Insulated Pogies
Golly do my hands get cold easily. And when they get cold, it’s hard to brake; it’s hard or impossible to open snack wrappers; it’s hard to access and put on layers. So yeah, pretty vital that I keep my hands operational.
Criteria
- Minimal weight
- Windproof
- Easy to install & remove
- Insulative
- Minimal weight
- Resistant to tearing on branches whizzing by
Design process
First, I traced out the profile of the dropbar, hoods, and levers. I used this as the starting point to rough out initial patterns, basically two vertical sides, two wedges to create width, and a cuff.
From these patterns, I built a mockup from some scrap tent fabric to test out the fit and identify any clearance issues.
After a few minor tweaks, I constructed the first functional prototype, which I’m currently field-testing.
The Design & Remaining Work
The first prototype is made mosly from a 10 denier WPB (waterproof/breathable) fabric and is insulated with a layer of 4oz Primaloft Gold. The leading edge/top have 1/8″ foam in place of the insulation to help provide some shape while still being insulative.
After some early spring testing here in Montana, I’ll make my final fabric selections and construct the pogies I’ll use on the Divide.
