Thinner gloves for cold water diving?

[jalswager]

If diving in water down to about 50 degrees in Wisconsin and surrounding areas, will 5 mm or even 3 mm gloves work? I just bought 7 mm wet suit. I'm concerned about trade-off between warmth and dexterity? Just returned 7mm new gloves I bought because I didn't feel I could move fingers well enough. Thoughts?

 

[diveprof]

If diving in water down to about 50 degrees in Wisconsin and surrounding areas, will 5 mm or even 3 mm gloves work? I just bought 7 mm wet suit. I'm concerned about trade-off between warmth and dexterity? Just returned 7mm new gloves I bought because I didn't feel I could move fingers well enough. Thoughts?

Couldn't move your fingers well enough... well try a dive in 50 degree water for an hour, they won't move at all without proper exposure protection.. minimum 5mm better with 7mm

 

[merxlin]

If you can find the White's Heat glove in a 5mm, I think you will like the flexibility and the warmth.

 

[gmanstan]

In water that warm 5mm should be fine. I dive in mid 40ºs most of the time & I use 5mm or 7mm and my digits feel usable. As long as your core is pretty warm your fingers should be ok.

 

[Kern]

I'v been using a pair of 3mm Fourth Element gloves down to 12C/53F recently. More flexible than my Whites 5mm, & just as warm.

 

[boat sju]

I'm really liking my 5mm Pinnacle Merino Lined. (They were ok at 46 this spring.)

 

[daz88]

everybody is different. I dive here in Norcal (51-54 degrees) and I wear 1mm tropical gloves or no gloves. I just don't like wearing thick gloves. After about an hour or so my hands get a little cold, but I'l just tighten up my hands making fists for a minute to get the blood flowing. And it's all good.

 

[SGR Jeff]

I think the two key things you need to think about is warmth and dexterity. If you feel comfortable with 3mm and not too cold then use them. If youre fingers are numb, then go with a 5mm or even mittens if youre hands get really cold. I dive year round in So Cal with 3mm and during the winter if I hit a thermo-cline I see hit the low 50s.

 

[mstueven]

We make long dives in 50 degree water around here pretty regularly and I dive with 3mm gloves. I have also used 5mm gloves with the fingertips cut off. Tolerance plays into it I'm sure. But I also dive in a nice warm drysuit and suspect that my core being warm means better circulation to my fingers as well.

 

[krawlings]

I dive 5mm ScubaPro gloves in 45* water and get just a little cold after 45 min. in 50* water I am just fine . It all depends on how well you talerate the cold