Easily Removeable ZipGloves

[resnick]

I've currently got ZipSeals on my TLS350, both of which I love. I've tried ZipGloves at a DOG rally and the comfort was fabulous. However, what stops me from buying them is the fact that I have to doff half of the suit to deal with equipment fixes, write in my log book, open my bag of M&M's, etc. Especially on teaching days, when equipment fixes and helping students requires my hands being free, this is a big pain.

Diving Concepts has a nice easy-on/easy-off "bayonet" glove system, but they make you stretch your seals over their suit end of the system, which gives me the willies. It seems to me it would be brilliant if DUI would create a similar system, providing the suit adapter as a zip-in option. That way, I could zip-in ZipSeals if I didn't want the gloves, but be able to zip-in the suit adapter and use the gloves if I wanted to do that.

Any chance that the DUI R&D department could make something like this?

 

[ronbeau]

I've currently got ZipSeals on my TLS350, both of which I love. I've tried ZipGloves at a DOG rally and the comfort was fabulous. However, what stops me from buying them is the fact that I have to doff half of the suit to deal with equipment fixes, write in my log book, open my bag of M&M's, etc. Especially on teaching days, when equipment fixes and helping students requires my hands being free, this is a big pain.

Diving Concepts has a nice easy-on/easy-off "bayonet" glove system, but they make you stretch your seals over their suit end of the system, which gives me the willies. It seems to me it would be brilliant if DUI would create a similar system, providing the suit adapter as a zip-in option. That way, I could zip-in ZipSeals if I didn't want the gloves, but be able to zip-in the suit adapter and use the gloves if I wanted to do that.

Any chance that the DUI R&D department could make something like this?

I would be interested to hear DUI's response since many people have mentioned the same exact issue here on ScubaBoard.

 

[theskull]

With the ZIP Gloves, you will learn to do equipment fixes, open M&Ms, etc., while wearing the gloves. This is a huge plus, as ability to do things while wearing the gloves is critical while diving, and a great many divers are pretty inept at dealing with anything while wearing even neoprene gloves.

Between dives it is almost always more comfortable to doff half the suit anyway, unless it is very cold outside and you have no shelter to warm up in.

theskull

 

[coldsmoke]

Anyone know if you can put zip seals on zip gloves to make a "replaceable seal" smurf glove? I have never taken the time to look at them real close.

Hunter

 

[resnick]

With the ZIP Gloves, you will learn to do equipment fixes, open M&Ms, etc., while wearing the gloves. This is a huge plus, as ability to do things while wearing the gloves is critical while diving, and a great many divers are pretty inept at dealing with anything while wearing even neoprene gloves.

That's very nice in theory. In fact I am able to do quite a few things in neoprene gloves. And it would be lovely if this was all for "a learning experience". However, I really don't want to dork around with a student's blown o-ring or end up dropping a screw or spring from a regulator with a pair of gloves on. And though I think I am perfectly capable of doing so and have trained with gloves on, I'd really prefer to have the option of getting those gloves off easily if I have to deal with an unconscious diver on the surface. Whether doing things for convenience or in emergency situations, I don't think the design of a piece of equipment should dictate how I do things.

Between dives it is almost always more comfortable to doff half the suit anyway, unless it is very cold outside and you have no shelter to warm up in.

Or if it's pouring rain, or if you're on a Zodiac in waves, or....

Again, I often do decide to do things with gloves, or doff my suit, but I don't think it's good equipment design to require me to do so if I don't have to.

 

[DUI]

DUI does offer a Si-Tech ring system as part of the gloves that allows you to don the gloves after the suit is on and remove them as soon as you exit the water. With this system, 1 set of rings is on the seal and 1 set is on the gloves, there is an o-ring forming the seal when the 2 ends are pressed together. This system can be used in conjunction with zipseals. What some people do is have a set of zip wrist seals set up with the rings on them and a spare set without the rings. This allows them to exchange the seals out if they decide to not wear gloves.

Sometimes the zip gloves take a bit of getting used to, but once you get used to them, they are AWESOME!!

Thanks,

Jessica
DUI

 

[resnick]

DUI does offer a Si-Tech ring system as part of the gloves that allows you to don the gloves after the suit is on and remove them as soon as you exit the water. With this system, 1 set of rings is on the seal and 1 set is on the gloves, there is an o-ring forming the seal when the 2 ends are pressed together. This system can be used in conjunction with zipseals. What some people do is have a set of zip wrist seals set up with the rings on them and a spare set without the rings. This allows them to exchange the seals out if they decide to not wear gloves.

Aha! Well, that is not at all clear from your web site. This looks like what I want. I have the same worries about jamming these things into a set of wrist seals that I noted above with the DC gloves, but I'll take DUI's word for it that these things work with ZipSeals.

So, I had a look at the SI-Tech web site and they seem to have a newer "Glove Lock" system. Is this what DUI has?

Does DUI have instructions for how to install these things properly on ZipSeals? (It is certainly not on the DUI web site.)

Sometimes the zip gloves take a bit of getting used to, but once you get used to them, they are AWESOME!!

Like I said, I really liked the ZipGloves except for the not being able to get them off between dives. Sounds like the SI-Techs are for me.

 

[theskull]

SI-Tech gloves: Diving Unlimited International / drysuit manufacture
Go to Products>Accessories>Gloves
For install go to Tech Info>Manuals Online>SI-5

Every buddy I have who uses this system is plagued by leaks, though.

The ZIP Gloves work flawlessly as long as you get the ZIP sealed all the way. Always dry, always warm, very durable. Well worth the minor inconvenience of having the gloves on if the suit is all the way on.

Hope you're pleased with whatever choice you make.

theskull

 

[resnick]

SI-Tech gloves: Diving Unlimited International / drysuit manufacture
Go to Products>Accessories>Gloves
For install go to Tech Info>Manuals Online>SI-5

That's what I first was looking at, but that's not what Jessica is talking about. The SI-5 suit-side ring is installed onto the sleeve, whereas the SI-Tech ring system is installed onto the seal itself. What I'm looking for is instructions on how one is supposed to install it on a ZipSeal.

 

[Bob3]

Folks have been gluing the "Zips" from their Zip Seals onto all sorts of things (cuffs, gloves, rings, etc etc) shortly after they came out; I bet a search on ScubaBoard (and maybe another similar forum) will show some of the results, which have been pretty successful from what I've seen & heard.
Gotta watch out when there's a diver with a can of glue around; ya don't want to be standing in one place too long or you'll get used as a mandrel.