Dry Gloves Pros? Cons?

[IceDiverInCA]

Our group wears the same type of gloves and is split about 50/50 with some having the tube to let air into the glove and some of us don't. There is enough air in my glove when I don it that I don't need tubes and I don't experience hand squeeze (only worn them to 135'). The glove compresses but my liner protects my hands and I actually get more dexterity as the air in the glove compresses. If my glove gets ripped I still have my wrist seal intact and only my hand gets wet, air does not pass into my glove when I move my wrist. I don't want to compromise my wrist seal by running a tube through it, I've already had enough wet dives in that drysuit (due to neck seal being too large) to last a lifetime
Ber :lilbunny:

I agree, it doesn't bother me to about 100' or so. I use something to equalize my gloves only for deep trimix dives.

 

[JohnW]

Thanks very much everyone, I am going to give them a try. I'm also going to try them with thinsulate gloves. My next dive isn't until March 11th(Ice Dive) I'll post how I like them then.

 

[Ber Rabbit]

I wear these gloves under my dry gloves instead of the regular liners. I have a glove leaking due to a pinhole on Saturday and still managed a 55 minute dive followed by a 52 minute dive in 42 degree water. Hand was wet and cold after about 20 minutes on second dive but it was bearable.
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[matt_unique]

Our group wears the same type of gloves and is split about 50/50 with some having the tube to let air into the glove and some of us don't. There is enough air in my glove when I don it that I don't need tubes and I don't experience hand squeeze (only worn them to 135'). The glove compresses but my liner protects my hands and I actually get more dexterity as the air in the glove compresses. If my glove gets ripped I still have my wrist seal intact and only my hand gets wet, air does not pass into my glove when I move my wrist. I don't want to compromise my wrist seal by running a tube through it, I've already had enough wet dives in that drysuit (due to neck seal being too large) to last a lifetime
Ber :lilbunny:

That is interesting to read. I am amazed you can descend to 135' without uncomfortable squeeze or very cold hands. Part of the function of the air in the gloves is to provide air space and thus warmth of course. When I am diving really cold water (for me that's 36 degrees F) I will extend my arm/hand to a high point to allow air passage to warm up my fingers. I wonder if you have some air passing through your wrist to enable this. All my buddies with the wrist seals in place use a tube. When you are horizontal with or without the tube the gloves will squeeze to some degree since they are the lowest point on your dry suit system. On the surface or if verticle in the water column they are at the highest point and some dexterity is lost with non wrist sealed gloves.

Dry gloves are a beautiful thing though.

--Matt

 

[moneysavr]

That is interesting to read. I am amazed you can descend to 135' without uncomfortable squeeze or very cold hands. Part of the function of the air in the gloves is to provide air space and thus warmth of course. When I am diving Dry gloves are a beautiful thing though.

--Matt

I dive 165fsw and have no tube or hose as this is a great failure/ flood point on a glove tear! I Use my gloves hard and any water even a small amount is bad! at 165fsw!!

My home made dry gloves= [Chem gloves with wrist seals] on deep dives I have a 2mm liner with poly. and light one for dives in 100fsw range.
The gloves as said prior are air charged top side, the squeeze is needed and pushes the air into your liner,this makes my glove fit nice, feel good, I can work my computer, turn valves, run my video equipment.
To have air floating around I could see how you would have a problem with no dexterity.And This will cause squeeze,pull them tubes out and try thick/er liners.
Oh I seen a gal wih a ring failure on that type of set up and she had all the air she could dump in her wing and as she would raise her arm to pump air into her dry suit air more flooding! She got on the boat ok but was not happy with her LDS on that glove set up.
If you think your going to get hand hickies you will not! my 2 cents>
Dive Safe,
Brad

 

[Ber Rabbit]

That is interesting to read. I am amazed you can descend to 135' without uncomfortable squeeze or very cold hands. Part of the function of the air in the gloves is to provide air space and thus warmth of course. When I am diving really cold water (for me that's 36 degrees F) I will extend my arm/hand to a high point to allow air passage to warm up my fingers. I wonder if you have some air passing through your wrist to enable this. All my buddies with the wrist seals in place use a tube. When you are horizontal with or without the tube the gloves will squeeze to some degree since they are the lowest point on your dry suit system. On the surface or if verticle in the water column they are at the highest point and some dexterity is lost with non wrist sealed gloves.

