Dry Gloves System conundrum

[Soakedlontra]

I have to replace my old dry gloves system (OS Systems) so I have the opportunity to try something different. I have goggled dry glove systems and immediately I got lost in an endless list of brand names. Beside the price, are there any fundamental differences between the different brands that I should be aware of before picking one up? The OS Systems was ok. It was not too difficult to install the gloves. But I am wondering about their durability after one of the rings broke off right through the middle when I pulled one of the old glove off. What is the average life span of plastic rings in dry gloves systems?

cheers

 

[00wabbit]

I don't have vast experience. But I got the qcp dry glove system from si tech. Compared to others at the dive I noticed the rings are larger in diameter so the are easy toget your hands through. Installation is straight forward and they provide you with various diameter inner rings so you can get a good fit on your seals.

The gloves are very easy to put on. Just put them on then turn the ring a quarter turn to secure. Only downside seems to be that you have to keep the sealing edges very clean from debris.

 

[TSandM]

Well, I've had experience with two systems, and second-hand experience with a third. The differences are: size of the rings, whether they are suit-mounted or seal-mounted, how secure the sealing design is, and how easy it is to change out gloves.

I really like (and continue to like) the Viking bayonet system. It's seal mounted (so easy to take off if you don't want rings in warmer water). Changing gloves is trivial and requires no tools. It's a positive lock system (designed for hazmat) so once you have the pieces mated, they CANNOT pop off.

The SiTech Quick Glove system is more finicky, but it's compatible with the SiTech user-replaceable wrist seal system, which the Vikings are not. The SiTech glove CAN pop off. Glove installation is easy. Getting the two halves to mate is more difficult than the Vikings, and it's depressingly easy to crimp the o-ring and have a leak.

The Diving Concepts rings apparently work pretty well, but changing gloves is a pain and requires tools.

All of them are made of what appears to be similar plastic, so I suspect durability is similar.

 

[Peter_C]

Personally I like the ability to change a seal in the field. That leaves Si-Tech as the only option. It is also nice to be able to have the Atlas 495 or equivalent gloves so you can quickly change the gloves or the liners out in the field.

The DC system sucks to work with. Very hard to install, and changing the gloves out almost requires a special tool, although I learned how to do it without. Plus even to just remove the glove after diving takes effort, and I have broken a couple finger nails doing so.

Si-Tech has it's quirks, but once you figure out to change the o-ring and not lube anything, they work very well. As far as I know it is the only glove system to offer a replaceable wrist seal after the mounts are glued onto the drysuit. I have never seen one pop off accidentally, but lubing the seal could cause it to happen.

Viking's are excellent, except you can't use a replaceable wrist seal system...at least not yet. Come on Viking, get with the program!!

Viking and Si-Tech use the same rings to mount the gloves. Very easy to change gloves and install onto latex seals. Literally takes seconds.

 

[Soakedlontra]

Thanks! Well Peter_C, I have to say that I was able to try a pair of gloves with a think lining attached to a DC ring system and my hand fit the glove well. The problem is not just what kind of ring system to buy but also getting gloves to go with them that fit. My husband Sam has a DC system and you are right the rings are a pain to deal with (how many times I heard him swearing and groaning at beginning and after a dive, no broken nails yet!) but lately he seems to have figured out a way to make it easier to wear them (he licks them). Its price is steep, though.

Lynne, I looked at the Viking bayonet system on line and it seems to me that you have to buy the rings and the gloves separately or it is possible to find the gloves already attached to the rings?

 

[Peter_C]

In the link below you will find the two most common gloves used which are the 490 (495) and 460 (465). The "5" part number comes with liners. Our water is slightly warmer than yours so the stock liners have worked great for me. Good dexterity from them. I have had the built in liner, and it is next to impossible to dry. The gloves tend to get stinky too. The removable liner allows you to have multiple sets, or you can set them out in the sun to dry (In the sun? Oh wait Seattle...) during your surface interval. The difference between the glove part numbers is thickness. The blue ones are slightly thicker. since I am hard on equipment and have had a couple of glove cuts/failures I stick with the thicker pair of blue gloves. Plus hand signals are easier to see with the blue gloves. To me the dry gloves offer much better dexterity than a 5mm glove as they are thinner, but warmer. The key is to have the glove fit tight. You should have to work them onto your fingers not just slide right in. That way there is no extra material creating problems. The glove does not have to go all the way to the bottom of your fingers. Many of us use a "straw" or in my case my thumb loop from my drysuit undies to allow air to pass in and out of the glove. Keeps the gloves from becoming Mickey Mouse hands on ascent, and also from compressing all the warm air into nothing. Drysuit squeeze and glove squeeze are one in the same.

ProductCart shopping cart software - Seattle Marine

 

[Dhboner]

I'd like to cast a vote for the Viking Classic system. No glove side rings to worry about...nothing to fail and leak. You simply pull the glove over the suit ring and it stays in place and you stay dry. If you want additional security all you do is pull a large o-ring over the suit ring to secure the glove even more.

I've been using this system for a year now and I have had zero leaks (can't say the same for my si-tech buddies).

Custom Diving Services here in Ontario installed them and Scott (the owner) has a great video of the system on his website.

Bob

 

[k_im]

Don't mean to hijack, but has anyone tried the Bare dry glove system?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[RoyN]

I use Viking Classic cuffs along with the Viking Bayonet Ring, and yes, bayonet fits perfectly into the classic cuffs and the seal is replaceable. Just don't throw away the bayonet instructions.

 

[Peter_C]

Don't mean to hijack, but has anyone tried the Bare dry glove system?

Bare, Dive Rite, and I am some others, are Si-Techs.