You want to get in touch with Me, and I can send You an e-mail with a catalog attached, then Please e-mail Me at:alan.duboyce@yahoo.com

Hope to Hear from You Soon! Alan Duboyce/Chiba Wheelchair Gloves

Ellen M said...

Alan, found your ebay store. Thank you so much for posting this!! My daughter is an L2 and lives in upstate New York (where the winters can be brutal). Thanks again!!!

WheelyDen said...

So its been a few years and I don't know if you will see this. How have they held up? How many pairs have you gone through?

Anonymous said...

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