turn for gloves

[Homunculus]

hey,
in my previous post i asked about wetsuit thickness that you, new englanders, use. now, it's turn for gloves. i used to rent 7 mm gloves and did not feel cold during the summer dives but it's definitely hard to grab things. i'm wondering if 5 mm or even less would be ok for NE waters.
thanks

 

[ronbeau]

hey,
in my previous post i asked about wetsuit thickness that you, new englanders, use. now, it's turn for gloves. i used to rent 7 mm gloves and did not feel cold during the summer dives but it's definitely hard to grab things. i'm wondering if 5 mm or even less would be ok for NE waters.
thanks

I use Seasoft TI Edge 5mm gloves. My dive season starts Memorial Day weekend and usually ends at the end of September or the beginning of October.

I dive mostly between New England and Penssylvania (unless I am on vacation).

 

[ScubaSarus]

5mm are fine for spring, and fall diving. I recommend the Harvey's Dina-hide skin gloves. They are tough and made of genuine Brontosaraus skin. I have a pair and love them. Use 3mm gloves in the summer July-Aug-sept.

 

[decapoddiver]

As others have said, comfort-levels and thicknesses are subjective. Also, it depends on the length, depth and numbers of dives you plan to do. A 30 minute shore dive to 30 fsw and head home? A 3 tank day with boat dives to 90 fsw and HP 120's?
7mm gloves are harder to grab things with but hypothermic fingers are too.

A buddy of mine said to me on the boat "Well, the good news is: I can turn my tank valve off and on. The bad news is: My fingers won't straighten out so that's all I can do"
My suggestion would be to try to rent 5mm gloves before you buy a pair and then do the longest, coldest, deepest dives you plan to do. If they keep you warm enough then you know what to buy. I choose to use thick gloves and have warm hands but...

 

[TimK]

I also use 5mm gloves and do OK. Although as decapoddiver mentioned, if your doing 2 deep dives with a significant surface interval in cool/cold weather, the fingers do tend to quit working. Mine got so cold a couple of weeks ago on a two tank boat dive that they cramped up on me after the second dive when I got back on the boat. About 10 minutes later they had warmed to a tolerable level. Water temps though were running 35-40. Probably won't get that cold in the summer. 5mm works great for me in the summer.

 

[cap_bert]

Bare 5mm gloves are what i use. I haven't had much problem with cold hands, though i have only used them in temps to about 43-45. Again, it sort of depends on your tendency toward coldness and/or tolerance for the cold in general. I am sure that the 5mm will be fine for most late spring / summer / early fall dives. Happy diving.

 

[mfalco]

I dove 7mm gloves all last summer and ended up taking them off in the middle of a lot of dives. I asked the owner of my favorite dive shop what he recomends. He said 5mm I would get the most use out of. He also said 3mm are good most of the time, but wear out quickly, especially if you do a lot of lobstering.

 

[ckjacques53198]

I did my checkout dives with inexpensive 7mm gloves. Putting on the gloves was a process. My instructor said he has had students throw the gloves down in frustration and quit the class. I use 7mm hyperstretch but could get away with 5mm.

 

[spectrum]

When it comes do hand comfort my motto is, "think limb". Warm arms feed warm blood to comfortable hands and well gloved hands keep arms warm. I have had very good luck with my Bare 5mm gauntlet gloves.

I use them diving wet in a Bare Arctic with the 7mm hooded step-in down to 50F

When colder they work with my 7mm neoprene drysuit with neoprene seals. The coldest I have the chance to dive in was 38F so far and my hands were fine.

In each case I think the gauntlet has 2 big advantages. First it provides an additional layer of neoprene over the wrists where the blood passes close to the surface. Secondly the long overlap and cinch strap provides a pretty good closure against flushing.

I am tinkering with some DIY dry gloves for my drysuit but it's more of a curiosity than a need.

Pete

 

[keelhaul123]

I manage to get away with a pair of 5 mm Bare gloves during most of the warm months at shallow depths. But if its the colder months or I am going where the temps are hovering in the 40's I prefer a pair of 7mm 3 finger mitts. I know some feel that they lose dexterity with mitts, but after a little experience you get used to them, and besides, there is NO dexterity with numb fingers!