| Its an interesting point.
If you're committing to a big dive is it better to use a glove that is inherently warm to X level or to use a warmer glove that introduces a significant failure point?
One assumes in the temps where dry gloves are necessary it would be disastrous to flood a glove and end up with loosing the use of a hand.
I got in a tangle on a 6c dive once and my hands were so numb I dropped my knife several times trying to cut my self free. This was a full size knife and fortunately it was on a lanyard. I was on a return to shot dive and I felt cold but turned the dive much too late as by the time i got back to the shot I had lost feeling in both hands. It was only a 25m dive and i was in a fair bit of trouble with the entanglement. I abandoned the goody bag I had been carrying and I had to ascend the line with my arm wrapped round it because i couldn't use my hands.
After this i considered dry gloves but this would only be an advantage if i could quickly abort the dive. If not a failure would be even more disastrous in those temps.
In a way I suppose the best thing to do is use removable dry gloves and have a set of 5mm mitts in the pocket in case of disaster.
Its what i would do but I don't know if it contravenes any DIR rules or not?
ATB
Mark Chase
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The only DIR Inspiration diver in the village |