Dry Gloves

[beeger]

Has anybody out there tried out the new Diving Concepts crushed neoprene dry gloves? I'm currently using dry gloves that are the same material as their blue gloves, with a ring system from OS Systems. I saw the crushed neoprene gloves at DEMA and now want to pick up a pair.

I emailed Diving Concepts to find out if there are any local dealers in the area. They told me Fantasea was the only one. Is there anybody online from Fantasea? If so, do you guys have these gloves in stock? I tried on these gloves at DEMA to find a size I liked but then, like an idiot, promptly forgot the size I decided on (it was either a L or XL). I suppose I could just call over there but I'm online right now so I thought I would ask.

[Punky]

I would like info on dry glove in general. Type, sealing systems
ease of donning and doffing. I know different strokes for
different folks but people using them still can tell you the pros
and cons.

[DanL]

I ahve the DC neoprene gloves. Warm, comfortable, but a bit pricey. Highly recommend them.
Get them from COVCI at
COVCI has about the best price you will find. The new glove is not listed on their website, but call them - they do carry the new neoprenes.
When you call, they will ask you to measure the diameter of your hand at the knuckles to determine proper glove size. Have a cloth or paper tape measure when you call (not a metal tapemeasure)
Installation is easy (see the DC website - has full instructions with pics for installation) IF you have a stretchable drysuit. If you have a trilam drysuit (eg DUI TLS350), the sleeves will not stretch and getting the rings installed takes patience and ingenuity. (I can give you a lot of detailed help if needed)
The gloves/rings can be mounted on a drysuit and removed over and over with no damage to the drysuit. I've had them on and off three or four times trying different mounting methods.
Also, if your sleeve is a bit too long, the ring system will shorten the sleeve about an inch to two inches depending on how you mount them. I "customized" my sleevelength by mouning a bit high to match my armlength.
Get the gloves slightly big so that you can comfortably fit the separate gloveliners that are included with the neoprene gloves. Also, go to Target and buy a couple cheap pairs of polarfleece gloves to use as extra gloveliners. The gloveliners do get damp from perspiration and the general wet conditions, so having dry spares to use on each dive is handy.
Dexterity is good, even with liners that are heavier than the liner gloves supplied by DC.
One prob is that the glove outer fabric is nylon. Good for abrasion resistance, but there is no "tacky" coating on thr palms/fingers and the gloves tend to be a bit slippery when wet. Grabbing and opening a bolt snap can be just a little slippery.
Another annoying thing is that the "gauntlet" - the skirt on the glove that covers the wrist - rolls off the ring and folds fwd. A "cosmetic" issue - no big deal and doesn't effect glove function or integrity, but it shouldn't do that on an expensive glove.
The DC rings seem a good system - easy on and easy off - and you can use a wide variety of outer gloves on them and a wide variety of liners. There are many posts on Scubaboard.com about using commonly available, cheap gloves (eg cement mixing gloves)on the rings and almost any type of light glove can be used as a liner.
Call COVCI and go for it - you'll have the basics to start building a glove "system" for all conditions.

[jasondbaker]

Another "local" source is Tall Pine Scuba. I think their price is as good as COVCI.

[tpscuba]

Jason Thanks for the pitch. If you want to check out the gloves the site is
The site is real good and the gloves I find very nice and comfortable

[beeger]

In response to Punky's questions: I have the most experience with the OS Systems/Diving Concepts ring system. These are basically the same except the OS has 2 o-rings on the glove ring, and I think the DC only has one (I could be wrong), not that this is an issue. Ring system installation is not too hard, but it is easier with two people.

Dry gloves are great, but they can be a pain to use/maintain sometimes. Especially in these parts where there are lots of jagged rocks, fishing lures, metal shipwrecks, lake garbage, etc. etc. It is very easy to tear a thin glove. Thin gloves are cheap, so no big deal there, but you could be talking about a cold blast on your hand and a potentially dive ending event. More of an annoyance than anything else on a typical recreational dive, a potentially dangerous situation on a dive where you have a substantial obligation before hitting the surface. Get yourself a good strong glove and be done with it. Also, you want to consider whether or not to use a ring system to attach the glove to your suit (most people use one). You also want to consider how, or if, you want to equalize the air in the gloves during the dive. I can go more into this if you or anyone wants. I experimented with a number of different ways.

