Buying Gloves For a Galapagos trip

[becky_scuba]

Hi All.
I have noticed that several people have mentioned that they have worn out a pair or two of gloves on a Galapagos trip. Can anyone tell me why? I have a pair of 5mm gloves and I am going in June. Do I need to buy another set? I will be doing mostly photography like I always do....
Thanks...
Becky

 

[cowjazz]

Hanging on the barnacle encrusted rocks will shred warm water gloves after a few dives. I went through two pairs of warm water gloves. My wife had 5mm Henderson gloves, and her's lasted the entire trip.

I would suggest taking for 5mm, and a backup pair just in case you shred them. If you don't use them, chances are somebody else on your boat will need them.

 

[ChrisM]

Akona 3.5 mil Kevalr gloves work great, used them on both trips and lasted for several California trips after

Amazon.com: Akona 3.5mm Kevlar Black Scuba Diving Gloves (glv5): Sports & Outdoors

 

[becky_scuba]

Hey Chris,
The Kevlar gloves look interesting....with the fingertips the way they are, do you think they would work alright with trying to take photos? Also, I am typically a freeze baby-am taking my dry suit because of it....are the gloves kinda warm?
Thanks!

 

[oceancat]

Hi. You mention you will be taking your dry suit. When are you going? We are going July 3-10 and I was going to bring my 7mm wetsuit and 3mm chicken vest instead of my drysuit. Now I wonder if it will be warm enough? We do our diving in New England, where the water doesn't get out of the 60's in the summer. Thanks.

 

[GradyDiver]

Hi,

I was diving in the Galapagos Islands in November (came back on Thanksgiving day). Though some of the temperatures might be slightly more comfortable in a dry suit, the bottom is all lava (with a lot of sharp edges) and there is a strong current in areas. The wear and tear on a dry suit could be very costly. A 7MM with a hood seemed to be fine for even warm water divers and rental gear is available down there so you can minimize your luggage. An interesting feature is the thermo cline (from what I experienced, there only appears to be one.), it is a single, instant 7 degree change in some places. That took some getting use to (especially since I didn't have a hood). In some areas the water below the thermo cline was ~57 degrees.

If you happen to come across a dive guide named Ruly, try to hook up with him. He has a knack for finding all the marine life. I know this because the other group saw more than ours (including whale sharks on all 3 of their Darwin Arch dives - we only saw 1 on our last dive).

Hope this helps.

 

[LBR]

When I was there in Nov 2006 on the Aggressor my wife and I used $3 blue gardening gloves from Lowes and they worked fine, no shredding. See pic here.

I took lots of photos with the gloves on too, no problem.

 

[ChrisM]

No problem with the gloves, gallery here: Underwater Planet Galleries :: Galapagos Islands, Ecuador 2005

I wouldn't bring a drysuit. A friend did the first year and regretted it, blew a neck seal. Not to mention the barnacles present a very real danger fo ripping it up; very hard to swim after a whale shark with the drysuit drag, and frankly, it's only cold at the southern islands, where on most itineraries you'll likely do 6 or so dives (at Mosquera, Cousin's, and Gordon's) Wolf /Darwin are in the mid 70s.

 

[slingshot]

I used a seasoft kevlar glove, they make ones with thinner thumb and index finger neoprene for photogs.

 

[ChrisM]

Sorry, just read the question re: the gloves and warmth. For me they are warm. I use them here in California in 55 degree water. But everyone is different