Photographer's dilemma - equalizing pressure in dry gloves?

[SeattleYates]

I've got a DUI trilam drysuit with the type of drygloves that stretch over the wrist ring to seal (but where there is a wrist seal inside that), and I haven't yet been able to find a good way to wear thin cloth gloves (so I can use controls on a camera) and yet keep the outer gloves from squeezing so tight that my fingers end up freezing 10 minutes into the dive! I've tried using a piece of very small rubber tubing, but it just doesn't let enough air from my drysuit into the gloves to "inflate" them so that my hands stay warm. If I wear thicker inner gloves, I struggle with camera buttons, etc.

So...what's a better way to let air into the gloves at depth?

[cardiver]

I've got a DUI trilam drysuit with the type of drygloves that stretch over the wrist ring to seal (but where there is a wrist seal inside that), and I haven't yet been able to find a good way to wear thin cloth gloves (so I can use controls on a camera) and yet keep the outer gloves from squeezing so tight that my fingers end up freezing 10 minutes into the dive! I've tried using a piece of very small rubber tubing, but it just doesn't let enough air from my drysuit into the gloves to "inflate" them so that my hands stay warm. If I wear thicker inner gloves, I struggle with camera buttons, etc.

So...what's a better way to let air into the gloves at depth?

Get rid of the wrist seals. If your hand gets cold you just lift up your arm and you get warm air in your glove.

[Bric Martin]

I have seen the tubes. I have also seen people use a small piece of bungee with a knot at one end. The knot is to pull the piece out of the wrist seal if the glove floods and to prevent the entire suit from flooding.

[Dusty2]

From one photog to another. Go to home depot and get a roll of the 1/8" id clear plastic tubing that is used for ice machines or aquarium filters. It is flexible enough to be comfortable yet rigid enough to push under your seals and it won't collapse or kink. It comes in a small roll and is only a couple bucks. There is enough for several 4" long pieces which is all you need.

[loanwolf]

I've got a DUI trilam drysuit with the type of drygloves that stretch over the wrist ring to seal (but where there is a wrist seal inside that), and I haven't yet been able to find a good way to wear thin cloth gloves (so I can use controls on a camera) and yet keep the outer gloves from squeezing so tight that my fingers end up freezing 10 minutes into the dive! I've tried using a piece of very small rubber tubing, but it just doesn't let enough air from my drysuit into the gloves to "inflate" them so that my hands stay warm. If I wear thicker inner gloves, I struggle with camera buttons, etc.

So...what's a better way to let air into the gloves at depth?

Get rid of the wrist seals. If your hand gets cold you just lift up your arm and you get warm air in your glove.

Use surgical tubing I prefer to use 3mm cord.


You are far better off with the wrist seals, if you hole a glove you do not flood your suit. Just pull back the glove and pull the string or tube out and you are not going to get wet except for your hand and maybe a little on your arm from getting the tube out.

[4ster]

I have the same glove configuration and have tried several things. Lately I am using very stiff, very small diameter vinyl tubing I found in the fishing tackle section of my local Ace Hardware. I think the stuff was for threading onto fishing line to make a lure look more attractive to a fisherman. The stuff is much smaller than the surgeons tubing I was using and is florescent pink so easy to see when I drop it suiting up, or if I have to find it when I hole a glove. A packet of it made 4 fairly long "glove air bleeds". Its fishing tackle so was overpriced for what you get, but a bargain for dive equipment.

[gutholmj]

Try one of each. I have a seal on one arm and I cut out the torn one on the other. The one without the seal is definitely more comfortable. I do worry though about getting really wet if a glove leaks. I have had to remove a glove and pull a vent tube once and having the wrist seal to fall back on saved the dive.

[dlh]

Lose the seals. The number of times I had a leak or glove issue is tiny and not worth the hassle of pushing in a straw, tube, towel, etc into your glove. All of that stuff is also another opportunity to get something caught in the seal and cause a leak anyways. Beshide, once you get comfortable with dry gloves you'll never want to dive with wet gloves again anyway.

So...what's a better way to let air into the gloves at depth?

[LCF]

I had a full dry suit flood out at the far edge of the Edmonds Underwater Park once. I was not in very good shape by the time I got to shore. I do not want to do anything to risk that again -- therefore, I do not disable my wrist seals and take the risk of putting a hole in a glove (and after all, gloves are things that touch stuff and are at risk for holes) and flooding my entire suit.

When I have used tubes in my seals, I use IV tubing. It's soft and pliable but doesn't collapse. It's also pretty readily available in large quantities, if you know anyone who works in a hospital.

