Ultima Dry Glove System question

[-JD-]

I was on the Live Webinar when FourthE announced these glove rings at DRIS. They definitely looked interesting. I wouldn't mind it if they sent me a set to test and review.

My initial concerns would be the basic design - they're oval. That means that they only go on and seal in one practical direction, which is wholly contingent on the initial suit-side ring install. At the dive site, certainly you'll have to be very careful to align them properly before snapping them closed. Failure to do so will certainly stress the o-ring and create a leak point.

...But that's an initial impression based on logic and theory. The practical application may find that these work very well and aren't finicky at all.

Still, I'd have to be convinced that the initial set direction of the suit-side oval ring is a good thing over the round ring of the Waterproof Ultimas.

I'm hopeful. I'd love to get my hands on a set of these for testing.

Enlarging the image, it looks like there may be alignment keys on the suit-side ring, but it is not clear how exactly it goes together from 2 pictures.
If not, I guess the impact of an alignment issue would somewhat depend on both the absolute and relative rigidity of the suit-side and glove-side rings.

I sent a request for pricing and availability to my LDS (NESS). Lets see what John comes back with.

 

[laikabear]

One of my friends may be getting that 4th E setup. I'm curious about it, too.

I ordered a 2nd drysuit from Seaskin in the UK. Slated to arrive sometime in September. I got the Si Tech oval wrist rings and bought the Ultima system separately. The Ultima box arrived today. So I guess I have 2 mos to get those 720s mounted!

@Degenerate one of the first equalizing methods I tried for the gloves was cutting short length of plastic coffee stirring straws. OMG so uncomfortable! Way too stiff. Right now I've been just pulling a bit of the wrist cuff of my undergarment under the seal. Now, if I had a massive glove leak, then I'd get a flood into my drysuit arm. And taking off the dry glove underwater and trying to stuff that undergarment back up my wrist would be pretty impossible.

So maybe that's not a good system except for recreational dives.

 

[laikabear]

I agree that mounting gloves so that the outer side seals against the rings is a pain... But it's not that bad. It should only take a few seconds, and requires no tools. Warm gloves and o-rings that have been stretched and lubed can help a lot.

Here's a video of me doing it... It took maybe 10 seconds.

Wow. I honestly do not know how you guys (@Seajay52 and @MaxBottomtime ) are doing this. If I hadn't watched the videos I would have said it can't be done. The O ring and the glove seem so much smaller than the ring!

I have been fiddling around with the system for a couple of hours now, and I can't even get EITHER the O ring or the glove on the hard ring by themselves. I even hit them with the hairdryer and stretched the crap out of the glove.

I could try to replicate @insomniac's jig system, but I don't have a saw to cut the PVC coupler, and he was using a size XL glove. I have size M.

I think I'm going to have to scrap the 720s on my new suit and use the G17K latex gloves I used to use. I had no idea how much easier mounting the 720s on the Santi rings vs the Ultimas was. I just don't have the grip strength. Womp womp. I have really liked the 720s on my Santi suit. They are so much warmer than the latex gloves.

 

[Zef]

Wow. I honestly do not know how you guys (@Seajay52 and @MaxBottomtime ) are doing this. If I hadn't watched the videos I would have said it can't be done. The O ring and the glove seem so much smaller than the ring!

I have been fiddling around with the system for a couple of hours now, and I can't even get EITHER the O ring or the glove on the hard ring by themselves. I even hit them with the hairdryer and stretched the crap out of the glove.

I could try to replicate @insomniac's jig system, but I don't have a saw to cut the PVC coupler, and he was using a size XL glove. I have size M.

I think I'm going to have to scrap the 720s on my new suit and use the G17K latex gloves I used to use. I had no idea how much easier mounting the 720s on the Santi rings vs the Ultimas was. I just don't have the grip strength. Womp womp. I have really liked the 720s on my Santi suit. They are so much warmer than the latex gloves.

In that case, I recommend returning the Ultimas and trying the si-tech virgo system.

-Z

 

[crcobb]

Wow. I honestly do not know how you guys (@Seajay52 and @MaxBottomtime ) are doing this. If I hadn't watched the videos I would have said it can't be done. The O ring and the glove seem so much smaller than the ring!

