Dry glove help

[Teo Heyl]

Hi all!

I have the Aqualung EZ on dry glove system. It's pretty much a dry glove that you pull over the wrist wring and pull over a rubber ring seal. Would you recommend investing in a proper dry glove system? To my knowledge a glove leak is a suit leak. With the EZ on glove system if I get a glove leak I can quickly remove them and stop my suit from putting on water and ditch the gloves...well this is my mentality. Does anyone agree? (Or disagree).

 

[-JD-]

What wrist seal type/system do you have on your DrySuit?

If you have wrist seals in place in addition to the gloves, then a dry glove leak, should be a limited suit leak if equalization tubes are in place. If you remove the tubes, the leak should stop, assuming your wrist seals are effective.

If you want some reading, this thread has a lot of good information, even if it only has limited reference to pull-over gloves. (Have a goodly quantity of your favorite beverage on hand; it is a long read.): Ultima Dry Glove System question

Full disclosure. I am new (especially) to dry suits, have an Aqualung Fusion with the replaceable seals, just got my Ultima glove rings a few days ago, and am ordering Showa gloves to be mounted on them.

 

[broncobowsher]

Most dry gloves keep the wrist seal in place, although it is often optional. run a fabric loop (undergarment thumb loop) under the seal so it can equalize. Many also offer silicone tubing that you can put under the seal for the same reason.

As far as putting a hole in a glove, it isn't usually a big deal. I've done it a few times. In 50° water it is a little annoying but that is about it. Your hand gets wet, the glove liner pretty much acts like a wetsuit glove. The leak is just a pinhole, not going to get water exchange out of it. I've even watched people do a dive holding the hole shut with the other hand to minimize the inflow of water.

I am sure that there are conditions that make it more severe. Are you doing dives that need 2 hours of deco in 37° water? That might be a different story. But a holed dry glove, attached to a suit, isn't as big of a problem as it sounds most of the time.

 

[Teo Heyl]

What wrist seal type/system do you have on your DrySuit?

If you have wrist seals in place in addition to the gloves, then a dry glove leak, should be a limited suit leak if equalization tubes are in place. If you remove the tubes, the leak should stop, assuming your wrist seals are effective.

If you want some reading, this thread has a lot of good information, even if it only has limited reference to pull-over gloves. (Have a goodly quantity of your favorite beverage on hand; it is a long read.): Ultima Dry Glove System question

Full disclosure. I am new (especially) to dry suits, have an Aqualung Fusion with the replaceable seals, just got my Ultima glove rings a few days ago, and am ordering Showa gloves to be mounted on them.

Thanks for the help!

I have the same suit (Apeks KVR1) with the oval rings

What wrist seal type/system do you have on your DrySuit?

If you have wrist seals in place in addition to the gloves, then a dry glove leak, should be a limited suit leak if equalization tubes are in place. If you remove the tubes, the leak should stop, assuming your wrist seals are effective.

If you want some reading, this thread has a lot of good information, even if it only has limited reference to pull-over gloves. (Have a goodly quantity of your favorite beverage on hand; it is a long read.): Ultima Dry Glove System question

Full disclosure. I am new (especially) to dry suits, have an Aqualung Fusion with the replaceable seals, just got my Ultima glove rings a few days ago, and am ordering Showa gloves to be mounted on them.

Thanks for the feedback!
I have the same suit (Apeks KVR1 so I have the oval silicone seals)
I do have wrist seals in place in addition to the gloves.

Would you recommend Sci-Tech gloves or ultima?
I'd like to stick to the oval rings

 

[rob.mwpropane]

Are you saying you have the PU rings installed with the oval Antares system? With user replaceable silicone seals? Like these;

As @-JD- pointed out, an option that clips directly in (if you have what's in the picture) is the Ultimas. No modification needed. I know Scubaforce and Forth Element are or have come out with oval metal rings like the Kubi. I haven't done any research on those, but you can bet cutting and gluing are involved.

Hope that helps?

For what it's worth I have a set of Ultimas on the way as I didn't feel like waiting for the reviews and experience on the newer rings. They could be great or maybe not....only time will tell. I just wanted something that worked that had a great track record.

Edit: Ultimas are round though...

 

[Zef]

Thanks for the help!

I have the same suit (Apeks KVR1) with the oval rings


Thanks for the feedback!
I have the same suit (Apeks KVR1 so I have the oval silicone seals)
I do have wrist seals in place in addition to the gloves.

Would you recommend Sci-Tech gloves or ultima?
I'd like to stick to the oval rings

I highly recommend the Ultima system. I have used them with my drysuit and recently traded a set of 4th Element Ellipse for a set of Ultima for my wife's drysuit. There are 2 systems that Si-Tech makes that are direct fit for the oval rings, here are my thoughts on them:

1. SI-Tech Antares glove system - This is the original glove ring system Si-Tech designed and marketed for the oval rings...there are mixed reviews about this system but mostly the reviews are poor. They are lightweight an low profile but the locking tabs are a bit a fragile and the o-rings that seal the glove rings to the cuff rings are thin and have a tendency to leak if they are not lined up perfectly or if there is any sidewards or twisting force placed on the system.

2. Si-Tech Virgo glove system - This is a more robust system than the Antares and is designed after the Si-Tech Glove lock system which is one of the products they designed for their larger diameter round quick cuff wrist rings. There are not a lot of reviews on the Virgo system but it works well. The downside of the Virgo system is that the bayonet locking ring is on the cuff side instead of the glove side like on their glove lock system, this means the diver will be diving with the bulkiest part of the system all the time whether they are diving with drygloves or not. If this is not an issue then the system works well.

Other systems available for the oval rings are the Waterproof Ultima DGS and the Fourth Element Ellipse.

Of the dryglove systems available my wife and I have direct experience with the Si-Tech Glove Lock, the Si-Tech Virgo, the Fourth Element Ellipse, and the Waterproof Ultima DGS. I have a set of each of those systems sitting on my workbench. My preference is the Ultima system, as simple, reliable, and relatively easy to use. The only PITA factor about the Ultimas is mounting gloves on the glove rings but once one develops a technique that works it becomes much easier and simpler.

-Z

 

[Marie13]

Ultima or Kubi are much better than the Antares, which has loads of bad reviews. I have the Ultima myself and love it.

 

[lexvil]

Antaries are great, if you get everything right, I’m back to using them exclusively.

 

[rob.mwpropane]

Antaries are great, if you get everything right, I’m back to using them exclusively.

Compared to what? I mean, your experience with what other system?

 

[Zef]

Antaries are great, if you get everything right, I’m back to using them exclusively.

IF