KUBI dryglove set - Install

[rjgiddings]

Wanted to write up my thoughts on how I installed KUBI 90mm dry glove system on my DUI CF200x drysuit w/ zip seals. ** If you’ve done this I’d like to hear any feedback on how you did your own install and post-dive feedback is appreciated !

I should start with mentioning: I was very happy with my DUI zip gloves for about a year. I will say that in the several dozen dives I did with the blue smurf gloves they never did leak one drop. They work VERY well at keeping my hands dry.

The major drawbacks to the Zip Gloves are the cost, and the lack of dexterity.

It was the fumbling and clumsy fingers that made me think about a different dry glove system.

I'm taking a GUE Fundamentals class in a few days w/ Alex Adolphi, and I want to work those bolt snaps with ZERO clumsiness. I think this is going to help in a significant way.

I found KUBI gloves online - and read a few reviews - and then found a used pair from a Member on this forum, he sold them at a really decent price. Then; coming from Canada, I had them in my mailbox a few days later. The communication, business transaction and ship times were great. ( @ajmcc thanks again )

I chose 90 mm rings based on two factors... 1.) It fits me best and 2.) Divers that get 100mm rings seem to struggle getting their wrists through their backplate/ wing harness. 100mm just likes to get caught. On a moving dive boat I don’t need that additional struggle. Or anywhere.

When the KUBI seet arrived they were flawless. The inner liners, the gloves themselves and all the aluminum rings and o-rings were factory fresh. The whole set looked untouched.

The paper copy instructions in the box were a joke however. I found a few online videos and the KUBI website had some downloadable instructions I used instead. The instructions off the KUBI website was way better at showing step-by-step which my small brain needs on things like this. KUBI is a company born from technical diver Peter Kubicka over in Slovakia, and their main distribution is from - I think - the UK.

Instructions online were originally written in Slovakian, then translated into English. I chucked at their expression: using the Great Strength. I’m like...the Incredible Hulk kind of strength ? What ?

I took a brand new pair of silicone DUI zip seals - turned them inside out and using the ‘Great Strength’ stretched the beefy o-ring around the seal. It pinched and shredded the seal. Ripped a hole. Damn.

Ordered a LATEX zip seal off eBay...they arrived a few days later.

Once again - but more gently this time, using the ‘Great Strength’ stretched the beefy o-ring around the ring...and… voila. No folds or kinks in the seal - and they look very snug.

The way the seals sit - if the glove gets a puncture, I still have a latex cuff seal between the glove and my arm...so the drysuit wont flood. I can’t even describe how genius this design is.

The install took me maybe 30 minutes. This includes me being way OCD about the set up.

Now for the test in the Big Blue to see if I really like ‘em.

I think I’m keeping the original DUI blue Zip Gloves as a backup.

 

[broncobowsher]

I've had Kubis for 3 years or so now. Really like them. Bought spare gloves off Zoro (search G17) for next to nothing. Shipping was more than the gloves, so I bought several sets. I've holed the gloves a couple of times. One was climbing the ladder back onto the boat. I keep spare gloves and liners in an old mask box (the drysuit save a dive kit). Keep a cable tie in there as well, use the cable tie to work the O-rings out of the grooves. Changed gloves and liners on the surface interval. Had no issue throwing away the gloves.

Keeping the inner wrist seal just makes too much sense to me. On shallow dives I often leave out the silly string (the vent tubing). There isn't that much glove squeeze. But get below about 60' and you want it to equalize. Many people just use the thumb loops of there undies. Depending on the undies, that may not work for everyone. I like my silly string. You can get a lifetime supply of it off Amazon. Cheap small diameter silicone tubing.

I still don't understand how DUI gets away with the ZIP seals. I like the concept, but have no idea where the pricing comes from.

My only interesting moment was running without the tubing on a shallow dive. Had a bubble in the drysuit burp past the wrist seal. Upon surfacing the glove was a bit inflated.

The sealing O-rings I have to lightly lube from time to time. When they get dry they get difficult to get on and off. A touch of lube often makes them too slick. So lube and a dry towel to wipe down to a slight gloss. Test fit them to the suit until you are happy with the friction level. Too slick, keep buffing. Too tight, add lube. Not as hard as it sounds.

 

[ericfine50]

When I used them with my FLX, I loved them vs the ZipGloves. I like the use of my hands when gearing up and getting dressed. I went with the Santi/Grey HD glove vs the G17 gloves. I was worried about the thinness of the G17. At the moment, I am using Santi's Smart Seals w. their suit. It works and so far, I have been dry more times than wet ;-)
If going back to a DUI, I would use the Kubi's again.

