Webbed gloves (swim gloves)

[Jon]

Are any of you using these for no-fins diving?

I know that they aren't allowed for competitions, but that's not what I'm interested in. I was thinking about getting a pair for some future backpacking/ bike camping trips that I have planned.

Freediving fins, and especially monofins, are just too big to drag around while biking or backpackpacing. Mask and snorkels can fit almost anywhere, and as long as we stay above 10 meters we don't even need suits around here in the summer time. I'm thinking that a 3mm hooded-vest might even work for short dives below the thermocline.

I've did a lot of no-fins dives like this on vacation this last summer and the deoths were very easy to hit, but I was wishing for a little more range once I was on the bottom.


Any suggestions if I do get a pair?

Jon

 

[watts]

Yeh there great. I got mine from a body boarding shop and they are realy well made. I use them for building up my arm strength for DNF.You do get alot more grunt out of your strokes and you can streamline your hands after the armstroke which you cant with swim paddles. You could still use them as a normal glove with some warmth but they would be a bit clumsy.:blackeye

Nat

 

[Jon]

What kind did you get?

Do they come in sizes?

Jon

 

[hau]

Jon,
Sorry, I just saw this post.
I also use exactly the webbed neoprene gloves you refer to. I love mine.
I bought one pair at Divers Direct and several other pairs at Sun Diver in Key Largo Fl. My gloves are in the boat or I might be able to get the manufacture contact information off a tag on the gloves. I would suggest calling Divers Direct to see if they still carry the webbed gloves as their web site is not all inclusive. I am 5'10 and 175lb and wear size large gloves. I will PM you to alert you of my reply here.
Hope this helps.
hau

 

[cdavis]

I missed this one too,

Webbed gloves work very well for surf, great for extra power, but drag is a serious issue. I'm not sure how they would work for nf. I use them for body surfing and pool work, surprized to find that somebody else uses them for surf. I've used Speedo, way too stiff, Tyre, shoddy construction and Aqua Sphere, best yet. I've not seen any that I thought would be perfect for what you want to do. Somethng with a light fabric between the fingers that would completely collapse to reduce drag.

You can find gloves in different sizes (power), from ones that cover 1/2 the fingers to those that cover all the fingers. I think the best I've seen are the Aqua Sphere, which cover all but the tip of the fingers.

Let us know what you find.

Connor

 

[Erik]

LIQUIX * H2O speedfins by Lennart Behrmann
or even
Swim Fins = Leg Swimming Flippers = Shinfin

Those I got from Trux's list of weird fins on his website. I think the shinfins are cool- very small. The handfins look as bulky as a regular fin.

 

[Jon]

Those hand fins are crazy big- would be eaiser to just bring a pair of foot fins along. I guess there's always these type of packable fins Fab Force SD1 , but I wanted something even smaller- like a pair of gloves.

My thinking was that the gloves could be rolled up into a ball and shoved into a pocket. Add a mask and snorkel and I would be set. If I really wanted to add some gear a hooded vest could be taken along to get below the thermocline- it might be cold, but at least the ice cream headaches wouldn't be a problem. :blackeye

I've been mainly training with fins the past two weeks after my shoulder started bugging me again- old ski injury inflamed by too much leaf raking. I'll give it a couple mor weeks before I start it up again.

I think I'll take a look at the Aquasphere- they would be the easiest to get.

Jon

 

[Jon]

I found a few other types of gloves that look interesting.

