Gloves in cold water

[Bandaid6]

So I dive in the cold waters of the Puget sound, have a few hundred dives or so and about 100 dives ago I quit wearing gloves. My hands get a lil cold but they function fine and its fairly tolerable. I find it easier to adjust or repair students equipment in the water and I'm less apt to grab stuff I shouldn't. I've recently started getting dirty looks and snide comments from another "pro".
Can anyone offer a valid reason to wear them other than comfort. What problems could arise that I haven't thought of?

 

[windapp]

I have never heard of any reason why gloves are necessary in cold water other than comfort.

 

[Kilili]

Do what suits you, and don't be influenced by such things. Not like he's offering any kind of constructive info.

 

[Linedog]

I dive in the sound also, I don't use dry gloves as the cold water soak on my hands make the old stiff joints feel better. I have considered not using gloves, but was just to chicken.

 

[Searcaigh]

I would only wear gloves if doing a wreck dive.

 

[fisheater]

You could cause insecure instructors to become jealous of your manliness.

Oops. Too late.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[DaleC]

When I started side mounting this summer I switched to a thinner wetsuit glove so I could clip better. Bare 5mm Elastek. A good compromise between dexterity and warmth for me.
I suppose no gloves would work for short dives but there must be a point, in the winter up here, where longer dives would bite.

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No gloves in Dubai... you daredevil you. What's the water temp 79-80F?

 

[DivemasterDennis]

If the water is lower than 60 degrees, I wear gloves. My hands get cold at those lower temperatures. Interestingly, there are some dive destinations (Hawaii, eg) were gloves are not permitted, to keep people from touching things they should not touch. That way , if they touch them (fire coral, sea urchin, etc) , the punishment is instant and appropriate to the offense!
DivemasterDennis

 

[tracydr]

Boy, I accidentally wore thinner gloves one time while diving in the Sound. I couldn't feel my hands after just a few minutes.
I can't even imagine diving no-gloves, by choice. How long are your dives? Why not use dry gloves? They're more flexible than thick wet gloves. Or, just a thinner wet glove than the typical ones used by NW divers.

 

[nimoh]

you might try wearing light gloves with the fingers cut off half way. It will give you a little more warmth than no gloves, but will still leave your fingers free for gear adjustments.