[PeninsulaDiver]

Here is a different idea that worked for me when I was wearing dry gloves.

My undergarment has elastic thumb loops. I kept the loops around my thumbs after putting my hands through the wrist seals and while the loops were still around my thumbs, I donned the dry gloves. This created enough air space to take the squeeze off my hands and allowed air flow to warm them.

Hope you find something that works for you.

-Mark

[John Rawlings]

I have seen the tubes. I have also seen people use a small piece of bungee with a knot at one end. The knot is to pull the piece out of the wrist seal if the glove floods and to prevent the entire suit from flooding.

Here's another vote for a simple small length of bungee with a knot. Just slide the bungee (about 4 inches) under the seal so that the knot rests just at the base of your palm. The bungee won't collapse like surgical tubing, so you have a nice gap to allow gas into your gloves. It's also soft, though, so you won't be irritated by it like you would a straw or anything else thats stiff.

I have the exact same style of dry gloves that you have (simple pull-overs on Viking rings) and this simple bungie/knot system works like a champ! I take a lot of pics, both shallow and deep, and it works well.

- John

[SeattleYates]

Thanks, everybody, for the suggestions. Sounds like there are at least three things worth trying: bigger but more flexible tubing (e.g., aquarium or medical), pulling a bit of my undergarment through with the thumbloop, and a piece of bungee. Best of all, none of those three involve a huge expense or high degree of difficulty! I think I'll give all three a try (heck, I could try two on one dive)!

[lizard0924]

Here is a different idea that worked for me when I was wearing dry gloves.

My undergarment has elastic thumb loops. I kept the loops around my thumbs after putting my hands through the wrist seals and while the loops were still around my thumbs, I donned the dry gloves. This created enough air space to take the squeeze off my hands and allowed air flow to warm them.

Hope you find something that works for you.

-Mark

+1 for this idea. I did the same thing when I had my wristseals and was wearing my 4th Element stuff.

I have since switched to DUI zipseals and love, love, love that setup 1000x more than my previous configuration (wrist seals and DC concepts ring system on my DUI suit). So much more dexterity, even though my hands look like smurf hands. FWIW, I prefer the risk of a flood (infintisimally small, IMHO) to the PITA of wrist seals with dry gloves.

[cardiver]

Here is a different idea that worked for me when I was wearing dry gloves.

My undergarment has elastic thumb loops. I kept the loops around my thumbs after putting my hands through the wrist seals and while the loops were still around my thumbs, I donned the dry gloves. This created enough air space to take the squeeze off my hands and allowed air flow to warm them.

Hope you find something that works for you.

-Mark

+1 for this idea. I did the same thing when I had my wristseals and was wearing my 4th Element stuff.

I have since switched to DUI zipseals and love, love, love that setup 1000x more than my previous configuration (wrist seals and DC concepts ring system on my DUI suit). So much more dexterity, even though my hands look like smurf hands. FWIW, I prefer the risk of a flood (infintisimally small, IMHO) to the PITA of wrist seals with dry gloves.

I agree. I hated trying to get my hand through the suit side ring and then through the latex seal. It's so much more comfortable with the seals folded over the rings!

[lizard0924]

I agree. I hated trying to get my hand through the suit side ring and then through the latex seal. It's so much more comfortable with the seals folded over the rings!

What?! I could have folded the seal OVER the ring? Sure....now I find this out. Oh well....I grew to hate the DC rings anyway....they were always a PITA to get apart after the dive. Of course, there was probably an easier way, I just didn't know that EITHER!

[cardiver]

I agree. I hated trying to get my hand through the suit side ring and then through the latex seal. It's so much more comfortable with the seals folded over the rings!

What?! I could have folded the seal OVER the ring? Sure....now I find this out. Oh well....I grew to hate the DC rings anyway....they were always a PITA to get apart after the dive. Of course, there was probably an easier way, I just didn't know that EITHER!

Yep. You just slide the ring inside the seal. Put one o ring in the first ridge. Fold the seal over and put the other o ring on the next ridge. Done!

[SeattleYates]

Yep. You just slide the ring inside the seal. Put one o ring in the first ridge. Fold the seal over and put the other o ring on the next ridge. Done!

Heck, in that case, in the event of a leak in your glove, just UNfold that seal from the ring and VOALA! You have a wrist seal to keep the water from getting in your suit. That sounds like the best of both worlds - no pesky wrist seal until you actually need it!

Unfortunately, any way I try to visualize that scenario unfolding, it involves several gallons of sea water entering my suit before I could manage to get the wrist seal off the ring and sealed!