The Nordic Blue gloves I have right now are the same as the DC blue gloves, and these have worked great for me. The gloves are even more durable than they feel. These gloves have sewn in liners, which is both good and bad. Right now when I want to dry out these gloves, I put my shopvac on “blow” and stick a hose up into it. Inconvenient, but it works great. The liners don’t bunch up inside the gloves at all.

Dan – I am interested in your comments about the slippery feel. I had not thought of that at all. It is a concern for me as I am usually dealing with a number of different stainless steel bolt snaps on any given dive. It’s all I use to attach things (although I think I still have a couple brass ones in the “rotation”).

Jason/tpscuba – do you guys have these in stock? I wouldn’t mind seeing some up close again, and possibly trying on a couple different sizes. I’m going to probably end up with the DC ring system, I’m just debating on the glove. Chances are it will be either the new or old DC gloves (are they still making the old ones?).

[fantasea]

We normally carry the DC dry gloves in stock. We've had great success with both styles (first version being similiar to the Nordic Blues, the newer beign the neoprene.) The neoprene offer better dexterity than the blue gloves. Both are easy for maintenance. The blue styles don't offer a good way of drying - nonremovable liners. The neoprene you switch out the liner with one that dry as the other dries out. If your a sweaty hand kind of diver

We sell many of both sets a year. With our Ice diving class this weekend, we sold out 5 sets and cleaned us dry until late next week or 10 days. You can come in and see them or email us at fantasea@fantaseadivers.com if you want us to hold a pair for you.

I thought the benefit of the blue gloves would be better for repair or non-absorbtion of water. I personally own both styles, but have preferred the neoprene models now having more experience with them. They are both VERY durable - I've done salvage work with them, but be careful of SHARP objects. I've mounted mine so that I have the inner seal as well so if I take them off, I can wear my suit with wet gloves or bare hands.

Hope this helps. FantaSea Scuba

[jasondbaker]

I have a pair of the DC neoprene gloves on order so I have not used them yet. Beeger, what are you using to equalize the air between the gloves and suit? I was planning to use some tubing under the wrist seals. Let me know if there is a better method.

[DanL]

The slippery feel is more noticeable out of water. Wasn't a noticable issue in water.
Removable liners are the way to go - instant replaceement between dives if they get damp.
For venting when you maintain the wrist seal, using straws and plastic tubes can be uncomfortable. I use a heavy piece of shoestring - about 8" long, knot at each end. One end inside the seal, the other sticking out of seal into glove. Passes enough air to equalize, but prob wont pass a lot of water if glove leaks. Also, can easily be pulled out to seal wrist is glove leaks. I used the pieces of boot lace I cut off my rockboots.

[beeger]

Jason - Dan's got the right idea. Avoid tubing of any sort because it actually allows the air to migrate in and out too fast, IMHO. Fast air migration/exit, in addition to being annoying, will allow for fast water migration if the glove floods. I've played with a number of different string combinations of one sort or another. The best thing I found was basic bungee cord. I used this because I had lots of it laying around. I usually cut the pieces 4-5 inches long and left enough hanging out of my wrist seal to fairly easily remove it underwater if my glove experienced a big flood. I experimented with progressively small diameters of cord until I ended up with 1/8" although I bet you could go even smaller. The cords are nice in that, like Dan's shoe string, it is soft against your skin when compared to any sort of stiff tube.

This being said I want to give another method a try sometime soon: Instead of using any sort of cord, I want to try taking an athletic sock (a "tube" sock) and cutting two holes in the end: one for my thumb and one for the rest of my fingers. Also, Cut the length of the sock so no more than maybe 2-3 inches extends up your arm. I picked up this idea from somebody on another mail list so I *can't* vouch for it yet. But it seems to address the comfort and slow air migration issues. Plus it solves the “constantly-losing-my-small-lengths-of-bungee-cord-problem.” If anyone is interested in this let me know and I'll see if I can find the website that has pictures showing the details.