By Justin Haag
The heater felt so good that January day. As the warm air filled the cab of the truck, the numbness left my body. Well, almost.
As I was warming up after a morning of photographing a Pine Ridge wild turkey capture in sub-zero temperatures, sensitivity was not returning to my right thumb. In hindsight, it shouldn’t have been unexpected since the thumb had been outside my fleece glommits all morning, pressing the bone-chilling cold focusing button on the camera.
As I watched my thumb turn black from frostbite in the coming days, it was obvious that I needed to find a better system for keeping my hands warm. It seems my digits have always been quick to get cold, but it happens even quicker as I get older.
I’m glad to report success. A hand-warming pouch, or muff, that hangs by a sling from my neck and a rechargeable hand warmer have been game-changers. Now, whenever my fingers start getting cold, my hands retreat to a toasty microclimate. In just a few moments, they are ready to return to the camera, ice-fishing rod or other important tool without the numbness experienced so many times before.
I still usually wear lightweight running gloves, which allow enough dexterity to press buttons and even work with touch-screen electronics. They provide just enough warmth for most winter days when my hands are outside the muff and are thin enough to layer up with heavier gloves, such as my trusty-but-not-so-trusty old glommits, when temps go from cold to bone-chilling — such as that January day with the turkeys.
Anyone who has had frostbite probably knows the affected area is more sensitive to cold than before, and my thumb is no exception. With the muff-glove-warmer approach, I am more prepared for whatever Old Man Winter and Jack Frost deal me, though. Just wish I’d figured it out sooner.