Best gloves for SI Tech glove system?

Hey, guys. I'm trying to prepare for the upcoming Alaska trip, and went out today looking for chem gloves for use with my SI Tech glove system. The current pair of gloves I have clamped on the rings are pretty old.

I found a bunch of blue, neoprene-coated latex gloves and some orange latex gloves that both seem like they should work. Does anyone here have a definitive answer to what will be durable yet flexible in 42-48 degree water?

I have some thin glove liners that I plan to use inside them chem gloves.

If you really want to test your off-the-shelf choices, fill a pitcher with ice water and stick them in. I can't imagine any having trouble with the moderate temperature.

Seattle Marine carries a large selection of gloves you could try. Check here. I use the 495's listed and they work pretty well. They're a compromise of dexterity, warmth and durability. I use them down to 34 degrees F under the ice and up to about 65 degrees. They're the same gloves the dive companies sell for large dollars.

Eric, I looked at Matt's SI-Tech dry glove system. He said they were easy to take on and off. Do you agree? Do you know where to buy them?

Thanks, sorry for hijacking your thread. I will be on the Nautalis on 19 July.

Dave

Eric,

These work, lots of divers in Canada using them - just stretching them over the rings on the SI Tech or Dive Concept rings. I guess you can also install them instead of the SI Tech gloves (take rings out, etc). The guys from the Pacific Rim National Park Serivce near Barkley Sound up there used these, just stretched up over the rings (you have to get someone else to do it).

http://www.watsongloves.com/product.html?id=219

Also I saw a gal using white heavy duty kitchen gloves in 45 degree water and I was also told heavy duty gloves from Home Depot would work? But these in the link are the tried and true ones.

And I dove with a local gal there whose new SI Tech gloves leaked badly so she had some of these rubber "fish-cleaning" gloves as spares, got the captain to stretch them over her rings for her while she was still partially in the water and it saved our dive -- she said she would not go back to the SI Tech gloves.

Wish I was going!! I planned to get these gloves to stretch over my Diving Concepts rings but alas I can't go........boo

Have Fun, Carol

Seattle Marine carries a large selection of gloves you could try. Check here. I use the 495's listed and they work pretty well. They're a compromise of dexterity, warmth and durability. I use them down to 34 degrees F under the ice and up to about 65 degrees. They're the same gloves the dive companies sell for large dollars.

Ditto on what Andy said.

We all just buy them there for like $4. There are identical to the other gloves, although I have noticed they run a bit small. They also have thin polyprop liners as well.

Jack

Thanks, guys. I bought chemical gloves for $3.29 each, which seem similar to #495B in the catalog. We'll see what happens. Norb Wu keeps telling me that I'll be fine with wet gloves. Then again, he survived in 28-degree water (F) for 1.5 hrs on his longest time. That is a LONG time in any gear, no?

By the way, if I were to order the 495s, should I get large or medium? My middle finger is 3.3-3.4" long from webbing to tip of finger. Medium chem gloves fit perfectly with no liner, and I have used Large ones with a small liner.

But since these are sold with liner, which size do I get?

Thanks, guys. I bought chemical gloves for $3.29 each, which seem similar to #495B in the catalog. We'll see what happens. Norb Wu keeps telling me that I'll be fine with wet gloves. Then again, he survived in 28-degree water (F) for 1.5 hrs on his longest time. That is a LONG time in any gear, no?

By the way, if I were to order the 495s, should I get large or medium? My middle finger is 3.3-3.4" long from webbing to tip of finger. Medium chem gloves fit perfectly with no liner, and I have used Large ones with a small liner.

 

But since these are sold with liner, which size do I get?

My middle finger measures right about 3 inches and I think I use the large gloves. They're big enough where I can wear them with the yellow liners alone or with the yellow liners and a thin polypro liner under them when it's really cold.

Another FYI, buy just the gloves and several pairs of liners. The gloves with built in liners are a pain to dry out. I know, they're supposed to be dry gloves. But you'll get them damp just sweating inside them before getting in the water. I take about 6 pairs of the yellow liners on the boat with me and change them out as needed. After awhile they compress and loose some of their insulating properties.

I was diving three days in Thunder Bay, Lake Huron, this week and got small holes in both gloves from zebra mussels and my liners would slowly get soaked. So another tip, bring a tube of aqua seal for overnight patch work if you put a hole in one. I also still take my wet gloves out on the boat in case of catastropic failure with my dry gloves I can still dive.

Eric Rand wears a pair of gloves that I say look like football gloves and cuts the fingers off for Port Hardy all the time. 48 degree F water. Me I wear the Skanna system and am very happy with it and typically do 60 minutes dives.

I Rand to grab me some of the $4 gloves in Seattle back a couple of year ago and they work great.

Cheers

Todd

The Marigold gloves from Watson are pretty bulletproof. Whatever you decide, bring some spares. My first set lasted three years. Then, I went through three gloves in a month; I just caught them on stuff, like a split ring on my lanyard. The important thing is what you have on underneath. I use a pair of chenille gloves that are lined in Thinsulate. The chenille is thick enough it reduces squeeze. Really thin gloves won't keep you warm. By the way, use the straws. I am now a convert after getting air in my gloves everytime I shot a vertical, and ending up with Minnie Mouse hands that were pretty useless on the way up!

Cheers,

Marli

Eric I assume these are dry gloves. After yrs of Seattle diving I have started putting hand warmers inside my fleece glove and they work great. Just put them in my palm and my hands stay warm for 2-3 dives no problem.

http://www.ammex.com/catpg.php?cat=20

Eric I assume these are dry gloves. After yrs of Seattle diving I have started putting hand warmers inside my fleece glove and they work great. Just put them in my palm and my hands stay warm for 2-3 dives no problem.

 

http://www.ammex.com/catpg.php?cat=20

My wife loves the hand warmers too. One thing to note is that they are oxygen activated. When you use Argon in your dry suit they don't work so good! Make sure to open them a while before you suit up so they can warm up.

I use the medium home depot chemical glove or atlas gloves with no built in liner, and wear a good pair of snug thinsulate REI glove liners. This works well and provides good finger dexterity. I find the gloves with built-in liners to be too bulky for good dexterity.

I suggest buying a couple of pairs, and get three 1-inch spring clamps for your save a dive kit. It's nearly impossible to mount the gloves on the ring system without the clamps.