Review: Diving Concepts Crushed Neoprene Dry Gloves.

[WillAbbott]

ericfine50 once bubbled...
Ben,
Thanks for the pics. They look closer to a 2 or 3mm glove. how is the dexterity? They look sweet, now I wish they would make them also in a non ring style.

Eric

They are "crushed" neoprene, therefore it's something like 5mill of neoprene compressed like it does under pressure only permanantly into the size of about 3mill. The gloves themselves are VERY flexible, add the liners and they get a little less so, as they become with liners about as thick as 5mills, however even with the liners they are about 2-5times more dextrerous as 5mill neoprene. I did things with mine I couldn't do with 5mill gloves on. I wore my linners both dives and I'm glad I did... I completely don'd/doff'd my gear with them on, including mask (which I can't get my hood out from under my mask with 5mill wet gloves, etc) and changed my tank/reg with them on... all task's I couldn't have done before with my 5mill wet gloves on. I will never go back!

 

[ericfine50]

Thanks -- I have seen some "compressed" neoprene products that still had less than optimal dexterity.

Eric

 

[Soggy]

I'll have mine at Dutch Springs on the 12-13th of April if anyone wants to look at them.

 

[JeffAustin]

the dexterity is on a par with a new pair of blues. IMO.

 

[-BlueHole-]

Thanks a lot scubaroo,
they look wonderful, and the rings are the same of mine blue ones, i think i'll get them

 

[JeffAustin]

I believe that there are two different sized rings used with the gloves. the way to tell which you have is if there is a rubber "sleeve" over the glove where it mates with its ring, it is the new (a little larger?) ring.

 

[mddolson]

I like the Diving Concepts Ring seal system, but unfortunately they are not for me. MY HANDS ARE TOO BIG.

I recently tried a pair of the Diving Concepts ring seals and I cannot use them. My hands are too big and can't get through the opening in the wrist seal, with out tearing my knuckles off.

I have the same problem with the Nordic Blue ring seal system.
These are nice because they have a 1/4 turn lockon feature.

My Sci-tek ring seals are installed and do fit ok.
The rings are about 3/8 inch larger diameter than the Diving Concepts.

This is offered as assistance to anyone who might have the same problem.

Mike D

 

[Scubaroo]

Has anyone with the D.C. neoprene gloves experienced this problem? The last two inches of neoprene near the wrist is just pulled over the wrist part of the glove to keep things neat and tidy, and not glued down - it tends to slide off the ring and bunch up during the dive. I'm not impressed that during the dive, the vulnerable inner glove can be exposed at the wrist. It's not a manufacturing defect, both gloves are finished the same.

The only solution I can see is to glue it down with some AquaSeal or similar, but I haven't read of anyone else with this problem.

 

[Soggy]

Yeah...I have this problem...haven't come up with a solution yet.

 

[JeffAustin]

I have to admit(especially since UP let the cat out of the bag) that I have switched from the neoprene to the blue smurf gloves. the problem you allude to scubaroo, with the "sleeve" of neoprene not staying where it should: mine did that at first, but after a while it stopped being a problem, they stayed put; if DC made that sleeve about 3" longer, it would protect the whole seal area on the cuff. My gloves leaked slowly, so that after a dive, my hands would be very damp, not cold, just damp. then the gloves started to stink... I was not impressed. So I got the blues(gloves, that is) and had a real surprise the first time I used them; it was so much easier to dump gas from my cuff dump than before with the neoprene gloves. Why, you ask; the neoprene gloves would stretch out , due to air pressure when I would lift up my arm to exhaust my suit, effectively reducing the pressure hitting the valve and causing the valve to be slow in opening. I don't know if anyone else has experienced this, but this alone, is enough of a reason for me to use the blue gloves instead of the neoprenes. I still think the neoprenes have better dexterity, but functionally they are inferior to the blue gloves,IMO.