Rowing has a macho image, particularly with regard to “hardening up” and “being tough”. This shows up mostly around walking barefoot at regattas and “patent recipes” to cure hand blisters (no, urinating on your hands does not harden the skin!).
Every rower gets blisters sometimes. Many find training camps particularly tough time because increasing training to three times a day really affects your hands and blisters are the consequence
Time to Modernise
Rowing needs to accept blisters and welcome solutions. Rowperfect is campaigning to change attitudes. Every athlete needs a pair of rowing gloves, even if they only wear them a couple of times a year.
I find my hands are affected by blisters – and sometimes blisters under callouses – when I do outings in my single scull. Maybe I pull harder (who knows?) but they definitely appear. How about you?
Having the silicone grip pattern on your feathering hand means the oar is securely gripped. These gloves are made for rowing and sculling.
Modern attitudes to rowing hand protection
The solution is to get rid of the stigma of wearing gloves and to change attitudes to hand protection in watersports. We wear shoes and calf protectors and sun hats and sunscreen to protect our bodies when training and competing. Why not gloves?
Leading from the front
Two NY State athletes and rowing coaches knew that these attitudes were outdated. Introducing Julie and Patrick. Realising that hand protection is a sensible response to rowing blisters, they developed a rowing glove. The first in the world for outdoor rowing and sculling.
When in pain, rowers will try anything to deal with an injured hand. We have seen rowers wearing gloves designed for weight lifting, biking, golf, and even gardening(!)… the list goes on. None take into account the unique actions of the rower, especially the job of the drive and feathering hands in sweep rowing.
We know folks love our gloves as we hear people talking about their new rowing gloves at our club regularly.
Hell, folks buy our gloves and talk about it while not even realising we own the company!
It’s time for you to re-appraise gloves
Tell us
- Have you worn gloves for rowing?
- Why and when would would you wear gloves?
- What would it take for you to change your attitude?
