Si Tech Antares Oval Dryglove System... Can anyone recommend?

[Ulfhedinn]

Si Tech Antares Oval Dryglove System... Can anyone recommend? thinking about getting these for my new drysuit

 

[divad]

Mmmmm...........still mulling it over.

 

[jlovold]

If your hands are size 9 or larger, I would go for a different system, like Viking.

 

[JohnN]

Si Tech Antares Oval Dryglove System... Can anyone recommend? thinking about getting these for my new drysuit

I have large hands. I cannot get them through the Oval dryglove system

 

[Peter_C]

I have more than a few dives on mine now, and am still waivering. I was using Viking rings and loved them, except I wanted changeable wrist seals. I haven't had a leak, but I find I have to pay more attention to my liner not getting into the seal. This may have something to do with the fact it is oval therefore my liner is closer to the edge. My biggest complaint though is I always wash my drysuit with my gloves attached. Once it has been washed I want to easily remove the gloves, once the suit is hung up, so the suit can dry as quickly as possible. Unfortunately you can't just grab the rings and remove them like the regular Si-Tech and the Viking rings. The Antares twists to release and therefore seems to require putting your arm in the drysuit. The oval system with silicon seals is slippery, and when trying to release the glove system they rotate a little bit. It takes a decent amount of force to release the glove system.

To me there wasn't a difference in how my can light sits, nor performing valve drills. I use my head on my glove ring to push my hand back to the center valve, due to too many undergarments.

Would I use them again...I need more time to decide. Are they horrible and no way I would recommended them? Hmmm...I would say if you need something now, give them a try, the only flaw I have really found is removing them without putting my arm in the suit.

Once the o-ring is changed on the regular Si-Tech glove system they perform flawlessly and so far we haven't had a single leak or failure. I just sold a set of them to my friend with permanent wrist rings and installed them. Both systems are about the same install procedure and are fairly easy. I have put the regular Si-Tech system on about 4 suits now.

 

[Ulfhedinn]

hmm.. Well I do use an Xlarge - XXlarge glove so sounds like it might be a bad idea for me. Looks like I might have to rethink my options...

 

[zider]

I've tried using mine the past two weeks and have had a terrible time. First off the gloves refuse to snap on once I've donned the suit. I even tried to have another diver snap them on with no luck. Secondly the gloves keep popping off. I installed the gloves exactly as indicated in the manual and half the time the gloves comes off when putting my hand through the ring. So far I'm not impressed at all. I actually went back to permanently attaching latex gloves in the rings as I did on my previous suit.

 

[divad]

First off the gloves refuse to snap on once I've donned the suit. I even tried to have another diver snap them on with no luck. .

I think that's because either the liner or the wrist seal is interfering with the locking "ear". That was my first experience with them. They're not automatic.

---------- Post added April 16th, 2013 at 07:58 PM ----------

Secondly the gloves keep popping off. I installed the gloves exactly as indicated in the manual and half the time the gloves comes off when putting my hand through the ring..

The gloves are designed to be put on after your hands are through the ring.

 

[zider]

I think that's because either the liner or the wrist seal is interfering with the locking "ear". That was my first experience with them. They're not automatic.

---------- Post added April 16th, 2013 at 07:58 PM ----------




The gloves are designed to be put on after your hands are through the ring.

Thanks for the advice on the gloves popping off. On the second part I am putting them on with my hand through the ring first. I then slide my hand into the glove. When I try to lock them in, they just won't grab. Sometimes I can get one of tabs to lock but never both. I have an email out to sitech so we will see if they can add any thoughts to my issues.

 

[Peter_C]

^Something must be wrong with your install, as I have no issues getting them to click in. Remove the wrist seals, and reinstall them. Also did you use the "chapstick" that comes with the system to lube the seals?

OP if you are using an XL glove you must be 6'6" and 300 lbs. I have a friend that is 6'4" and uses medium gloves. Dry gloves should be tight on your hand for dexterity. What I have seen is a majority of people use gloves that are too big, then complain about dexterity.