Best Dry Glove System

[LCF]

I have to ask . . . what is it about this DC system that seems so good that you guys are willing to put up with such a complicated glove replacement procedure? I can replace a glove on my Vikings in less than five minutes, with no tools, in the field.

I'm not being critical, I'm just wondering what the big advantage to the DC system is. I've never used it, so I don't know. My belief is that the suit-side rings have to be glued on, and the gloves require a tool to change. Am I wrong?

[limeyx]

The video I found was only used for "inspiration" I couldn't actually do it the way the guy shows (maybe because he used the orange gloves ?)

I'd make my own instructional video but I'll have to call my booking agent first ... heh heh

I just searched the toob for something like "DC Dry glove replacement" and got a vid of some guy sitting at his office desk....

You talking about this one?

[youtube]http://youtu.be/90h9fXTh4B4[/youtube]

Yes, that one.

I use the DC gloves because on my old suit, I had the si-tech ones (the same Ye Olde Skool ones RJack uses), and they worked OK but then on the new suit, the suit put the rings way down over my knuckles so i was like a caveman. Plus for some reason, they leaked every time

Plus at least for me, the DC rings on ZIP seals seem to stick closer to the suit and not flop around or get in the way.

Jammers has had good luck with the Si-techs on her new DUI with Zips though.

EDIT: The suit-side definitely dont need to be glued on with ZIP seals. With fixed seals I don't *think* so but I am not sure.

The gloves are a bit of a pita to change (until I came up with my new super-revolutionary technique which needs just a little bit of lube)

[camerone]

I have to ask . . . what is it about this DC system that seems so good that you guys are willing to put up with such a complicated glove replacement procedure? I can replace a glove on my Vikings in less than five minutes, with no tools, in the field.

I'm not being critical, I'm just wondering what the big advantage to the DC system is. I've never used it, so I don't know. My belief is that the suit-side rings have to be glued on, and the gloves require a tool to change. Am I wrong?

Nothing has to be glued on.

The suit side rings may be glued on, or you can use the included o-rings to stretch a latex seal over the rings. There are two ways to do it: one way lets you keep the wrist dam intact from the original seal, which some people like. The other way is to just stretch the seal over the ring from the outside and fold it over itself, using a pair of o-rings to hold it. That's way easier, and it's the same as having glued it on...no wrist seal.

The rings go on and off in about five minutes a set. I actually have mine on a set of DUI zip seals, which makes it easier to go back to wet gloves. The rings, like any, stretch out the seals, and they just don't seal well wet any more once the rings are off.

The DC system is just very simple to put on and off - it snaps into place, is very non-picky about which gloves you choose to use, and is basically bulletproof with sealing. There's no screws, levers, knobs, twist-locks... it just pops on and pops off.

...and you can change gloves without a tool. It's just much easier with one.

[CaptnJack]

I have to ask . . . what is it about this DC system that seems so good that you guys are willing to put up with such a complicated glove replacement procedure? I can replace a glove on my Vikings in less than five minutes, with no tools, in the field.

I'm not being critical, I'm just wondering what the big advantage to the DC system is. I've never used it, so I don't know. My belief is that the suit-side rings have to be glued on, and the gloves require a tool to change. Am I wrong?

Nothing has to be glued on.

The suit side rings may be glued on, or you can use the included o-rings to stretch a latex seal over the rings. There are two ways to do it: one way lets you keep the wrist dam intact from the original seal, which some people like. The other way is to just stretch the seal over the ring from the outside and fold it over itself, using a pair of o-rings to hold it. That's way easier, and it's the same as having glued it on...no wrist seal.

The rings go on and off in about five minutes a set. I actually have mine on a set of DUI zip seals, which makes it easier to go back to wet gloves. The rings, like any, stretch out the seals, and they just don't seal well wet any more once the rings are off.

The DC system is just very simple to put on and off - it snaps into place, is very non-picky about which gloves you choose to use, and is basically bulletproof with sealing. There's no screws, levers, knobs, twist-locks... it just pops on and pops off.

...and you can change gloves without a tool. It's just much easier with one.

Sounds like the old sitechs which I use. Minus the stretched out seals, the 4 handed glove changes, and the whole five minutes to change them...


ducks

[LCF]

Thanks, camerone.

My Vikings also mount on the seal, and they do stress the part of the seal that's next to the suit fabric, but they don't affect the part of the seal that contacts the wrist, so when you take them off, the seals work fine.

