Wet or Dry?

[Nalidixic]

Ok, so lets do alittle poll. What do you dive with? Wet hands or dry gloves and why?

Me personally, I dive with dry gloves. I always had trouble getting my wrists to stay dry and I always get cold fingers by the end of my dives. Ever since the dry gloves got put on my suit, I have felt over all warmer then before. They are great for me!

Nalidixic

 

[Dive Junky]

Wet. Tried the dry gloves but didn't care for them. No specific reason. I guess I just didn't like putting them on my suit every time I went diving.

 

[MarkH]

Ok, so lets do alittle poll. What do you dive with? Wet hands or dry gloves and why?

Me personally, I dive with dry gloves. I always had trouble getting my wrists to stay dry and I always get cold fingers by the end of my dives. Ever since the dry gloves got put on my suit, I have felt over all warmer then before. They are great for me!

Nalidixic

I started out with the 5-finger wet gloves, but stopped that pretty quick. For the past few years, I've been using the ancient, toasty-warm 10mm 3-finger mitts from second hand stores (Value Village) or crazy old ex-divers. I've recently exhausted the local supply and was forced to actually buy some new ones from a dive store (Unfortunately, the thickest I've been able to find new is 6-7mm.). Now my hands are semi-cold again. It seems the dive equipment manufacturers got together and agreed to stop making warm cold-water gloves to force divers to buy the more expensive dry gloves. I'm stubborn and refuse to submit! The excuse of the manufacturers is that the thinner gloves allow greater dexterity. Personally, you could cut my hands off and I could still do just about everything I had to (including working camera housing controls) with the stumps. On the few occasions (actually very infrequently) when I've had to perform delicate brain surgery underwater, I just switched to a pair of dish gloves. I still check Value Village often, hoping to excavate a proper set of gloves. Stick it to the Man!

 

[Amphibious]

Drygloves. oh sweet jesus I'll never go back. EVER!!!

 

[diveborg]

Dry gloves. Diving Concepts dry gloves. They snap on, snap off, and my hands stay flexible. With wet gloves in 45f water my hands would get so cold they would ache then get numb. Hard to run the camera with numb hands. After the dive, when my hands would warm up, they would hurt again until they revived.

Dry Gloves rule

 

[bcsean]

drygloves. no question. The best comparison I've heard was from my LDS owner actually. She said she didn't expect much of a difference. Was blown away. Said it was like going from a wetsuit to a drysuit kind of difference. I can't imagine pulling on wet gloves and having cold hands again. I like warmth and dexterity.

 

[nessum]

Still suffering in wet gloves.

I've come thisclose to buying dry gloves a few times & I'm still considering it. My hands FREEZE every dive, but most of those I know that dive with dry gloves have issues with them (leaking). In which case their entire arm gets wet or they notice it in time to switch to wet gloves & then they're no further ahead than I am.

One of these days I'm going to break down & do it though...

 

[SeanQ]

I am currently using 5mm gauntlet wet gloves. While the gauntlets do provide a bit more warmth, they are difficult to slide over the sleeves of the wetsuit. One day Imight switch to dry.

 

[bcsean]

I still don't understand how all these people have leaky gloves. The only time mine have ever leaked is when something got caught between rings when putting gloves on. I use the thumbloop on my undergarment for air transfer, and pull it off once through the seal. Not paying attention, I've got it in the seal a couple times. I noticed as soon as hand went into water. lifted hand, popped glove off, tucked thumbloop, put glove back on. I've got about 70 dives on them now. Oh, and for what it's worth, I'm diving the Skaana system (same as Diving concepts).

 

[RTBCAT]

Used to dive 7mm gloves not bad but after 20min my fingers were numb and then have to put on wet cold gloves for a second dive instant cold. Try three finger mits but did not like them too clunky. Tried dry gloves worth every cent only had one leak due a fold under the seal ring. I have found a good place to buy replacment gloves in Ladner at Masseys Marine $8 for the same blue or orange gloves.