Dry Gloves???

[diverjeremy]

Who uses dry gloves and what are you using?  I am curious to see who uses dry gloves and what type...snap on, zip on, pull over...etc.  With the type do you use, how often do you get wet or do you stay totally dry?  My curiousity is sparked...

[LKunze]

I use the Diving Concepts snap on glove rings and the black Magid rubber gloves with fleece liners underneath.  Been very reliable for me, no problems.

[matt t.]

I've used the Si-tech rings for about 5 years now. The "blue" fishing gloves for $7 a pair seem to work pretty well for me. For liners I use the army surplus fake wool gloves green or black, $5 a pair. I had a few wet dives initially when we first got them, but after figuring things out they've been dry for years now. I'm still intertested in trying the older style Viking rings with the pull on gloves, but haven't found a set cheap enough to try. And then there's always,  "why fix something that isn't broken"?

[Nordic Diver]

Viking pull over Rings with Magid gloves    sizes 9,10,10.5 & 11 / 14 inches /black

Go here for details 

Go here for Viking rings 

Go here for wool liners 

I have used this system for 15 years now ( same set of rings on three dry suits ) never screws up, works every time.

I have new gloves size 10 & 11 on the boat.

Bill 

[MikeS]

Another vote for the older Viking rings.  There are no o-rings to pinch, roll, etc.  Pull over gloves of several types/sizes can be used and they never leak.

[Vtach]

I have used the Viking traditional rings, Viking Bayonet rings and the SiTech system.  If I had to rank them in order I would place SiTech (permanent rings) first, Viking traditional second and Bayonet third.  The SiTech permanent mounted system has been the most flexible system.  I can use either the docking rings with any glove or just Magid pullovers just like the Viking traditional.  The key point to the SiTech has been the ability to quickly and easily change a wrist seal.  I currently have the Bayonet system on my DUI and the SiTech on by BARE and will probably be having the SiTech mounted on my DUI over winter.  The Bayonet is ok but if you tighten the rings too much they are a real bear to get off.  Also they have grip tabs on the outer rings so you can't use a pullover glove.

Probably the most reliable system for "sealing" would be the traditional Viking or SiTech with pullover gloves.  Same idea both ways, the glove pulls over the ring with the elasticity of the glove providing the seal.  Simple and effective.  The downfall is that sometimes elastic gloves are prone to rips and slices.  You can use the coated fabric gloves (blue smurfs) on most docking systems.  They are tough and very resistance to rips and slices. Any docking ring system is going to have mechanical downfalls with a O-ring.  The SiTech had a few leaks in the beginning but just making sure the glove is properly seated in the ring along with keeping the oring clean has solved any leak problems.

[Chris H]

I have been using the Si-Tec quick glove rings since they became available and I’ve had reasonably good luck with them.  My drysuits have had the rigid rings glued in them so I have only used the Viking rings on borrowed suits.

Before the Si-Tec system I used rubber gloves pulled over the wrist rings.  I didn’t have very good luck with them and they often pulled off the rings.  This was partly due to my gangly arms in a suit that didn’t fit as well as it could have.  If I fully extended my arm while reaching for something, I often pulled the glove off the ring.    The other issue that I have had with the rubber gloves, that is better with the blue gloves, is that if you get a hole in the rubber glove during a dive, you know about it very quickly due to the large hole in it.  Because the blue gloves have a cloth inside, they are much less likely to have a catastrophic failure than the rubber gloves are.

If the O-ring on the Si-Tec rings is kept clean and lightly lubed they work really well.  If the O-ring rolls over, they don’t work at all, but you know it as soon as you get into the water and I usually have good luck reseating them.

I have big hands, so the typically bulky, rag wool gloves don’t work for me.  I use a fleece glove, made by Patagonia, which I have been very pleased with.  Unfortunately, I don’t think they are available any more.  The problem with the fleece gloves found at Menard’s or wherever is typically the bulk and the seams not making it possible to get them into the gloves.  I have also tried some gloves by Mountain Hardwear and a thinner pair from Patagonia that work OK but are not quite as warm. 

[DiveCaptDean]

A few years back, DMC gave me a pair of green chemical gloves that he used t pull over his rings...he loved them..I kept them until recently when i incorporated them into a set of Sitech rings.  My advantage..i have  dui suit and installed the rings on a wrist seal as opposed to the suit..so i can use dry or wet whenever i want to change them out.  I have never really had cold hands so i actually dive wet all of the time and the dry gloves come along for the ride but stay in my equipment bag. i dont know why  my hands dont get cold..but after a hour in 35 deg water..they were still un affected.....
Deano

[sum-yung guy]

Jeremy, I have the DUI Heavy Duty gloves. They are the blue gloves with the standard yellow liners. I have had the gloves for about 3 years now and like them very much. I have no complaints about the gloves, they have kept my hands warm on many dives in 34 degree water with deco. I have had many scratches and gouges put into them, and I have been surprised at times that they haven't leaked. The only thing that I have to say, is that you must be patient with them when you first get them. Since they are the zip seals, once you have your suit on, your gloves are on. But, the gloves have very good dexterity and once you are used to the gloves, it can become very easy to use them on dry land when getting your gear together. I am going to be getting the new Black Neoprene Gloves from DUI this summer to try them, but I do have to say the only downside that I have found is that communicating is almost impossible. The black gloves in a dark spot or against a black suit are very hard to see. But, they can't be beat in toughness, they can take a beating and not leak. Plus, they come standard with a warm fleece liner, which I ordered to try in my blue gloves to see how much warmer my hands are, or if I am sacrificing any dexterity.

Two thumbs up on the Blue Dry gloves....

[codecruncher]

Lots of glove options recently discussed here:



I like the orange 620s from seattle marine rather than the blue 495s. Slight edge that I stand out underwater vs the generic black/blue tech diver. However I'm sure my skill level already makes me stand out in unflattering ways ;D