Sounds like there are several good options with their own pluses and minuses. I've even come to terms with the SiTech QuickGlove system (which I initially loathed) once I found out you have to lick them before mating the glove to the suit, and partially unscrew and reseat them. A nuisance, but my hands have been dry.

[jerryehrlich]

I have to ask . . . what is it about this DC system that seems so good that you guys are willing to put up with such a complicated glove replacement procedure? I can replace a glove on my Vikings in less than five minutes, with no tools, in the field.

I'm not being critical, I'm just wondering what the big advantage to the DC system is. I've never used it, so I don't know. My belief is that the suit-side rings have to be glued on, and the gloves require a tool to change. Am I wrong?

After 10 years of struggling with Diving Concepts glove replacement hassles, and the problem installing the suit rings on dry suits with narrow wrist openings, we said bye bye to them. We have all the factory tools and such and it is still PITA.

The SITECH QCP Glove lock system is much easier to use and pretty much foolproof. This is a big improvement over the earlier SITECH Quick glove system. They can be installed in the suit in minutes, without gluing, and the gloves can be replaced in under three minutes ( if you are slow, like me :O). The suit part fits in the seals so the skinny suit wrist deal is not a problem. They can be glued in if you want field replaceable seals and/or silicone seals. The only problem is bulk. They are a bit on the large over all size. Used the system quite successfully with a variety of suits, different gloves and liners for a year or so, and then along came the SITECH Antares system.
This is the lowest profile ring system available: http://www.sitech.se/pages/default_uk.a ... ionID=3363
We have been using them for several weeks and they are pretty cool. The same easy install for the suit and gloves applies and the entire unit with the glove on and ready to dive is the same diameter as your dry suit wrist . Pocket access, bolt snap clipping, sliding instruments on your wrists and just about everything else is easier with out an over size ring system.

One proviso, you cannot use the lined the smurf gloves with this system. Only unlined gloves and a separate liner. You can use the smurfs with the removable liner no problem.
The Outdoor Research glove liner is an excellent balance of warmth and dexterity.

Best,
Jerry

[fmerkel]

I used the SiTech ubiquitous quick glove system with latex seals for awhile with decent results as long as donning them carefully was observed. My wife used the same system on thin neoprene seals and had constant leaks. I got my latex seals replaced with neoprene and the leaks started immediately. The compression factor of the neoprene did not work well with that system.
We went back to OS. Very secure system but nasty to seals and gloves.

Is this new Antares system compatible with thin neoprene cuffs?

[KneeDeep]

..... then along came the SITECH Antares system.
This is the lowest profile ring system available: http://www.sitech.se/pages/default_uk.a ... ionID=3363
We have been using them for several weeks and they are pretty cool. The same easy install for the suit and gloves applies and the entire unit with the glove on and ready to dive is the same diameter as your dry suit wrist . Pocket access, bolt snap clipping, sliding instruments on your wrists and just about everything else is easier with out an over size ring system.

Best,
Jerry

What about the tab on the glove side... looks like a week point of failure.

[jerryehrlich]

..... then along came the SITECH Antares system.
This is the lowest profile ring system available: http://www.sitech.se/pages/default_uk.a ... ionID=3363
We have been using them for several weeks and they are pretty cool. The same easy install for the suit and gloves applies and the entire unit with the glove on and ready to dive is the same diameter as your dry suit wrist . Pocket access, bolt snap clipping, sliding instruments on your wrists and just about everything else is easier with out an over size ring system.

Best,
Jerry

What about the tab on the glove side... looks like a week point of failure.

We have not experienced a problem with the tabs breaking .

Best,
Jerry

[Mortuus]

The Diving Concepts dryglove system seems to be good until the plastic around the snap-on point gets scraped and dented from general wear and tear. Ive been diving with wet DC drygloves for a long time now because of it...

[coulterboy]

The Diving Concepts dryglove system seems to be good until the plastic around the snap-on point gets scraped and dented from general wear and tear. Ive been diving with wet DC drygloves for a long time now because of it...

If it's just minor scrapes from general wear and tear, it should still seal very good. Mine has scratches on it, and seals like it was new. On the glove end, that is really not an issue, as the O ring is located inside the ring. Now, on the drysuit end, you have about 3/16th of an inch before the O ring groove. It has to be really severely dented for you to claim that it's the ring system that's leaking. I too, had a leak on my left wrist after every dive, the leak never ran past my elbow. I even thought that my exhaust valve was the culprit, changed that, but still leaked. Thought, it was the ring system, but after careful inspection, that wasn't the culprit. Did a leak test in my hot tub about 3 different occasions, and I finally nailed where it was coming from. It was from the seam right on the very end of the left wrist where it met the latex seal. Plugged that up with aqua seal, and at least 40 dives later, still dry.