[cardiver]

Yep. You just slide the ring inside the seal. Put one o ring in the first ridge. Fold the seal over and put the other o ring on the next ridge. Done!

Heck, in that case, in the event of a leak in your glove, just UNfold that seal from the ring and VOALA! You have a wrist seal to keep the water from getting in your suit. That sounds like the best of both worlds - no pesky wrist seal until you actually need it!

Unfortunately, any way I try to visualize that scenario unfolding, it involves several gallons of sea water entering my suit before I could manage to get the wrist seal off the ring and sealed!

It would be pretty tough to peel back that latex with a gloved hand. I'm pretty sure it wouldn't work, even if you could manage to peel it back. The ring inside the suit would most likely prevent your wrist seal from sealing to your wrist.

[Dusty2]

OK, I'm bracing for all the puns!

I have the DC rings with the wrist seals that came on the suit and like most found it a pita to get my hand through the seal and ring (big hands) but the solution was simple. Gritting teeth in anticipation.... I carry a tube of personal lube yeh the stuff you buy at lover's package... a little on the inside of each seal and the seals just slip on and a little on the outside of each seal at the end of the dive and the seals slip right off effortlessly. Hey! it's made for use with latex and it's water soluable and non toxic..... doesn't hurt the seals a bit and sure saves the skin. Also makes it easier to get the plastic tubes under the seals.

OK I'm waiting

[cardiver]

OK, I'm bracing for all the puns!

I have the DC rings with the wrist seals that came on the suit and like most found it a pita to get my hand through the seal and ring (big hands) but the solution was simple. Gritting teeth in anticipation.... I carry a tube of personal lube yeh the stuff you buy at lover's package... a little on the inside of each seal and the gloves just slip on and a little on the outside of each seal at the end of the dive and the seals slip right off effortlessly. Hey! it's made for use with latex and it's water soluable and non toxic..... doesn't hurt the seals a bit and sure saves the skin. Also makes it easier to get the plastic tubes under the seals.

OK I'm waiting

Not that big of a deal. People have been using KY jelly on their seals for years!

[Blaiz]

OK, I'm bracing for all the puns!

I have the DC rings with the wrist seals that came on the suit and like most found it a pita to get my hand through the seal and ring (big hands) but the solution was simple. Gritting teeth in anticipation.... I carry a tube of personal lube yeh the stuff you buy at lover's package... a little on the inside of each seal and the gloves just slip on and a little on the outside of each seal at the end of the dive and the seals slip right off effortlessly. Hey! it's made for use with latex and it's water soluable and non toxic..... doesn't hurt the seals a bit and sure saves the skin. Also makes it easier to get the plastic tubes under the seals.

OK I'm waiting

Not that big of a deal. People have been using KY jelly on their seals for years!

So, uhm, if one might happen to have a bottle of the "warming" kind of stuff, does that, like, work to keep one's hands warmer?

Also, are the seals everyone is talking about those kind you can buy separately? or are they kind where you send in the suit to the manufacturer to have installed? Where does one find explanations for the difference and where can I look into buying some of the do-it-yourself kind? My hands don't like the cold water very much.

[cardiver]

Just plain old latex seals. Nothing special at all....
I'm sure that the warming stuff would work just fine and would also come in handy afterwards.....

[Dusty2]

I don't know about the warming kind. You need to make sure it sez latex safe. Many are not and the seals are latex and very allergic to petroleum products.

There are a couple of types. Both of them use the same gloves just different suit ring mounting. One ring system is installed permanently (glued to the suit) this type is used on suits with neoprene wrist seals and requires shop or factory installation. The other installs right onto existing latex wrist seals and these can be done by you with a little help from someone who has done them before and has strong hands. The o-rings are really strong and they are really a bitch to do by yourself but I'm sure we have lots of people willing to help out.

http://www.divingconcepts.com/dryglove.htm

[Tangfish]

Get rid of the inner wrist seals - I never understood the exchange of having your hands squeezed for seal redundancy in ONE place on your drysuit (okay, two places... but still). I've had leaks from various places in various suits, but never from the drygloves.

[Grateful Diver]

Can't believe all the people who are saying just get rid of the wrist seals. Maybe y'all have been lucky to have never had a glove flood ... but drygloves DO flood ... either because a bit of something gets caught on an o-ring or because you get a hole or cut in the glove.

Anybody who's never had a full-suit flood in local waters ... particularly in winter ... just don't know what you're missing. I guarantee it'll happen to you just once ... and then you'll figure out a way to get those wrist seals back on your suit.

Ain't fun when you have to take off your suit and turn it upside down to dump the water outta the boots ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)