Dry Glove ventilation alternatives

[RaiderSwim]

Does anyone use a technique other than the tube to vent their dry gloves. I know a guy who puts his liners on before the drysuit so the liner acts as a vent. Anyone else use some other way to vent their dry gloves?

 

[Camerone]

Does anyone use a technique other than the tube to vent their dry gloves. I know a guy who puts his liners on before the drysuit so the liner acts as a vent. Anyone else use some other way to vent their dry gloves?

I tried the latex tubing at first, but I would always lose it between dive trips, or it would fail/corrode/rot/whatever way too quickly to be useful.

The liners-first trick is good; most of the time, what I do is just leave the thumb loops from my undies hooked over my thumb. That little bit of fabric "caught" under the seal is more than enough to equalize the pressure, as long as there's enough slack in the thumb loops so it's not digging into the webbing between your thumb and index finger.

Honestly, equalization of gloves for dives less than 100' isn't even necessary. Maybe it's a comfort thing, but more times than not, on a dive that's only to recreational depths (sub-130'), I won't even bother to stick anything under the wrist seals. It kind of gets a little squished deeper than that, though...or a little air can make things a bit warmer for long hangs when you're not moving around.

As an alternative, and one that won't rot like the latex tube, some folks I know use bits of rope/twine, with a knot in each end. Again, all you have to do is lift the seal just a little bit, so it doesn't have to be that thick.

 

[TSandM]

I've used the tubes, and the thumb loops, but I forgot to do either so often and I pretty quickly figured out it rarely made much difference. So I mostly don't do anything any more.

 

[ScubaAl]

Thumb loops............................A couple of weeks ago I was doing some training at Lake Wazee in Wisconsin. Water temps about 39 at depth. Even before starting the dive(while waiting for another diver to gear up) my thumbs felt numb. Like they were froze. Did the dive, had a h*ll of a time doing skills, frozen hands.
After the dive I walked over to my instructor asking if he had any idea what I might do.(Always get cold hands, but this was worse) He looked at my hands, see the thumb loop over my thumb and said "I bet that's the problem". Sure enough, that was it. I have latex wrist seals and when I push my hand though, I was inadvertently pulling the loops tighter and tighter around my thumbs.
Next dives that weekend, no where near as bad.
Just something to keep in mind. Al
P.S. Now I just pull a bit of undergarment under the seal.

 

[fdog]

Another check mark for glove liners under the seal. Makes it easier (wearing the glove liners) sliding arms into the drysuit sleeve, too.


All the best, James

 

[miesemer]

I've successfully used small nylon cable ties. They're easier to push under the wrist seal than the tiny tubes. Like others, I rarely use anything for recreational dives. If I need a little air in my gloves I raise my hands up and make a tight fist to cause an air channel on the bottom of my wrist, however, it's harder to get the extra air out on ascent without a tube or cable tie.

 

[Peter_C]

I use the thumb loops, but remove them from my thumbs. This allows me to pull them back through the seal to close it off. Yes I can actually do and have practiced it multiple times.

My hands get cold, and having the extra air in them is necessary for keeping my hands warmer, probably starting in the 30 foot range. Plus if air does get into the glove, I do not come up looking like I have mickey mouse hands.

 

[edgrimley]

Old topic but I thought I'd add $.02. I lost one of the silicone tubes that came with my Sci-Tech dry gloves within about 2 weeks. Not a surprise.

As an alternative I took a pair of old ipod headphones - the old style remote control extension. Cut the ends off, and stripped about an inch of insulation. Then pulled out the interior wires with a pliers and by hand. Cut the rubber tubing into 4 few-inch pieces. Bonus in that these are now white - and will be easier to spot in the dive bag, and harder to lose.

This would obviously work for any headphones, maybe old POTS telephone cord or any small wire.