Putting that DC snapon drysuit wrist collar is quite invasive to the drysuit. It really stretches out the fabric (whatever material your suit is made of).

If it's really the ring that's defective, you can buy just a set of the DC snapon glove system drysuit end ring at Silent World for about $60.00 The whole set (gloves, rings for the gloves and drysuit, and O rings) about $200.00. About 3 months ago, I bought a whole set from E-bay for just $50.00. Now, that was a steal. I'm planning to install it on my other drysuit.

I'm still loving mine.

[Mortuus]

The Diving Concepts dryglove system seems to be good until the plastic around the snap-on point gets scraped and dented from general wear and tear. Ive been diving with wet DC drygloves for a long time now because of it...

If it's just minor scrapes from general wear and tear, it should still seal very good. Mine has scratches on it, and seals like it was new. On the glove end, that is really not an issue, as the O ring is located inside the ring. Now, on the drysuit end, you have about 3/16th of an inch before the O ring groove. It has to be really severely dented for you to claim that it's the ring system that's leaking. I too, had a leak on my left wrist after every dive, the leak never ran past my elbow. I even thought that my exhaust valve was the culprit, changed that, but still leaked. Thought, it was the ring system, but after careful inspection, that wasn't the culprit. Did a leak test in my hot tub about 3 different occasions, and I finally nailed where it was coming from. It was from the seam right on the very end of the left wrist where it met the latex seal. Plugged that up with aqua seal, and at least 40 dives later, still dry.

Putting that DC snapon drysuit wrist collar is quite invasive to the drysuit. It really stretches out the fabric (whatever material your suit is made of).

If it's really the ring that's defective, you can buy just a set of the DC snapon glove system drysuit end ring at Silent World for about $60.00 The whole set (gloves, rings for the gloves and drysuit, and O rings) about $200.00. About 3 months ago, I bought a whole set from E-bay for just $50.00. Now, that was a steal. I'm planning to install it on my other drysuit.

I'm still loving mine.

I know for a fact that I have a leak in the same place you described in my left wrist. A tiny hole through the latex. I have not found anything like that in my right glove though. It does have a big tear in it (half dollar sized) but with the way the latex folds back on itself about three times, its not in a position that can even cause a leak. Nevertheless I was thinking about starting with a wrist seal replacement before I go buy new snap on gloves.

[Gdog]

Well, a dozen dives into the DC drygloves and I'm loving them. Will see how they do over the longhaul.

[BDub]

The Diving Concepts dryglove system seems to be good until the plastic around the snap-on point gets scraped and dented from general wear and tear. Ive been diving with wet DC drygloves for a long time now because of it...

If it's just minor scrapes from general wear and tear, it should still seal very good. Mine has scratches on it, and seals like it was new. On the glove end, that is really not an issue, as the O ring is located inside the ring. Now, on the drysuit end, you have about 3/16th of an inch before the O ring groove. It has to be really severely dented for you to claim that it's the ring system that's leaking. I too, had a leak on my left wrist after every dive, the leak never ran past my elbow. I even thought that my exhaust valve was the culprit, changed that, but still leaked. Thought, it was the ring system, but after careful inspection, that wasn't the culprit. Did a leak test in my hot tub about 3 different occasions, and I finally nailed where it was coming from. It was from the seam right on the very end of the left wrist where it met the latex seal. Plugged that up with aqua seal, and at least 40 dives later, still dry.

Putting that DC snapon drysuit wrist collar is quite invasive to the drysuit. It really stretches out the fabric (whatever material your suit is made of).

If it's really the ring that's defective, you can buy just a set of the DC snapon glove system drysuit end ring at Silent World for about $60.00 The whole set (gloves, rings for the gloves and drysuit, and O rings) about $200.00. About 3 months ago, I bought a whole set from E-bay for just $50.00. Now, that was a steal. I'm planning to install it on my other drysuit.

I'm still loving mine.

I'd guess that I have 700-800 dives on my current set of DC rings. They are beat up, dented, scratched and look like crap, but the only leaks I've had have been user induced (ie not snapping the rings together properly pre-dive, not lubing the o-rings periodically, etc).

The gloves can be a real PITA to install, although Limey claims he's remedied that (I'm still waiting to see it with my own eyes), but I'll definitely consider DC rings again when I'm in the market for a new set.

Jeanna uses Vikings and is happy with them.

