Dry gloves for N.E.
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fppf
Contributor
Have you had both sets in each hand and compared them??
The sealing types are different. The thread types are different. The grips are different to turn them. The o-ring locations are different. The fit and finish are different. There different sizes. One is indexed, the other is not.
So I don't see how you can say there quite similar?
Rainer
Contributor
Yup, I've played with both. In my book, they're the two most similar ring types.
The folks diving year-round in MA are tough. I discovered this years ago when I was in a CCR +drysuit diving Folly's in February. I saw a couple guys in wetsuits and wet gloves just having fun...like a walk in the park. When I finished my dive I felt like calling mama'. Luckily the wife who knows my wimp ways brought some warm chowder and fried bellies to the dive site In short - Mass divers don't complain much, typically make sensible decisions about when to end a dive and are able to take assorted punishment.
As per drygloves. I wouldn't qualify using dry gloves < 60F, or not using them as a safety issue. I've used both and it comes down to personal preference. As per dexterity - pretty mixed. For me - most of the time they are a pain in the ___ss. The conditions in which I would use drygloves would be:
Extended hang times in very cold water
Raynaud's Syndrome
People who get cold (in drysuits) quickly
X
ScubaSarus
Guest
Depends on how lon of a dive and how cold the water.
Below 40 is the decision for me to wear my cold water gloves. I use 3 finger mitt sand dive times are around 30 mins.
You can get wetgloves with a sealing like cuff surface. Henderson and Pinnacle make that type. My buddy has HendeRson wetgloves with that cuff like seal and it hardly gets any water if any in the gloves.
Below 40 is the decision for me to wear my cold water gloves. I use 3 finger mitt sand dive times are around 30 mins.
You can get wetgloves with a sealing like cuff surface. Henderson and Pinnacle make that type. My buddy has HendeRson wetgloves with that cuff like seal and it hardly gets any water if any in the gloves.
AfterDark
Contributor
I didn't see this posted as I skimmed the posts so here's my observation based on decades of diving NE in both wet and dry suits year around both salt and fresh water (ice diving). On land or in the water the 1st things that get cold on me is my hands. When I dove wet years ago I'd suffer thru some dives with aching throbbing hands. I found some relief with 3 finger dry mitts index finger and thumb separate. I never found a pair of wet suit gloves that kept my hands warm when using a WET SUIT. When I switched to a dry suit I found that the dry mitts were TOO MUCH. I switched to one of the many wet gloves I have and found my hands were fine in any of them. I used 1/8" gloves in Feb. in saltwater with no issues. Diving dry is the key. Our bodies will reduce the blood flow to hands and feet to keep the head and torso warm. Once the head and torso are dry and warm and maybe the feet too, keeping the hands warm is a small job and our bodies allow the blood to flow. It's how one gets frost bite the blood flow is cut off and the fingers and toes are left to freeze. I'd try wet gloves the thinner the better for more dexterity. Good luck
Capt.Jim
Registered
I have been using dry gloves myself for awhile now, and have seen many different types used on the dive boat. It seems that with a lot of dry gloves out there that seating the seal properly is not only key, but on some difficult to do. Here is what has been working for me for the past few years.
I use the Viking sleeve ring. It consist of 2 rings, an inner & outer ring that connects onto a latex wrist seal without any glue or sealant- so it can be removed easily as well. The outer ring is a wide piece of rubber basically.
Trelleborg Viking
Trelleborg Viking
For the gloves I use rubber chemical gloves. They are not incredibly durable, but usually I can get about 10 to 15 dives on them before they have to be replace. The gloves themselves only cost about 3 or 4 bucks a pair, although you can get better ones as well. The gloves do not offer any insulation, for that I use glove liners that be be bought at a hardware or outdoors store. Again the liners are pretty cheap- about 5 bucks a pair, maybe a little more for better pairs.
For the seal, the rubber gloves get stretched over the viking cuff. This is easily done even with one glove already on.
For me the beauty with this system is that if a glove should get a hole in it, it is quickly replaced between dives, and with some extra glove liners, I can have dry hands again for the next dive.
Jim
I use the Viking sleeve ring. It consist of 2 rings, an inner & outer ring that connects onto a latex wrist seal without any glue or sealant- so it can be removed easily as well. The outer ring is a wide piece of rubber basically.
Trelleborg Viking
Trelleborg Viking
For the gloves I use rubber chemical gloves. They are not incredibly durable, but usually I can get about 10 to 15 dives on them before they have to be replace. The gloves themselves only cost about 3 or 4 bucks a pair, although you can get better ones as well. The gloves do not offer any insulation, for that I use glove liners that be be bought at a hardware or outdoors store. Again the liners are pretty cheap- about 5 bucks a pair, maybe a little more for better pairs.
