Keeping your hands warm in winter

[Furbo]

Vetter Hippo hands---they worked for Craig in a snow storm.

ABSOLUTELY! Ugly as sin and phenominally effective.

[jumpmaster]

As an orthotist I have made many designs of functional hand splints for various pathologies.
Lacking a long flexor tendon for a motorcyclist causes obvious problems. But there are a couple of solutions that are available. Sorry you live so far away as I could possibly help. But a small light weight low profile custom splint could be made to prevent hyperextension of the IP joint on the thumb. Preventing hyperextension of the IP joint would stabilize the joint allowing you to use distal thumb by using the muscle  "opponens pollicis". The opponens pollicis "flexes or adducts" (depending on terminology) the MCP joint. That muscle basically putting you thumb in "opposition" to the fingers and also moves the thumb across the palm. The MCP joint is the larger joint at the base of the thumb. So stabilizing the IP joint and then use the opponens pollicis to push on whole thumb is an option. You might look around for a good orthotist or occupational therapist who could make something to stabilize your IP joint. I made a lot of these for folks with rheumatoid arthritis who loose  function due to the ligamentous failure of some joints in the fingers.
I hope this makes sense but I think you get the idea that if your IP joint was stable your distal phalange would be far more functional.

Now, if you could just make an effective orthotic to treat/compensate for my regular brain cramps....

[Craig in Alabama]

I put Oxford heated grips on my commuter bike (Buell Uly) and made a pair of faux hippo hands for really cold weather. With the Rhino Mitts (as I call them) I was good down into the 20s, and I have terrible circulation in my hands.
They were really easy to make. I used some vinyl I had laying around. Cut it to the right shape and sewed in an old towel for insulation. I used snaps from Hobby Lobby to snap them up on the inside section. I'm a reasonably decent "sewer" as long as no one is being picky, but all the seams are on the inside, so they turned out pretty nice. Total cost of the mitts was less than $10 and about 4 hours of my time. Best cold weather accessory I've ever had. With the heated grips on and the mitts, I could still wear my summer gloves and be toasty warm.

Cheers!
Craig

[Triple Jim]

I'm curious what model Acerbis you're using?  I may have to give them a try.  Thanks!

Mine are the ones that mount only in the bar ends, and nowhere else.  It was the only type I found that is universal enough to fit my Mille.

Uniko ATV Handguard, shown here: https://www.rockymountainatvmc.com/p/962/16455/Acerbis-Uniko-ATV-Handguards

You can probably find them cheaper, this is just the first place I found that had them.  I have no idea why they think they had to make a fancy shape with small slots, but it doesn't seem to hurt the way they work to keep the air off my hands.

[charlie b]

Thanks for all the ideas.

I might try heated gloves. But they sound like they have drawbacks. I don't like the idea of battery powered. And wiring up the sleeves for a half hour ride. I don't know. I'd do it for a longer ride, but...

But I might try them all the same. My current muffs and grips solution is extremely effective. But the muffs are just a bit awkward and ugly.

I had a 30min commute and used wired heated gloves.  I left the 'Y' wire in my jacket between the liner and the outer.  Stayed that way all winter.  If cold enough I plugged them in, if not I didn't.  Extra 30sec at beginning or end of ride to mate the three plugs (one for each glove and one to the bike.

[willowstreetguzziguy]

Look up TUSK HAND MITTS. They look like small"Hippo Hands" for $15.

[Sasquatch Jim]

 The only hippos with hands that I have seen were waddling up and down Walmart aisles.

[Tom]

Say, you are an Iconoclast.  I think I used that before.

To the PO.  You could make some faux hand guards with liter or quart plastic bottles.  Paint them the color you want. Custom cut and tape to your handlebars.  Not my idea.  It was on another thread some years back.  Cheap solution for the forum.

[lti_57]

i will carry some surgical gloves to put on and then my winter gloves
for me it works wonders and cheap

[Gino]

Handlebar muff's are the answer, a PITA Normally but fitted over handguards bark busters et al are the business. Rode from Scotland to the Austrian / German border last year in Germany last January and hardly put the heated grips on once

[Trogladyte]

As an orthotist I have made many designs of functional hand splints for various pathologies.
Lacking a long flexor tendon for a motorcyclist causes obvious problems. But there are a couple of solutions that are available. Sorry you live so far away as I could possibly help. But a small light weight low profile custom splint could be made to prevent hyperextension of the IP joint on the thumb. Preventing hyperextension of the IP joint would stabilize the joint allowing you to use distal thumb by using the muscle  "opponens pollicis". The opponens pollicis "flexes or adducts" (depending on terminology) the MCP joint. That muscle basically putting you thumb in "opposition" to the fingers and also moves the thumb across the palm. The MCP joint is the larger joint at the base of the thumb. So stabilizing the IP joint and then use the opponens pollicis to push on whole thumb is an option. You might look around for a good orthotist or occupational therapist who could make something to stabilize your IP joint. I made a lot of these for folks with rheumatoid arthritis who loose  function due to the ligamentous failure of some joints in the fingers.
I hope this makes sense but I think you get the idea that if your IP joint was stable your distal phalange would be far more functional.

Yeah thanks. I think that does make sense. I'll look into that - sounds interesting. My surgeon did offer to surgically fuse the top joint at about 45 degrees. I think this would have a similar effect, but for some reason I didn't like the idea. I'd already had a lot of failed surgery thereabouts that had left the thumb so full of scar tissue, it was never going to be worth having another shot at it. So maybe I'd just had enough of that.

And a life of biking has not been kind to my thumbs. The other one had synthetic ligaments installed to stabilise the second joint down. Not that effective I'm afraid.

[redrider90]

Yeah thanks. I think that does make sense. I'll look into that - sounds interesting. My surgeon did offer to surgically fuse the top joint at about 45 degrees. I think this would have a similar effect, but for some reason I didn't like the idea. I'd already had a lot of failed surgery thereabouts that had left the thumb so full of scar tissue, it was never going to be worth having another shot at it. So maybe I'd just had enough of that.

And a life of biking has not been kind to my thumbs. The other one had synthetic ligaments installed to stabilise the second joint down. Not that effective I'm afraid.

45 degrees is way too much if you were going for a fusion. 25 degrees would be far more functional.

[Trogladyte]

45 degrees is way too much if you were going for a fusion. 25 degrees would be far more functional.

I was only guessing on the 45 degrees. Yes 25 sounds about right. I'd hope the surgeons here might have thought about what angle gives best functionality before sharpening their tools!  But then, who knows? 

[gscott]

Heated gloves.  Warm and Safe brand is what I have. First Gear are rebranded W&S.  I have jacket liner, socks and use their remote controller.  Only one wire to bike. Once rode 2 hours at 13 degrees F. Nice and toasty. When one glove came unplugged I knew it right away. Recommended.