Dry gloves are a beautiful thing though.

--Matt

When I wore the liners that came with the gloves the squeeze and cold were problems that's why I got a pair of winter shooting gloves to wear as liners (see link in previous post). I always make sure my hands are warm before putting the gloves on and the winter gloves do a great job of retaining the heat. I had to get a youth medium because my hands are so small and I didn't want a lot of extra glove stuffed into the fingers. The dry gloves are a small but are a bit big on my hands so they hold quite a bit of air which probably helps a bit in the squeeze department. I dive wet gloves once the water hits 60 or so and I don't get wet sleeves so I know that no air is coming out the wrist seals (where air comes out/water goes in).

You would not be the first to discover I'm just plain weird
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[matt_unique]

I dive 165fsw and have no tube or hose as this is a great failure/ flood point on a glove tear! I Use my gloves hard and any water even a small amount is bad! at 165fsw!!

My home made dry gloves= [Chem gloves with wrist seals] on deep dives I have a 2mm liner with poly. and light one for dives in 100fsw range.
The gloves as said prior are air charged top side, the squeeze is needed and pushes the air into your liner,this makes my glove fit nice, feel good, I can work my computer, turn valves, run my video equipment.
To have air floating around I could see how you would have a problem with no dexterity.And This will cause squeeze,pull them tubes out and try thick/er liners.
Oh I seen a gal wih a ring failure on that type of set up and she had all the air she could dump in her wing and as she would raise her arm to pump air into her dry suit air more flooding! She got on the boat ok but was not happy with her LDS on that glove set up.
If you think your going to get hand hickies you will not! my 2 cents>
Dive Safe,
Brad

I hear what you are saying though I don't personally agree. A failure in an open wrist dry glove system is not different than any other place on your drysuit. If wearing an open wrist dry glove system is a failure point then merely diving with a drysuit represents a failure point. I am more likely to tear my suit in my leg for example than on my gloves. Now if you're using your hands to handle things at depth - jagged metal parts from a wreck for example - that is a different story. In that specific instance I agree with you that an open wrist system indeed becomes a failure point.

Depending upon your thermals a small amount of water at 165' is irrelevant. If you have thermals that wic away water for example you would barely notice and you would take actions to limit water flow while finishing deco.

A girl with long nails tore a hole in my dry glove a few years ago. The hole was not easily visible but I noticed it as soon as I descended. Our water temp was 36 degrees but due to my fleece glove liners and fleece thermals I was able to do a 15 min dive.

It's definitely important not to tear anything, particularly on a deco dive.

--Matt

 

[Wb10005]

I have a skin graft from an injury on my heel that needs to be kept dry. Other than a drysuit, can anyone suggest something ? My heel will be bleeding all over Mike Ball's fancy boat for a week if I don't come up w/ something.

Will a fabricated "dry sock" produce squeeze ?? How much? If gloves aren't squeezing at 135', then will a sock be ok ?

 

[JohnW]

Just got back from my Ice Diving Certification, the Dry Gloves worked Superbly. No need for hot water at the end of the Dive. The Water was Hovering around the Freezing Mark and 40 minutes into my last dive and my hands were still somewhat toasty. I used a pair of polyknit type gloves instead of the crap gloves that came with them. The gloves also seemed to wick away the moisture very well. Now if only my regs would have worked as well as the gloves:11doh:

 

[JeffG]

Now if only my regs would have worked as well as the gloves:11doh:

Freeflow?