Gloves with wetsuit? Or if cold enough for gloves, it is cold enough for drysuit?

[TwelveTrains]

Planning on doing some shallow lake dives in midwest next summer. Mostly above the thermocline but might dip below it a bit. I have done drysuit and wetsuit diving 20-30 ft before and felt fine enough, especially in late summer when the water warms up a bit.

Is wearing gloves with a wetsuit fairly common? Or do most folks just wear them when it gets cold enough for drysuits. My other idea was getting a pair of these: NeoSport 2mm Sport Glove

Since they have shorter cuffs they would seem a bit easier to get on and off and not have to worry about strapping wrist computer over them. I know this is kind of a vague and subjective question but just let me know your thoughts and what you wear.

 

[Boston Breakwater]

Hello. My dry glove days are over. I don't usually wear gloves. The idea, generally is to NOT touch anything. Especially, wildlife which would include big mammals, or anything living. (Coral included.)
I have known divers to wear gloves, because they are deliberately going to touch things.
Admittedly, I brushed, and petted Sand Tiger Sharks (Like they were big dogs.) for about 2 years diving North Carolina wrecks. I eventually was able mentally to refrain, and not do that.
The only time I wear gloves now is when I'm diving ship wrecks....jagged hull breaches etc.
3MM to 5MM is acceptable for me.
Cheers.

 

[dewdropsonrosa]

Midwestern diver here: certified in Wisconsin and now living/diving in IL. I would say that it's far more common for people who dive wet (7mm being pretty standard-issue in the Upper Midwest) to dive with gloves on for thermal comfort than it is to go bare-handed. I really only dive with bare hands in July/August/September, when the water is at its warmest.

The 2mm gloves that you linked are more "vacation-grade" stuff. They'll probably provide some insulation and comfort, but you would need beefier gloves for cold water. I wear the XS Scuba Dry Five gloves, which are 5mm thick with taped seams so that they don't have a lot of water exchange. I find them very comfortable and easy to don/doff by myself and they do the job for temps as low as 32°F (for a reasonable period of time).

Any manufacturer's 5mm or 7mm gloves will do the trick, but you may have to break them in before you feel like you have dexterity again.

 

[Prometheanfire]

Southern diver here, gloves are also useful for protecting both you from the environment and the environment from you. I don't wear thin gloves otherwise. In winter I dive with 5mm gloves 60-65°F ish iirc.

 

[Barnaby'sDad]

I’ve got two pairs of gloves that I dive wet. 3mm and 5mm. I wear the 3mm when it gets cold and transition to the 5mm when it gets really cold. Most folks here are going to say “if it’s cold enough that you have to wear insulated gloves, you should be diving dry.”

If it’s warm, the only reasons that I wear gloves are wreck diving and fossil diving. Otherwise, I don’t wear gloves, because I don’t touch anything.

 

[Marie13]

Another Midwestern diver here. I've worn Fourth Element 3mm gloves down to 43F when diving wet. I prefer to have dexterity for camera buttons and for bolt snaps.

Diving dry, I switch between the blue smurf gloves and pullover rubber gloves for dry gloves. I use the Fourth Element thin fleece liners.

It's been rather warm at the quarry, so I've been wearing either reef gloves or some Pinnacle merino-wool gloves. Today water temp was 64F and I was fine with the Pinnacle gloves. I always wear gloves, just like I always wear a hood.

 

[Barnaby'sDad]

Another Midwestern diver here. I've worn Fourth Element 3mm gloves down to 43F when diving wet. I prefer to have dexterity for camera buttons and for bolt snaps.

Diving dry, I switch between the blue smurf gloves and pullover rubber gloves for dry gloves. I use the Fourth Element thin fleece liners.

It's been rather warm at the quarry, so I've been wearing either reef gloves or some Pinnacle merino-wool gloves. Today water temp was 64F and I was fine with the Pinnacle gloves. I always wear gloves, just like I always wear a hood.

That’s the same reason that I tend to stick with the 3mm unless my fingers are tingling. I transition to 5mm gloves in the low 50’s though.

 

[tep]

San Diego - 7mm suit, 3mm gloves when "warmer" and 5mm when colder.

 

[broncobowsher]

I'm quick to a drysuit. If I need anything more than a 5mm suit only (hood and/or gloves) I am in a drysuit. I will even do a drysuit when a 5mm might be fine as well. with the drysuit I have dry gloves. Dexterity and warmth far in excess of wet gloves.

But that wasn't always the way. I've done plenty of wet dives and gloves were good. Even a bunch of wet glove drysuit dives. The biggest issue I have with wet gloves is the dexterity drops off faster than the warmth goes up as the gloves get thicker.

 

[Jonn]

I like thin paddling gloves wet and dry. Never liked dry gloves; I want to be able to strip them off and have full dexterity at a moments notice. Having stuff on my hands and wrists makes me feel trapped.