 

[p_kos]

I've had Kubis for 3 years or so now. Really like them. Bought spare gloves off Zoro (search G17) for next to nothing. Shipping was more than the gloves, so I bought several sets. I've holed the gloves a couple of times. One was climbing the ladder back onto the boat. I keep spare gloves and liners in an old mask box (the drysuit save a dive kit). Keep a cable tie in there as well, use the cable tie to work the O-rings out of the grooves. Changed gloves and liners on the surface interval. Had no issue throwing away the gloves.

Keeping the inner wrist seal just makes too much sense to me. On shallow dives I often leave out the silly string (the vent tubing). There isn't that much glove squeeze. But get below about 60' and you want it to equalize. Many people just use the thumb loops of there undies. Depending on the undies, that may not work for everyone. I like my silly string. You can get a lifetime supply of it off Amazon. Cheap small diameter silicone tubing.

I still don't understand how DUI gets away with the ZIP seals. I like the concept, but have no idea where the pricing comes from.

My only interesting moment was running without the tubing on a shallow dive. Had a bubble in the drysuit burp past the wrist seal. Upon surfacing the glove was a bit inflated.

The sealing O-rings I have to lightly lube from time to time. When they get dry they get difficult to get on and off. A touch of lube often makes them too slick. So lube and a dry towel to wipe down to a slight gloss. Test fit them to the suit until you are happy with the friction level. Too slick, keep buffing. Too tight, add lube. Not as hard as it sounds.

Agree on difficulty removing gloves with dry orings. I actually roll some saliva and give ‘em a good lick-around before putting them on, works really well for me.

 

[broncobowsher]

Agree on difficulty removing gloves with dry orings. I actually roll some saliva and give ‘em a good lick-around before putting them on, works really well for me.

Next time you lube the zipper try a touch on the O-rings. You can stop spitting on yourself.

 

[p_kos]

Next time you lube the zipper try a touch on the O-rings. You can stop spitting on yourself.

Spit works without being too slippery and doesn’t hold on to sand, grit, etc, like zipper lube. I don’t mind spitting on my self, I already spit in the mask so what goes on the glove rings is minimal by comparison.

 

[sh0ck1999]

i rubbed in some dow 111 on the sealing o ring couple times when i first got my kubi rings and havent had to re lube them for 80 dives or so. i love them as well but they are attached to my glued in wrist seals. ive been considering getting the fitted rings glued into my suit then i can quick swap wrist seals too

 

[stuartv]

I've had Kubis for 3 years or so now. Really like them. Bought spare gloves off Zoro (search G17) for next to nothing. Shipping was more than the gloves, so I bought several sets. I've holed the gloves a couple of times. One was climbing the ladder back onto the boat. I keep spare gloves and liners in an old mask box (the drysuit save a dive kit). Keep a cable tie in there as well, use the cable tie to work the O-rings out of the grooves. Changed gloves and liners on the surface interval. Had no issue throwing away the gloves.

Keeping the inner wrist seal just makes too much sense to me. On shallow dives I often leave out the silly string (the vent tubing). There isn't that much glove squeeze. But get below about 60' and you want it to equalize. Many people just use the thumb loops of there undies. Depending on the undies, that may not work for everyone. I like my silly string. You can get a lifetime supply of it off Amazon. Cheap small diameter silicone tubing.

I have been to 200' with my Kubi rings and nothing to allow equalization between the suit and gloves - and with no discomfort.

I'm not discounting that glove squeeze does happen.

My hypothesis is that the less extra air you have in your dry gloves, the deeper you can go without needing to equalize them. My dry gloves fit my hands very snugly and I think that it why I have not had discomfort with the squeeze.

YMMV.

 

[Compressor]

I also feel like @stuartv. I've been in deep water with my Kubi rings and did not have anything to equalize the suit and gloves either.
I love the system but I have nothing else to compare it against.

 

[Brett Hatch]

Been using the Kubi system since my drysuit came in a few months back. I'm also a red O-ring licker, it provides just enough to make it easy to take them off later. Whatever you do, don't dive them completely dry, it is seriously a pain to get them off. If I ever forget to give them a good lick before a dive, then I'll probably give some "proper lube" a shot, one less thing to forget when gearing up.

It's the only dryglove system I've used, so cannot say whether it improves dexterity vs other brands. But the dexterity is at least as good as my Waterproof 5mm wetgloves, so, no complaints here. I'm using the blue plastic liners that came with the glove system, works great for my local water temps in the 47F-55F range. I usually dive them with the liner inside the wrist glove to keep them equalized, but one time I forgot, and went down to around 55-60 feet for 50 minutes or so. It was a little chillier than normal for sure. But not painful, no numbness, and I could still operate a boltsnap and my computer buttons, so the squeeze wasn't a big deal.