Choosing The Right Wetsuit Gloves For Your Dives

When it comes to the components of your scuba diving wetsuit, wetsuit gloves are probably the component that you think about the least. It's completely understandable why you might not think about them, after all, many divers prefer to dive without them because they believe they limit their ability to grasp things and control their buoyancy control device (BCD).

But these special gloves are definitely an important component of your neoprene wetsuit. Just as you can lose body heat through your head without a wetsuit hood or through your feet without wetsuit boots, you can just as easily lose body heat through your hands by ignoring hand protection and diving in cold water unprotected.

The rapid loss of body heat while scuba diving can lead to hypothermia. This is a condition where your body temperature falls below what is required for normal metabolism. And it's not as low as you think. Hypothermia begins when the body's temperature falls to only 95 degree Fahrenheit. So, even if the water doesn't feel too cool, that doesn't mean that you aren't susceptible to hypothermia. Considering this, don't fall into the trap of thinking the water is too warm for wetsuit shoes, gloves, and a good dive hood.

One popular brand is made by Body Glove. Body Glove is a reputable wetsuit brand that has been around for a long time. A popular wetsuit glove that the company makes is the 2009 EXO 3MM, which retails for about $48 a pair. The 2009 EXO 3MM is made from durable 3 milometer neoprene and features vaporlock seams, kevlar palms and fingertips for grip protection, an elastic wrist cinch to keep excess water from entering the glove, and an anatomic pre-bent design.

If you find the 2009 EXO 3MM model to be too expensive, you might want to consider the 2009 EX3 glove, which is similar in appearance. This glove features vaporlock seams, anatomical pre-bent design, and adjustable wrist closures. The primary difference in this model from the 2009 EXO 3MM model is the absense of the kevlar palms and fingertips. Whether you need this feature or not is debatable. It all comes down to whether or not you believe you will be handling anything that could penetrate your neoprene gloves and potentially cut you.

Don't overlook your need for wetsuit gloves, regardless of the type of diving you are doing. You don't want experience hypothermia and with today's stylish and comfortable models, you don't have to.