For the seal, the rubber gloves get stretched over the viking cuff. This is easily done even with one glove already on.
For me the beauty with this system is that if a glove should get a hole in it, it is quickly replaced between dives, and with some extra glove liners, I can have dry hands again for the next dive.
Jim
fppf
Contributor
Except for the Diving Concept rings, the other 3 rings use the same setup to hold the ring to the suit and the glove to the ring.
Diving Concepts uses a o-ring system that is a PIA and you need a little "tool" to change gloves.
Diving Concepts uses a o-ring system that is a PIA and you need a little "tool" to change gloves.
Rocketmahn
Contributor
I'm with Capt. Jim on this one.
I use the Viking sleeve ring seals on my DUI drysuit.
I get all geared up and ready to go.
The very LAST thing that I do is to put my rubber dry gloves on!!!
To do this I put the glove on my hand and then pull/stretch the rubber dry gloves wrist up and over a "rubber ring" that is on the outside of my drysuit wrist seal.
It is just as easy as pulling a water balloon neck over a (properly sized) facet!!!
It comes off just as easy too.
There are no mating rings to align and turn, no zip seals, no having to put gloves on first ...
So far I've been happy with the system (very simple, and it's easy to totally remove for summer dives).
I use the Viking sleeve ring seals on my DUI drysuit.
I get all geared up and ready to go.
The very LAST thing that I do is to put my rubber dry gloves on!!!
To do this I put the glove on my hand and then pull/stretch the rubber dry gloves wrist up and over a "rubber ring" that is on the outside of my drysuit wrist seal.
It is just as easy as pulling a water balloon neck over a (properly sized) facet!!!
It comes off just as easy too.
There are no mating rings to align and turn, no zip seals, no having to put gloves on first ...
So far I've been happy with the system (very simple, and it's easy to totally remove for summer dives).
The wide range of suggestions about types of gloves for our New England cold-water conditions might indicate the importance of personal cold tolerance and personal preferences.
My fondness for my SI TECH dryglove system is certainly based mostly on my personal factors and preferences:
Actually, I'll just suggest you keep things simple by using 5 to 7mm neoprene gloves or mitts while you learn to use the drysuit. Neoprene will keep most divers' hands adequately warm for about 30 to 60 minutes in 45-55 degree water.
After a few dives, you’ll get a sense of how warm your undergarments keep you in different water temps and activity levels. By then, you’ll also know if the neoprene is adequate for your head and hands.
As far as neoprene for less than 50F temps, I needed 7mm neoprene gauntlet cinch strap mitts. Most people get by with less. I even added homemade 7mm neoprene wristbands under the mitts’ wrist section.
A 2mm neoprene “ice cap” underhood kept my head comfortably warm for long dives even into the 30’s. I highly recommend it.
If, after you’ve tweaked your drysuit insulation and techniques, you find coldness of your hands or head is limiting your dive time or dive season, take a look at drygloves and an ice cap underhood.
They were perfect for me, but YMMV.
Dave C
My fondness for my SI TECH dryglove system is certainly based mostly on my personal factors and preferences:
- I like to dive in all seasons
- I need maximum hand insulation or my hands quickly get uncomfortably cold and/or numb in water of 50F or less, which we see much of the year
- I like to do long dives (well over an hour usually)
- I need enough dexterity to work camera buttons
- I want affordable spare gloves
- I want various sizes for different temps
- I want gloves tough enough to go scalloping in the low temps of the early season (low 40’s)
Actually, I'll just suggest you keep things simple by using 5 to 7mm neoprene gloves or mitts while you learn to use the drysuit. Neoprene will keep most divers' hands adequately warm for about 30 to 60 minutes in 45-55 degree water.
After a few dives, you’ll get a sense of how warm your undergarments keep you in different water temps and activity levels. By then, you’ll also know if the neoprene is adequate for your head and hands.
As far as neoprene for less than 50F temps, I needed 7mm neoprene gauntlet cinch strap mitts. Most people get by with less. I even added homemade 7mm neoprene wristbands under the mitts’ wrist section.
A 2mm neoprene “ice cap” underhood kept my head comfortably warm for long dives even into the 30’s. I highly recommend it.
If, after you’ve tweaked your drysuit insulation and techniques, you find coldness of your hands or head is limiting your dive time or dive season, take a look at drygloves and an ice cap underhood.
They were perfect for me, but YMMV.
Dave C
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