Moving to Thinner Gloves for Better Dexterity. Good Idea?

[rakpix]

I bought a pair of 5mm OMS ergo gloves last week, and have been having trouble operating my equipment in them but have yet to get them wet, and still may be able to return them for another brand/thickness. I will be diving in 57 degree freshwater at ~70 feet this upcoming weekend, and need some gloves (I normally dive bare-handed in 65-75 degree water.) I've read some good things about the Pinnacle karbonflex 4mm merino-lined kevlar gloves. Unlike the OMS, they are four-way-stretch. How much an improvement in dexterity can I expect to gain from this exchange .. versus how much a loss in warmth? Is one millimeter significant, and is the merino lining worth an extra $11??

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I have the Merino 5 mil gloves and notice very little reduction. As least as far as scuba needs go. I don;t think I could pick up a needle with them at 50 ft but turning valves, working bolt snaps, etc is not a problem. I have dove them in as cold as 38 degrees and at about 25 minutes my fingers started to hurt. Of course I was a butcher for 20 years off and on and worked in a slaughter house where the temp was always 38-40. My hands are a little more resistant to cold but I now also have early arthritis in both hands and wrists so I really do not like to be cold. What level of dexterity are you looking for? 57 is not bad but I still would not use my reef gloves. It;d be the 5 mils or the dry 5's I also now have. I have used other 5 mil gloves and maybe it is just me but the Merino does make a difference. Warmer, easier to get on when wet, and to get off.

 

[gcbryan]

I guarantee that you can operate your equipment in whatever you have as people in colder water do it all the time.

 

[lavachickie]

This is an issue that's bugged me as a new diver. I hate the lack of feeling gloves made for cold water leave me with. I'm very cold tolerant, and I've been using a thin pair of gloves I grab with my drysuit rental from my LDS. You'd think with all the fancy technology in the world we'd have something better than 5 mil neoprene for keeping hands warm.

Every time I pass a dive shop I go in and try on every glove I can find. I will dance with joy the day I find one that isn't too thick and fits my hands well (medium sized -- kind of big for a woman, but not as large as a man's hands, so nothing fits well).

I won't need them next month in Maui, but I've got a few dives here in the PNW yet before then! Brrr! =-)

 

[Belce]

When I want to improve my dexterity diving in cold water I use marigolds <think dish gloves> and wear a thin wool liner underneath. I stretch the latex gloves over the rings that my dry gloves normally attach to and that keeps them dry and reasonably warm.

The liner is something like this
Auclair Polypro Liner Gloves (Unisex) - Mountain Equipment Co-op. Free Shipping Available

The marigold is like this
Marigold Rubber Gloves

They usually come in black with white insides, turn them inside out to get hands that will really standout against your black suit.

 

[diver_doug]

As far as not being able to operate equipment goes, you probably just need to get used to using the gloves...your normal tactile sense is gone with gloves that thick and you'll basically need to rely on memory and the feeling of pressure on your hand to operate stuff-it'll get easy with practice. I don't think you'll appreciate much difference going from 5mm to 4mm in terms of dexterity, but if the Pinnacle gloves are made of a more flexible neoprene, that may help considerably. I also like the merino lining...I have it on my hood and it feels somewhat warmer than my previous non-merino-lined hood, plus it makes donning/doffing much easier. As far as cold goes, ultimately it's a matter of individual tolerance-but I'm a thin guy and 4mm gloves would be adequate for me in 57 degree water.

 

[Akimbo]

There is a lot of individual variation to cold tolerance, especially for hands. For what it is worth, I have worn 3mm gloves in 50° F water a long time. However, I know plenty of people who need much better protection. Photographers have it especially hard staying still and waiting for the perfect shot. Why not get a pair of 3mm and take both on the trip? Return the 5mm later if you don’t get them wet.

 

[Dhboner]

As anal as this sounds I have done a lot of "dryland" practice with my 5mm gloves on.

I use every feature/pocket/snap on my B.C. to make sure it is second nature even with the gloves! I take my knife out, folding snorkel, back-up light...everything. Once I am in the water (even 38 degree water) there is very little learning curve. My son and I even pass the camera lanyard back and forth in low vis/cold water just to make sure we can function in all conditions.

Gloves are pretty awkward at first but with a little practice you wil be fine!

 

[ligersandtions]

I had a pair of 5mm gloves once and I felt like I couldn't do anything with them....I couldn't attach a boltsnap for the life of me!

I switched back to a pair of 3mm gloves and had no issues.

That said, in the 3mm gloves, my hands would eventually go numb and I couldn't attach a boltsnap to anything at that point either. I now dive with dry gloves (with my drysuit) and couldn't be happier.

If you're in a wetsuit, 3mm gloves are sufficient (for me....and I'm a pretty big wuss when it comes to cold water wetsuit diving) down to mid-50's.

 

[Rainer]

When I dive wet gloves (which is a real rarity), I use the Pinnacle Karbonflex 4mm merino-lined kevlar ones. I have quite decent dexterity with them, but do eventually get cold hands in anything less than mid-50sF. If you're diving dry, the real solution is going to dry gloves. Way warmer, way better dexterity.