Join DiveBuddy.com

Meet new scuba divers, maintain a virtual dive log, participate in our forum, share underwater photos, research dive sites and more. Members login here.

#3720
Best wet gloves for a drysuit
tstormdiver - 3/21/2016 4:46 PM
Category: Equipment
Replies: 7

After several years of being spoiled with Zip Seal dry gloves, on my DUI drysuits, I am in the process of getting a Fourth Element drysuit. My plan is to get it retrofitted with Zip Seals next winter, when things are slow. I opted to not get the Oval ring system that is an option because I have never had any luck with ring systems. Since I must make due until the retrofit, what are the best wet gloves to use for minimal water intrusion & exchange? My hands are very prone to the cold & I have very short fingers, for the width of my hands. Any Ideas? Thanks!
#20384
LatitudeAdjustment - 3/23/2016 8:52 AM
That would depend on how cold the water is. In California I had buddies diving dry but using 3 mil or work gloves so they could feel the buttons on their camera’s. For local winter diving that wouldn’t work :(

Then there were those Florida divers I saw last month diving dry because the water was down to 71 :)
#3720
Subscribed
tstormdiver - 3/23/2016 8:59 AM
The quarry I dive is 42 degrees below 50 ft There are usually a few thermoclines in between. In mid summer, the surface can be in the upper 80’s & drops from there. Next winter, when things are slow, I hope to send my suit into DUI for a Zip Seal retrofit.
#370
Subscribed
Jgidley - 3/27/2016 5:01 PM
I haven’t read all the responses. One suggestion I got is depending on the drysuit. Is to use kitchen rubber gloves. They will seal over your cuffs insulating your dry gloves underneath. I thought it was crazy until I watched one of the divers using them. We were ice diving at the time.
#3720
Subscribed
tstormdiver - 3/28/2016 7:32 AM
From Jgidley: I haven’t read all the responses. One suggestion I got is depending on the drysuit. Is to use kitchen rubber gloves. They will seal over your cuffs insulating your dry gloves underneath. I thought it was crazy until I watched one of the divers using them. We were ice diving at the time

I do not have drygloves for this coming suit (it is currently being built),... just regular seals. Without a ring system, just rubber gloves alone will not work. I tried the ring system several years ago & could not get it to work. That is when I retrofitted my current suits to Zip Seals. They worked great! The suits just didn’t hold up. I will send this suit in to DUI to retrofit it with Zip Seals this winter, when things (diving- wise) are slow. I figured I would just use wet gloves until such time.
#370
Subscribed
Jgidley - 3/29/2016 11:53 AM
Last time I was ice diving I had wet 3mm gloves. Burrr. I’m going to upgrade.
#3720
Subscribed
tstormdiver - 3/29/2016 5:22 PM
Yeah, 3mm a little too thin for me. I was hoping technology may have improved some, since several years when I wore them.