Clare Gledhill(Offline)

OK - someone tell me about dry gloves please - assuming I know nothing (which is about right - apart from having an inbuilt fear of blue ones )

How do they fit to the suit (will they damage my seals), do the rings stay on all the time, can you still easily wear neoprene gloves in the summer, which ones have you tried, liked etc.

Oh and the rule 6 question - can I get them in black? :D

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rbrt(Offline)

Peter Steinhoff has written a good introduction http://dir-diver.com/en/equipment/drygloves.html

Regarding colour. Blue is much better than black since it's easier to see hand signals.

/Robert

Jecowling(Offline)

Hi Clare,

Get some, they make a massive difference to how warm I stay underwater (my whole body, not just my hands)

I use the hydrotech ones with their 'own' seals since I've not found any for the ring system that are small enough to fit my hands. They work fine once you get a technique for getting the seals to lay flat against your wrist seals with less than half an hour's faffing. They also mean you don't have big bulky rings on the end of your arms, but they're probably slightly colder since there are only two layers of latex at your wrist rather then a warm air space with the ring-type ones. AK recommends the 'RoLock system' which leaves your suit and seals in tact and so can be taken off for the summer, but all the ring systems I've seen people using seem to work ok.

I'd ask the Finns / Swedes / Norwegians / Poles what they use as they're infinitely more qualified then me. Mind you, it was 1 degree in Ellerton Lake last week.

Jen

Rick(Offline)

I have the ring snap Typhoon type as have other UK guys which are available for approx £40 from Stoney....In black.

You need to buy another set of seals which you can either glue to your suit or use your original seals with the spares inside.

Yes

Yes

Yes but as Robert has said.....there's the thought that looking good comes a poor 2nd to using effective equipment.

Mark Emery has a good link for installing them

HTH

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neilh (Online)

Looks like a handy thread (ahem ) - couple of questions from me:
- are the hydrotech ones ok on their own or do you need thinsulate gloves under them?
- any idea where the "RoLock" ones are available from and how easy they are to fit?

I might be looking into this far more seriously after Sunday!

Jecowling(Offline)

They're ok on their own (they have the fleecey yellow lining) but for extra warmth you can wear a pair of 'base layer' gloves.

http://www.dyk-brand.se/old/sidor/acessori.htm

I've never fitted them, so ask Andy Kerslake!

Jen

Seydlitz(Offline)

As Has been pointed out ..No mistaking Blue hand signals

Rick Is spot on That you need two sets of Seals Basically one Glued over the top of each other...drawback one seal goes they both need replacing.

The outer Seal concertinas over the the ring system and held in place by o rings and the innner seal is inside the ring ..so that if you do cut the glove you dont flood your suit...Place a piece of bungee /thumb lumb through inner seal to offset glove squeeze if you then flood glove all you get is a damp wrist

I have the older syle typhoons and the only drawback is putting new gloves on the ring...However I now know a quick way to do it

Depending on how nesh you are ...I dislike the yellow furry insides , lost dexterity get the Showa gloves ..they are just the glove no furry stuff..Blue though i'll find the link!!! and put a thin pair of knitted gloves .. Bought mine from a climbing shop .

Folk love or Hate them..I feel the way i've got mine set up is brilliant for winter ..warm hands and dextrity..can't belive i suffered with wet gloves for so long.

The gloves and a P valve have made a big difference to feeling a whole lot more comfortable in the water..look
In Summmer you can either leave rings in place or fold outer set up and dive wet.

Because the outer seal is streched over the ring system on a permanent basis..the latex seals degrade quite quickly

HTH Andy

MarkEm(Offline)

Hi Clare,

I have the Typhoon snap-on dry gloves (blue ones) that are available from Stoney Cove. These gloves are actually made by Checkup Dive System. I guess I have been using them for about two and a half years now and I have never had any issues with them. They do take a little getting used to at first but if you avoid the smallest size bolt-snaps they are fine when clipping/un-clipping gear or performing other tasks.

The rings do stay on all the time and yes they do stretch the wrist seals on your suit so they will need changing if you decide to remove them completely after six months or so.

Fit them with an added (removable) internal wrist seal (bottle bottom) which prevents a catastrophic suit flood in the event of a glove puncture. The added seal also allows you to dive without the dry gloves fitted in the warmer months. I use 3mm S/Pro kevlar gloves in the summer and bring out the dry gloves again in the winter.

Here is a link with fitting instructions for the Diving Concepts gloves which are pretty much identical to my ones - http://www.divingconcepts.com/dryglove.htm

I fit them to my latex seals the way they recommend for neoprene seals as I have found this to be less prone to leakage.

You will certainly feel warmer if you use them. I would recommend them to anyone that still feels the cold with your current themal protection. They are a lot cheaper than a suit heating system!

Regards,

Mark.

djbroussard(Offline)

Hello Clare,

If I remember you just purchase not one, but two DUI suits. I would recommend checking out the zip seals. I have had my DUI for a while and love them. I use the blue gloves. If I dive warm I change the gloves for wrist seals.
There are maybe a couple of points:
1. You don't have an inner seal (good: more warmth, bad: no back up leak protection).
2. My dive partner and I have found that we cannot operate the touch contacts on the dive computer.

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djbroussard(Offline)

Sorry, one more thing...
I would go with the blue. Even with my mask off I was able to track my dive partner. Actually it was the only thing on him I could see.

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“A subtle thought that is in error may yet give rise to fruitful inquiry that can establish truths of great value.” -Isaac Asimov