These look to be the thinnest, most compressible, and cheapest: Silicone Swim Gloves Athletic Stuff for

These are slightly thicker: See You Out There Surfing Accessories

Not sure that I like the zippers on these: Neoprene Aqua Gloves Athletic Stuff for

Bodyglove: Body Glove 1.5mm Power Paddle Webbed Gloves 1666 with reviews at scuba.com

These look good to add a little warmth: blueseventy | open water swimming specialists | products | accessories | open water/triathlon |swim gloves

Not sure how well these are made, but they are another option: [ame=http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000FUMF9O/netswcomtheinter]Amazon.com: Hydro-Fit Wave Web Pro: Sports & Outdoors[/ame]

Jon

 

[hau]

Jon,
Just read in your post about a shoulder injury. I would suggest you possibly reconsider a webbed glove purchase. The webbed gloves that I referred to you will really stress out a shoulder injury. If dollars are not an issue, than no issue. But if dollars are an issue I would try out a pair of webbed gloves first before I bought them if possible. Just a 1 hour freedive/spearin swim with my webbs will make my healthy shoulders ache for days. Just a suggestion.
Hope this helps
hau

 

[Jon]

Yeah, I've read about that before in the Total Immersion book.

It reccomend against them because they really tear up your shoulders. I joined a master's swim group a few years ago to re-learn my stroke. Everything I had been taught 30 years ago has now been changed- and my shoulders are much better for it!

These wouldn't be for daily swimming so much as for camping/biking dive trips.

Jon

 

[cdavis]

I can certainly see how gloves might make a shoulder problem worse, but it does not have to be that way. I have a recurring shoulder problem, caused by knotted up muscles, that isn't made worse, actually makes it better because the gloves force me into better stroke mechanics.

Jon, not sure about your shoulder, but it might be like mine and respond well to massage. PM me for details.

Connor

 

[Jon]

I haven't tried massage yet, but I have done the strength training with the rubber bands- and it seemed to help. I also reworked my freestyle stroke so it puts less pressure on my shoulder- and that has helped out quite a bit.

Still a bit of a nagging sensation that's a result of me skiing off one of those little cliffs out in Lake Tahoe about 15 years ago. :crutch Nothing serious, I just landed wrong and jarred my shoulder pretty good.

I've got a similar knee issue that acts up every once in a while. It happened while skiing, but it wasn't my fault- some drunk skied into my knee while I was helping someone out back in my Ski Patroller days. :head

Jon

 

[DRW]

"Basic aqua gloves" in three sizes:

Neptune - Learn To Swim

 

[Jon]

I ended up buying a pair of nylon webbed gloves from a local swim shop and took them to the pool to try. I wasn't impressed.

My stroke count, and time, was the same whether or not I had the gloves on. I also tried the gloves on over a pair of 3mm Picasso gloves to see how they would work in cold water and ended up with the same results.

After trying these out I put on my 3-finger mitts to compare them and I took 1-1.5 stokes off of my 25m distance. If i bring anything along I think it will be my mitts!

I screwed up my ankle pretty good a few weeks ago ad still cannot even wear the floppiest of fins with out pain. the vis stinks right now, so I'm not missing out on too much, but it's going to be a long time before i can wear fins again- and an even longer time before I can wear my monofin. As a result of this, I've suddenly rekindled my interest in no-fins diving.

Is anyone else out there doing much no-fins diving in a 6mm suit? Has anyone tried spearfishing while diving no-fins? Looking for tricks that might work. I've shot photos no fins int he past, but that was wearing only a 2mm vest in the middle of summer. I'm not sure how easy it will be with a lot of extra rubber and lead on.

Jon

 

[cdavis]

Hi Jon,

I think you are running into a "drag" problem. Drag is a big issue with mitts and it varies a lot between brands and with how you stroke. I find that mitts don't increase my top speed much (if at all), because of drag. Acceleration is greatly improved (good for body surfing) and mid speed and mid speed efficiency increases. Figuring out how to reduce the mitts drag on the return stroke and during the glide phase might make a big difference. I don't glide with mine and close my hands on the return to minimize drag.

The mitts are very good for strength training and improving your stroke. After a pool session with the mitts, it is easier to swim faster without them. Might have some application for your no fins.

Connor

 

[Erik]

Jon, Tylerz dives in a 5mm with no fins and hunts too, in 8C water. He's not on here much, but does have a facebook account. Laminar (Peter) also has a fair bit of experience with this.
Heal up bro!

 

[Vivian]

Durable Webbed Glove for Diving, Swimming, and Surfing | Darkfin