I don't usually wear gloves or a hood here in San Diego. I just rock the drysuit and a ponytail 
Gloves in cold water
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divergirl6
Registered
Yowch! How do you do that? I dive in Puget Sound too, and my hands get cold in 7mm wet gloves! I can't wait to get dry gloves! :shocked2:
divergirl
divergirl
I dive in a drysuit and dry gloves but when I used to use wet gloves I left them off a few times and after the initial "shock" the heat loss wasn't as bad as I thought.
I think it's because your body moves most of the blood to your core at these temps anyway. Really it depends on how warm the rest of your body is.
I now several local divers who have a little excess body weight and don't even use a drysuit it here...preferred to use wetsuits. If you are warm then who cares what someone else thinks.
The only problem I can think of is if you have to use your hands/fingers for something unexpected they probably are going to be a bit numb
I think it's because your body moves most of the blood to your core at these temps anyway. Really it depends on how warm the rest of your body is.
I now several local divers who have a little excess body weight and don't even use a drysuit it here...preferred to use wetsuits. If you are warm then who cares what someone else thinks.
The only problem I can think of is if you have to use your hands/fingers for something unexpected they probably are going to be a bit numb
mistressmotorsports
Contributor
Definitely do whatever you prefer. Just as a data point, I dive a lot in California in water temps in the low-mid-50's. If I don't wear gloves (tried it twice, once by "accident") my hands get cold quickly and I lose dexterity due to overly cold, numb hands. I tried a bunch of different gloves from 3-7mm. For me, I found that 5mm Hollis wet gloves give me the best combination of warmth and dexterity for my normal 40-50 minute dives. Those particular gloves don't do a great job of keeping water out, but I like the textured finger tips and flexibility they give me, while being a little warmer than the 3mm gloves I also tried. I haven't found anything (camera, equipment adjustments, SMB deployment, etc) that I have a hard time doing in these gloves. I dive wet all the time, so I am usually cold in the core before my hands are cold. No affiliation with Hollis at all, just relating that those gloves work for me. Of course, YMMV.
Have fun diving!
Mike
Have fun diving!
Mike
je76
Registered
For my part I never go in without gloves. Of course 98% of my diving living in New Jersey is wreck diving which probably accounts for my glove predilection but even during non-wreck dives in warmer waters (Bahamas or Sea of Cortez in August say) I wear gloves simply to protect my hands. In fact the driving force for wearing gloves overall is for protection from things other than the cold. In locations that don't like you to wear gloves ( i.e. Key Largo ) many of us put gloves in our pockets and put them on after our descent. My buoyancy after 200 dives is good and I never manhandle or kick coral but lets face it at times accidents will happen and I would prefer not to end up with a laceration on my hand in an emergency room somewhere. All that being said I can't see why anyone would force gloves on you if you are comfortable without them, don't need them for safety reasons and especially if you don't feel they are needed based on your ability to withstand cold.
OP I feel the ONLY reason to make a decision for or against gloves is loss of feeling/dexterity.
Either your hands work fine or they don't
it really is that simple.
The only comment I would make on that is that sometimes you don't know what you don't know.
Ive been in situations motorbike riding in cold (sub zero) conditions where the hands felt fine. Then I went to use the front brakes and my fingers diddn't respond.The cold had snuck up on me and caught me unawares.
Either your hands work fine or they don't
it really is that simple.
The only comment I would make on that is that sometimes you don't know what you don't know.
Ive been in situations motorbike riding in cold (sub zero) conditions where the hands felt fine. Then I went to use the front brakes and my fingers diddn't respond.The cold had snuck up on me and caught me unawares.
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You might want to read about chilblain. It's rather serious.
Chilblains - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Chilblains - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
DeeperOut
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I prefer to dive with the worst case scenario in mind, so if for some reason my exit from the water is delayed, I want to have maximum thermal protection available.
You could carry gloves in your pocket.
I prefer to dive the same setup whenever it is practical, and since I dive cold water at least 6 months of the year, I prefer to dive with drygloves on most of the time. After a little practice, I don't even notice them now.
You could carry gloves in your pocket.
I prefer to dive the same setup whenever it is practical, and since I dive cold water at least 6 months of the year, I prefer to dive with drygloves on most of the time. After a little practice, I don't even notice them now.
OP
Bandaid6
Registered
I'm aware of chilblain and it hasn't proven to be a problem in the last 100 or so dives. That is exactly the type of response I was most curious about though. I appreciate the time and effort you took looking that up and linking it.
I really like being able to get on SB and read broad ranges of opinions and experiences on all subjects concerning this addiction I have
. I like the protection comments as well, I haven't done much wreck so I hadn't considered that much. I have several pairs of gloves and I always take a pair with me just in case. Since posting this I have been made aware of the offending persons "strong" personality and therefor won't be taking them serious anymore, I did however learn a lot from it. Thanks SB!
FM1520
Contributor
I was taught from the start to always wear gloves for protection. Holding onto mooring lines, anchor lines and drift lines or anything else, especially if you have to grab something in an emergency. You can cut your self up pretty good after your hands have been in the water for a while.
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