Are 5mm gloves too thick to hand pick crabs?

[colton]

Looking to pick some dungeness crab by hand in a few weeks. Would 5mm gloves be easy to grab or make it difficult?

Thanks!

 

[Kharon]

I have switched to these because thick gloves were too clumsy (Mares Flexa Touch 2 mm Gloves at LeisurePro). Don't know how cold your water is nor what your tollerance level is, but these work for me here where the thermocline almost never gets above the low 50's. With these gloves I have enough thermal protection (yeah, my hands get a tiny bit chilly - they are all winter here too - I just suck it up) but can easily manipulate zippers, SMB's - any equipment really. I could probably pick up a dime.

 

[M_Bipartitus]

I've used 3, or 5 with no problem in Puget Sound at ~50F water temps. For me, the glove flexibility is less important than the method & glove material. I start by approaching slowly and then push them down into the sand so they can't run. At this point you have plenty of time to get a good grip on the carapace and underside. It helps here to have some good rubber grip surfaces on the glove. I try to put my thum on the bottom to get the most grip without getting finger too close to the claws. Now it's easy to flip the crab, sex and measure. Also, if I have 5mm gloves on, I can barely feel the claws grab, for the 3mm, have to be a little more careful.

 

[Diver0001]

The gloves don't matter much, do they? We use to just grab the crab and turn it over, hold it on the bottom with a flashlight long enough to inspect the private parts and measure it and then throw it in the bag if it was a keeper.

R..