I have been fiddling around with the system for a couple of hours now, and I can't even get EITHER the O ring or the glove on the hard ring by themselves. I even hit them with the hairdryer and stretched the crap out of the glove.

I could try to replicate @insomniac's jig system, but I don't have a saw to cut the PVC coupler, and he was using a size XL glove. I have size M.

I think I'm going to have to scrap the 720s on my new suit and use the G17K latex gloves I used to use. I had no idea how much easier mounting the 720s on the Santi rings vs the Ultimas was. I just don't have the grip strength. Womp womp. I have really liked the 720s on my Santi suit. They are so much warmer than the latex gloves.

It wasn't easy the first time I installed gloves. Maybe a friend with larger/stronger hands would be willing to help? No matter what gloves you use you will need to be able to stretch the orings over the rings.

 

[Deep South Divers]

Wow. I honestly do not know how you guys (@Seajay52 and @MaxBottomtime ) are doing this. If I hadn't watched the videos I would have said it can't be done. The O ring and the glove seem so much smaller than the ring!

I have been fiddling around with the system for a couple of hours now, and I can't even get EITHER the O ring or the glove on the hard ring by themselves. I even hit them with the hairdryer and stretched the crap out of the glove.

I could try to replicate @insomniac's jig system, but I don't have a saw to cut the PVC coupler, and he was using a size XL glove. I have size M.

I think I'm going to have to scrap the 720s on my new suit and use the G17K latex gloves I used to use. I had no idea how much easier mounting the 720s on the Santi rings vs the Ultimas was. I just don't have the grip strength. Womp womp. I have really liked the 720s on my Santi suit. They are so much warmer than the latex gloves.

Send them to me. For $20 (which I'll use to ship them back to you), I'll install them for you.

My address:

SeaJay Bayne
DEEP SOUTH DIVERS
303 Grist Mill Ct
Rincon, GA 31326

Include $20, your gloves, the rings, and the o-rings.

...Or you can PayPal or Venmo $20 to pay@deepsouthdivers.org. I can also accept Facebook payments if you like that method. My Facebook is www.facebook.com/seajaybayne.

My hands are for rent.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

That sounds like a great deal. If you want to save a couple of days I can offer the same deal. I'm in Torrance.

 

[laikabear]

Thanks @Seajay52 and @MaxBottomtime!!

Pasadena is pretty close to Torrance so I will send you a PM, Phil.

 

[Degenerate]

@Degenerate one of the first equalizing methods I tried for the gloves was cutting short length of plastic coffee stirring straws. OMG so uncomfortable! Way too stiff. Right now I've been just pulling a bit of the wrist cuff of my undergarment under the seal. Now, if I had a massive glove leak, then I'd get a flood into my drysuit arm. And taking off the dry glove underwater and trying to stuff that undergarment back up my wrist would be pretty impossible.

So maybe that's not a good system except for recreational dives.

I've only been diving down to 12-13 meters at most so far so it's not been much of a problem yet, but I imagine the squeeze at 30 would be more noticeable.
Gonna pick up some flexible rubber tubing and give that a go, should work great.


Anyone got tips on some really really thin gloves that will work with the Ultima rings?
I got a fundies course in a month and a half and I want to get the thinnest gloves possible for the extra dexterity.
Doesn't have to be super durable, but they should preferably survive the course or be cheap enough that I can bring a couple extras and swap if needed

 

[Zef]

Get some cheap thin latex dish washing gloves from your super market. They will attach easily and quickly....they are not durable but if you are careful about what you touch should last at least a day or two.

Regarding the squeeze.....I find no difference in the squeeze at either 10meters or 40meters. I also don't find the squeeze to be uncomfortable or significantly limits my dexterity. The only issue I have is in really cold water, my hands start feeling cold sooner.

The Ultima ring system and the si-tech glove systems come with silicone tubing to pass under the wrist seal. I purchased a bunch of 2mm (OD) x1mm (ID) silicone tubing from Amazon....a note though, the tubing does not totally prevent the squeeze...if your hands hang below your body the gloves will squeeze around your hand a bit until you rais your hands level with your shoulders/or situate them so they are the high point of your body in the water.

-Z