Wetsuit gloves

[Monkey Knife-fight]

Heya everyone. My wetsuit gloves have become the last leaky spot in my wetsuit armor since my gloves have this crappy velcro strap that slips off the gloves and lets them ride up. So i was gonna get a different pair and was wondering what people use who dive in water like we have in NorCal. Low 50's mostly. I've read that you can get away with thinner gloves if the rest of your suit is tight because it's your core getting cold that often leads to fingers and other exremities getting numb. Just wondering if i can get away with 3mil gloves or if i should just go for 5mil.

 

[ChrisA]

I'm down In So. Cal. Water is mid to high 50's right now. When I take my camera I'll use a pair of tropical 1mm gloves. They are not warm but it's only the fingers that are moderaly cold and I can put up with it in exchange for easy camera handling. So I agree with your thoery. Even if the fingers feel cold not much heat is lost through the fingers.

But there is a difference between comfort and being chilled. I'd get the thickest gloves you can get until they get in the way of what you want to do underwater. When I'm not taking the camera I use my 3mm gloves. I'm thinking of buying a pair of 5mm kevlar gloves, Best to have several sets and pik the ones based on the dive..

Heya everyone. My wetsuit gloves have become the last leaky spot in my wetsuit armor since my gloves have this crappy velcro strap that slips off the gloves and lets them ride up. So i was gonna get a different pair and was wondering what people use who dive in water like we have in NorCal. Low 50's mostly. I've read that you can get away with thinner gloves if the rest of your suit is tight because it's your core getting cold that often leads to fingers and other exremities getting numb. Just wondering if i can get away with 3mil gloves or if i should just go for 5mil.

 

[ChrisA]

I'm down In So. Cal. Water is mid to high 50's right now. When I take my camera I'll use a pair of tropical 1mm gloves. They are not warm but it's only the fingers that are moderaly cold and I can put up with it in exchange for easy camera handling. So I agree with your thoery. Even if the fingers feel cold not much heat is lost through the fingers.

But there is a difference between comfort and being chilled. I'd get the thickest gloves you can get until they get in the way of what you want to do underwater. When I'm not taking the camera I use my 3mm gloves. I'm thinking of buying a pair of 5mm kevlar gloves, Best to have several sets and pik the ones based on the dive..

Buying both sizes realy does not cost ay more. Glove wear out with normal use so eventually you'd buy two pair anyways. Buy that second set now and gain flexibilty

Heya everyone. My wetsuit gloves have become the last leaky spot in my wetsuit armor since my gloves have this crappy velcro strap that slips off the gloves and lets them ride up. So i was gonna get a different pair and was wondering what people use who dive in water like we have in NorCal. Low 50's mostly. I've read that you can get away with thinner gloves if the rest of your suit is tight because it's your core getting cold that often leads to fingers and other exremities getting numb. Just wondering if i can get away with 3mil gloves or if i should just go for 5mil.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

The thermoclines are pretty drastic locally so surface temps may run 75 degrees in August with bottom temps at 130' to 150' still around 39 degrees. So on deeper dives 5mm gloves are needed. On shallower dives in the 55-65 degree range 3mm will do the job and in 65-75 degree water I will skip the gloves entirely or remove them and put them in a pocket if I brought them along for the deeper portions of the dive.

 

[matt_unique]

Heya everyone. My wetsuit gloves have become the last leaky spot in my wetsuit armor since my gloves have this crappy velcro strap that slips off the gloves and lets them ride up. So i was gonna get a different pair and was wondering what people use who dive in water like we have in NorCal. Low 50's mostly. I've read that you can get away with thinner gloves if the rest of your suit is tight because it's your core getting cold that often leads to fingers and other exremities getting numb. Just wondering if i can get away with 3mil gloves or if i should just go for 5mil.

I would buy the thickest gloves you can find, and specifically the three finger variety. Your hands are almost always the limiting factor in diving in terms of getting cold. It is not your core that gets cold then runs to your hands and feet. Your hands and feet will be cold long before your core.

--Matt

 

[crpntr133]

Not from cal but I do dive cold waters. If you are looking for a suggestion for type of glove I can recommend Henderson Hyperstretch. No more velcro but velcro does like to attach itself to the gloves.
I wear 5mm and haven't had my fingers get cold yet...cool maybe but not cold.

 

[O2BBubbleFree]

When I lived in Sacto I dove in Monterrey and Lake Tahoe. I use tight-fitting 3mm fishing gloves from Walmart, $6.00 a pair, and have never had my hands get cold.

When you say the gloves are 'riding up,' does that mean that they are creating exposed skin between your gloves and wetsuit sleeves? Then maybe your sleeves are too short?

 

[O2BBubbleFree]

It is not your core that gets cold then runs to your hands and feet. Your hands and feet will be cold long before your core.

--Matt

I think you're wrong here, Matt.

It's a circulation issue. Just because you feel it first in your hands and feet, doesn't mean it didn't start with your core. When your core gets cold, your circulation shuts down.

I'm not saying that good gloves aren't important, but you have to look at the whole set-up, and especially the hood.

Like the old saying say's, "If your feet are cold, put on a hat."

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I would buy the thickest gloves you can find, and specifically the three finger variety. Your hands are almost always the limiting factor in diving in terms of getting cold. It is not your core that gets cold then runs to your hands and feet. Your hands and feet will be cold long before your core.

--Matt

I would say get the thickest gloves you need, not the thickest ones you can find.

Thick gloves ... especially the 3-finger Gumby Gloves ... make it more difficult to manipulate your equipment. They are an impediment for many underwater activities (like photography). And they're definitely a burden if you have to unhook an inflator hose or wind a reel after shooting an SMB.

Everyone's circulatory system is different. Get as much glove as you need for warmth, and recognize that the tradeoff is the thicker the glove, the more difficulty you're going to have manipulating your equipment.

FWIW - I use 3 mm wet gloves for diving Puget Sound (current water temp is 48 degrees).

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[matt_unique]

I would say get the thickest gloves you need, not the thickest ones you can find.

Thick gloves ... especially the 3-finger Gumby Gloves ... make it more difficult to manipulate your equipment. They are an impediment for many underwater activities (like photography). And they're definitely a burden if you have to unhook an inflator hose or wind a reel after shooting an SMB.

Everyone's circulatory system is different. Get as much glove as you need for warmth, and recognize that the tradeoff is the thicker the glove, the more difficulty you're going to have manipulating your equipment.

FWIW - I use 3 mm wet gloves for diving Puget Sound (current water temp is 48 degrees).

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

The thick gumby gloves take some getting used to, especially for shooting bags and such. I just recently switched to 5 finger dry gloves from the gumby wet gloves. Huge increase in comfort and time at depth. Weekend before last our temps were 36 degrees (Mass). My buddy and I use the heat packs in the gloves and boots to help. (Same packs used by skiiers and such). Just have to make sure you're using only air in your drysuit, nitrox is a no no as you can imagine. Dry gloves take some getting used to as well.

Back to topic, I would opt for thicker gloves because colder water divers rarely have hands that are too warm in my experience.

--Matt