Best Wet Gloves For A Drysuit.

[tstormdiver]

After being spoiled for the past several years with DUI's Zip Seal system (I used both seals & dry gloves). I have a new drysuit on the way & it will have standard seals, until I can send it off next winter to have it retrofitted for zip seals.. Until then,... I will be limited to using wet gloves. I tried the ring system gloves a few years ago with absolutely no success (flooded each time- yes, I redid them & changed them around several times), so opted to not have it installed on my new suit. What wet gloves are the best for sealing against the rubber seals to reduce water entry to a minimum, as my hands get rather cold, even in dry gloves. BTW, I also have average width hands with rather short fingers. Help please!

 

[Phil_C]

Hi Tammy, for wet gloves I am a great fan of the Waterproof G1 series, they do 1.5mm, 3mm, 5mm gloves and 7mm mitts.

All are ergonomically 'shaped' so you are not fighting the neoprene when you want to bend your hand, and all have glideskin wrist sections that zip up when they are on to make a tighter seal.

I have three pairs, 1,5mm I use abroad in warmer water, and both 3mm and 5mm I use in the UK. I haven't tried their mitts.

I tend not to notice the cold so much, and actually use the 3mm most. Bottom temp on Sunday was 6 degree C and I was perfectly comfortable in the 3mm ones.

Have fun - Phil.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Are there at least rings on the dry suit? If so, Marigolds might be in order. For my backup drysuit, that is what I use. I have 4th element neoprene gloves underneath, as well as those traditional yellow glove liners. That keeps me fairly warm, even at depth. I don't use a straw, as I had gloves that failed one time, and I could just feel the water spreading into my dry suit. It works better than allowing my hands to get wet. I was surprised how much heat I was losing through my hands.

 

[decompression]

I use marigolds as Kosta mentioned, also as a back up the Heat gloves by "whites" are excellent for dexterity and warmth. I use 3 mm 5 finger gloves in 40 deg water.

 

[tstormdiver]

Are there at least rings on the dry suit? If so, Marigolds might be in order. For my backup drysuit, that is what I use. I have 4th element neoprene gloves underneath, as well as those traditional yellow glove liners. That keeps me fairly warm, even at depth. I don't use a straw, as I had gloves that failed one time, and I could just feel the water spreading into my dry suit. It works better than allowing my hands to get wet. I was surprised how much heat I was losing through my hands.

There will be no rings on this drysuit. I was turned off to them when I tried them several years ago & had constant leaks. My plan is to retrofit to Zip Seals next winter when things are slow. I just need wet gloves to get me through this dive season & at times I will be in 42 degree waters.

 

[ajduplessis]

Why did you not order the new suit with the zip seal pre-installed?

 

[tstormdiver]

Because it is a Fourth Element drysuit, not DUI. Zip seals are proprietary to DUI.

 

[ajduplessis]

Thanks, that was not clear in your post. Why the move from DUI, typically they have a loyal following?

 

[tstormdiver]

My 2 TLS350's have not held up as I would have hoped. I am constantly fixing leaks & sent the suits back multiple times in the last 2-3 yrs. My suits are only 6 & 7 yrs old & already had the zippers replaced on both 2 yrs ago. I have not really had a dry dive in at least 2yrs. Trying something different to see if I can get better results. I am not a brand specific person. I go with what works.

 

[Compressor]

tstormdiver: Consider Viking suits. I've been diving Viking for the past 10 years and have been very happy. I was told they are not "DIR" but I like the fact that they are solid suits in terms of performance and quality.