Cold Water Detecting - Suggestions needed. :minelab:

[pacer]

I do a lot of lake detecting and the water's tempersture of one lake in particular sits around 40 to 45 degrees. Safe to say both my hands and feet get extremely cold. Cold to the extent my toes and fingers become numb and I end up exiting the lake. My core remains comfortable, no issue there.

To combat the cold, I purchased neoprene gloves, but they were of little help. I also purchased electric heat warming socks for $30. They to were of no help. In fact, they did absolutely nothing. I've been looking at ProFLEX Heavy Duty Heated Insoles for my feet. Their cost is around $200.

Interested in any and all suggestions for both my feet and hands. Thanks for taking the time to read this and perhaps responding

 

[WaterWalker]

5mm waders with 1,600-gram Thinsulate Ultra Insulation in the boots and a pair of wool socks, good for water in the mid 30s F.

Neox 31" gauntlet gloves with and thin pair of Thinsulate lined gloves. The gloves can not be tight, you have to be able to move your fingers around.
Holding your scoop or detector for a long period of time will let the fingers get cold, pull them inside the palm of the gloves until they warm and then go back to detecting.

I have a pair of cold water gloves (Atlas Tem-res 282 XXL) that I want to replace the gloves on the long sleeves of the gauntlet gloves. XXL so a thin pair of gloves can be layered inside.

There is a couple of videos on you tube that show the procedure, I just have not taken the time to do the operation...maybe tomorrow as the weather here on the Cape is not going to be conducive to water detecting.

Post anything that you might find that is better and works for you.

 

[tvr]

Only addition I have to WaterWalker's list is head covering. I put on a hooded jacket that the waders pull up over, then put the headphones on and pull the hood over the headphones and tie it up tight so I have a little circle to look through. Gauntlet trapping gloves are wonderful things. I pull them over the hooded jacket sleeves; which is on top of a long sleeved shirt. Layers!

I have not done the thinsulate liners and can stay in 30's to 40 degree water for about two hours before extremities start to cool. Keeping core and head warm are important or else the extremities will get cold quickly. Your core and head may feel OK but if they aren't really warm, your body will heat the core and head at the expense of the extremities. Digging targets is warming; turn to all-metal and dig it all for a while to warm up.

A year ago I needed to break the ice surface with the scoop to detect my local beach. This winter I haven't been out much but there hasn't been the same icing either, even when I've just gone for a look.

 

[stephenscool]

you can also wear a rain coat/wind breaker outside of the wetsuit. This basically stops any water rushing past from stealing the warmth from the wetsuit. Wind breaker/water breaker6
Try reading the coast guard guide on surviving hypothermia.... where to put hands, etc.

 

[WaterHound]

I live in northern mi , and have to break ice at times to detect! Or crawl over ice mounds on shore , many times l will be metal detecting in a river that has ice on the side here and their, even at times pouring my scoop contents onto the ice to get a better look. I use neoprene waders 3 mill , long under wear and jeans. 2 pair regular socks 1 pair wool and l will sweat in them sometimes . most of the times l get cold is from my feet the boots in the frog togg waders are not very insulated . next time I will buy a size bigger or get a thicker mill like 5 if the boots are more insulated , I like neoprene waders the best but the water pressure pushes the cold against your legs so a good separation fabric between them and your legs is needed. I'm thinking of a wet suit top with hood for next year , and gauntlet smooth rubber trapper gloves extra large if they have them so I can put cotton gloves on first , l found the rough rubber gloves leaked buy the thumb when gripping the scoop no matter how warm l stay its mid February and lve got a cold now and my wife and other detectorist are saying get out of the water the seasons over , everything will be their in the spring ! Good point! As l think off the five gold rings I found this winter earlier , but its time to get warm , work on the man cave and plan this summers water hunts lord willing . and dry out , waterhound

 

[The Urban Prospector]

Throw a handwarmer in the bottom of each boot and one for each gauntlet glove.