UKC

Does anyone have any info regarding hot aches, why we get them, is it possible to prevent them happening etc etc, i seem to suffer more than other people I climb with during winter. Would like to hear from climbers who have experienced them and if there is any magic potions I'm not aware of !

In reply to nation1:

http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=489371

Hope that helps.
Greasy

In reply to Greasy Prusiks:

Very useful thread you've linked there - thank you!
L

In reply to BusyLizzie:

No worries, glad it helped. I think some sort of hot aches relief charity needs setting up!

My first experience of it was as a kid. Went something like this- long bike ride, no gloves, snow, get home, couldn't use keys, got let in, hot tap, steaming basin, submerge hands. Only did that once!

In reply to Greasy Prusiks:

Yes, I recall something very similar happening to me as a child. Urk...

In reply to nation1:

It's about how quick your blood reflows to extremities. If you re heat to fast they rush to the surface and this hurts. I have to be careful in the winter coming in from work I have to thaw gently or I get chilblains.

In reply to nation1:

One thing that really works for me is don't climb in the gloves you walk in to the crag in and then, on multi pitch routes, carry a second and even a third pair of climbing gloves and change them as soon as the ones you are wearing get damp.

In reply to nation1:

Oxygen carrying blood is redirected from the extremities when the core chills, this results in diminished nerve reception. When you become active again the blood returns and the nerve receptors go haywire for a while – this is the hot aches.

Keep your core warm, don't wear tight things around your forearms or wrists, change out wet gloves for dry, use mid -layers with thumb loops or powerstretch wrist gaiters (blood runs through veins close to the skin around here). Keep your energy levels topped up and disco dance on the belay stance.

In reply to nation1:

Wrist gaiters! They really do help. I've been suffering less from hot aches ever since I started using them.

In reply to J_Trottet:


Yup another vote for wrist gaiters.

In reply to nation1:

No magic bullet I've found, but a couple of tactics that have worked for me:

Have a high energy breakfast and plenty to drink before you leave the car. Chomp small amouts of high energy (fat) stuff on the walk in.

I've never understood these people who strip off at the base of the crag - much better to start cold and get warm than start warm then get chilled. Thin mesh or grid base/mid layers with a breathable windproof over the top stop you getting sweaty & chilled and avoids need to strip.

Walk in in thin gloves, don't put your climbing gloves on until you've geared up and then keep them on. Thinner climbing gloves you can keep on are better than "warmer" gloves you need to take off to fiddle with stuff. Be especailly mindful of windchill and skin/ metal contact. Shell mitts over the top at belays. Dexterous and light enough that you won't resent carrying them/putting them on and they reduce the evaporative heat loss from your hands massively.

Keep your pulses (neck, wrist and crotch) warm. I wear thin leggings with cycle shorts over the top so my nads don't get iced when sat belaying.

In reply to nation1:
Never had them, don't really see what all the fuss is about.

In reply to planetmarshall:


I'd agree, you don't get many hot aches at a keyboard in a warm room.

In reply to Stephen Reid - Needle Sports:


There speaks a glove retailer

Good advice though. I would add that warm wrists make for warm hands!

In reply to nation1:

Once made the mistake of going for an hours run in thermal compression tights in -20 C...
Won't be doing that again in a hurry... Hotel sent security to check what the screams were...

In reply to Bluebird:

Just in case you haven't tried them Boots used to do some anti hotache pills which worked on me, unfortunately I can't remember the name of them.

In reply to Orgsm:


And I suppose you're posting from the NF of the Droites?

In reply to planetmarshall:
Lucky you...

In reply to Misha:

I got hot aches at the indoor wall at Ratho the other day! Jumped straight on one of the longer routes without warning up and consequently did the last third with numb fingers. Haven't had them for quite a while in winter though since making these: http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=608912&v=1#x7985086

In reply to nation1:

Wear mitts when you're not doing anything fiddly like leading. No matter how expensive your gloves are, they will never be as warm as even basic mitts like Dachsteins. Separating your fingers out in gloves makes them lose heat much quicker than if they are grouped together in a mitt. Save your gloves for leading.

In reply to adamarchie:

I find that deliberately inducing mild hotaches at Ratho on my first route staves them off for the rest of the session.

Same thing while walking in to a winter route; take gloves off long enough to get mild hotaches in time to warm up again before gearing up.

Also, gear up in stages; crampons, walk a bit, harness, walk a bit, rack up, walk a bit, rope up, climb.

At least two pairs of inner gloves; alternate on pitches keeping other pair warm inside lots of layers of clothing.

Use the warmest belay mitts you can lay your hands on (worn next to skin, while both layers of gloves are rewarmed inside clothing)

Set off on a pitch wearing inner gloves, outer gloves and belay mitts, then remove as you get warmed up and technicality increases (not always practicable). This has the added advantage of often allowing me to do most of the technical climbing in just my dextrous inner gloves.

Basically never allow your hands to get cold (except for the initial controlled "innoculation")

And if your hands do start getting cold, stop and rewarm if possible.

Not had bad hotaches in years.

In reply to The New NickB:


Yes, I realised that when I posted it, but, although there is an initially higher outlay, you don't actually spend any more as each pair of gloves wears out more slowly !

In reply to nation1:

Why would you want to stop hot aches? One of my favourite parts of winter climbing is watching my mate whine like a little girl having reached the belay on second, after waiting through a protracted lead. Make sure the camera is at the ready!

On a serious note though, I used to wear liner gloves beneath big gloves which restricted bloodflow and reduced dexterity, a slightly thinner and slightly loose fitting pair of gloves improves both loads. I also find giving myself mild hotaches on the walk in by numbing my hands with snow and flexing my fingers to get a light pump on helps a lot. Most people seem to say that its a lot better after the first serious bout of the day, so makes sense to get that bout out the way before youre on the sharp end! If youre seconding then suck it up, its all part of the 'fun'.

In reply to nation1:

Hot aches from winter windsurfing are the worst. Sail until your hands are numb and then come in. The pain is unbearable. Seen grown men cry on the beach before!
But once you get through that you can carry on windsurfing without gloves no problem. Your hands end up twice the size though!
What are these wrist compression things? Might try them!

In reply to nation1:

You only get hot aches if you're scared, it's true.