Anyone know if anyone makes any fingerless/half finger gloves for diving?
Fingerless/half finger gloves
- Thread starter wunat
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*Floater*
Contributor
I've looked, but haven't found any. I've also come to the conclusion (after cutting fingers off a pair of regular gloves) that they would be difficult to get to work/maintain. For the glove to work it would have to minimize water inflow/exchange through the wrist opening + the open finger ends. Essentially you'd need o-ring type neoprene seals on each finger + a seal of some kind on wrist cuff, and as the glove stretched out over use, you'd basically have to buy new ones since tightening tiny finger seals does not seem practical. Also, they'd be a pain to take off since you could pull the off by the fingers as you do with regular gloves.
I also talked to someone who tried this with a pair of super stretch type neoprene gloves (Henderson something...) and he said they fell apart right away.
I have produced my own fingerless gloves by cutting the fingers off three different pairs with varying degrees of success.
The first pair was a 3mm pair and I cut them down fairly close to where the finger joins the main part. Over time the cut frayed and stretched so more and more water started coming in however, even when they were on the verge of falling apart, my palms were still noticeably warmer than my fingers. I know this because on more than one occasion I took my gloves off underwater and my palms immediately went as numb as my fingers. How could they have gone numb unless they were [relatively] warm before?
The second pair was another 3mm but this time I cut further up along the finger and used Aquaseal to seal the edges of the cuts. I haven't been using these as long as the first but they seem to have more or less the same effect. Some water does leak in through the fingers but I find that if I limit my hand movements this is minimized. I definitely notice a difference when I dive without them compared to when I dive with them.
The third pair is a 5mm pair which I made at the same time as the second. I made sure that they were very tight and cut high up on the fingers. I also Aquasealed the edges to prevent fraying. It might be because this pair is tighter than the 3mm pair or maybe the extra neoprene thickness means it is less stretchy but far less water seeps in through the fingers.
In summary, although it seems counter-intuitive cutting up a pair of gloves to make your own fingerless ones WILL work if you do it properly. I recommend buying 2 or 3 cheap pairs (the 3mm pairs I bought cost less than half of the 5mm pair) and experimenting with different placement of the cuts. Also try using Aquaseal and see if that helps make a seal around your fingers. You won't be able to stop water coming in entirely but you can eliminate some of it. Give it a try, if you buy cheap gloves you have nothing to lose except a few joules of energy in the form of body heat.
The first pair was a 3mm pair and I cut them down fairly close to where the finger joins the main part. Over time the cut frayed and stretched so more and more water started coming in however, even when they were on the verge of falling apart, my palms were still noticeably warmer than my fingers. I know this because on more than one occasion I took my gloves off underwater and my palms immediately went as numb as my fingers. How could they have gone numb unless they were [relatively] warm before?
The second pair was another 3mm but this time I cut further up along the finger and used Aquaseal to seal the edges of the cuts. I haven't been using these as long as the first but they seem to have more or less the same effect. Some water does leak in through the fingers but I find that if I limit my hand movements this is minimized. I definitely notice a difference when I dive without them compared to when I dive with them.
The third pair is a 5mm pair which I made at the same time as the second. I made sure that they were very tight and cut high up on the fingers. I also Aquasealed the edges to prevent fraying. It might be because this pair is tighter than the 3mm pair or maybe the extra neoprene thickness means it is less stretchy but far less water seeps in through the fingers.
In summary, although it seems counter-intuitive cutting up a pair of gloves to make your own fingerless ones WILL work if you do it properly. I recommend buying 2 or 3 cheap pairs (the 3mm pairs I bought cost less than half of the 5mm pair) and experimenting with different placement of the cuts. Also try using Aquaseal and see if that helps make a seal around your fingers. You won't be able to stop water coming in entirely but you can eliminate some of it. Give it a try, if you buy cheap gloves you have nothing to lose except a few joules of energy in the form of body heat.
Ben_ca
Contributor
Better feedback on touch contact situations....
for example lights out/no vis exit using line
for example lights out/no vis exit using line
I suppose it also depends on the type of glove you use. As I mentioned the 5mm pair I cut off work much better at sealing around the fingertips.
But regardless, not matter how easy it is for water to come in, your hands will still stay warmer than if they were naked if you minimise hand movements.
Here are a few photos of my various incarnations of gloves. Sorry the detail isn't great.
Note the frayed ends right at the base of the fingers. Lotsa water flow!
Aquaseal goodness!
But regardless, not matter how easy it is for water to come in, your hands will still stay warmer than if they were naked if you minimise hand movements.
Here are a few photos of my various incarnations of gloves. Sorry the detail isn't great.
Note the frayed ends right at the base of the fingers. Lotsa water flow!
Aquaseal goodness!
Ben_ca
Contributor
uhmmm some people dive in water a bit colder than your's in the gulf
One of our Tech 1 guys cut off one tip exposing the thumb.... seems to work for him
(Monterey, CA 48-51F)
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