[coulterboy]

The Diving Concepts dryglove system seems to be good until the plastic around the snap-on point gets scraped and dented from general wear and tear. Ive been diving with wet DC drygloves for a long time now because of it...

If it's just minor scrapes from general wear and tear, it should still seal very good. Mine has scratches on it, and seals like it was new. On the glove end, that is really not an issue, as the O ring is located inside the ring. Now, on the drysuit end, you have about 3/16th of an inch before the O ring groove. It has to be really severely dented for you to claim that it's the ring system that's leaking. I too, had a leak on my left wrist after every dive, the leak never ran past my elbow. I even thought that my exhaust valve was the culprit, changed that, but still leaked. Thought, it was the ring system, but after careful inspection, that wasn't the culprit. Did a leak test in my hot tub about 3 different occasions, and I finally nailed where it was coming from. It was from the seam right on the very end of the left wrist where it met the latex seal. Plugged that up with aqua seal, and at least 40 dives later, still dry.

Putting that DC snapon drysuit wrist collar is quite invasive to the drysuit. It really stretches out the fabric (whatever material your suit is made of).



If it's really the ring that's defective, you can buy just a set of the DC snapon glove system drysuit end ring at Silent World for about $60.00 The whole set (gloves, rings for the gloves and drysuit, and O rings) about $200.00. About 3 months ago, I bought a whole set from E-bay for just $50.00. Now, that was a steal. I'm planning to install it on my other drysuit.

I'm still loving mine.

I'd guess that I have 700-800 dives on my current set of DC rings. They are beat up, dented, scratched and look like crap, but the only leaks I've had have been user induced (ie not snapping the rings together properly pre-dive, not lubing the o-rings periodically, etc).

The gloves can be a real PITA to install, although Limey claims he's remedied that (I'm still waiting to see it with my own eyes), but I'll definitely consider DC rings again when I'm in the market for a new set.

Jeanna uses Vikings and is happy with them.

+1 Brian.

[Mortuus]

Well I bought a new set of wrist seals today. Hopefully that fixes my leaks.

[limeyx]

The Diving Concepts dryglove system seems to be good until the plastic around the snap-on point gets scraped and dented from general wear and tear. Ive been diving with wet DC drygloves for a long time now because of it...

If it's just minor scrapes from general wear and tear, it should still seal very good. Mine has scratches on it, and seals like it was new. On the glove end, that is really not an issue, as the O ring is located inside the ring. Now, on the drysuit end, you have about 3/16th of an inch before the O ring groove. It has to be really severely dented for you to claim that it's the ring system that's leaking. I too, had a leak on my left wrist after every dive, the leak never ran past my elbow. I even thought that my exhaust valve was the culprit, changed that, but still leaked. Thought, it was the ring system, but after careful inspection, that wasn't the culprit. Did a leak test in my hot tub about 3 different occasions, and I finally nailed where it was coming from. It was from the seam right on the very end of the left wrist where it met the latex seal. Plugged that up with aqua seal, and at least 40 dives later, still dry.

Putting that DC snapon drysuit wrist collar is quite invasive to the drysuit. It really stretches out the fabric (whatever material your suit is made of).

If it's really the ring that's defective, you can buy just a set of the DC snapon glove system drysuit end ring at Silent World for about $60.00 The whole set (gloves, rings for the gloves and drysuit, and O rings) about $200.00. About 3 months ago, I bought a whole set from E-bay for just $50.00. Now, that was a steal. I'm planning to install it on my other drysuit.

I'm still loving mine.

I'd guess that I have 700-800 dives on my current set of DC rings. They are beat up, dented, scratched and look like crap, but the only leaks I've had have been user induced (ie not snapping the rings together properly pre-dive, not lubing the o-rings periodically, etc).

The gloves can be a real PITA to install, although Limey claims he's remedied that (I'm still waiting to see it with my own eyes), but I'll definitely consider DC rings again when I'm in the market for a new set.

Jeanna uses Vikings and is happy with them.

Same here, no leaks except not popping on properly.
Brian: I will demonstrate my jedi glove-replacing technique this weekend. On your gloves.
I'll bring the UV-tech

[coulterboy]

The Diving Concepts dryglove system seems to be good until the plastic around the snap-on point gets scraped and dented from general wear and tear. Ive been diving with wet DC drygloves for a long time now because of it...

If it's just minor scrapes from general wear and tear, it should still seal very good. Mine has scratches on it, and seals like it was new. On the glove end, that is really not an issue, as the O ring is located inside the ring. Now, on the drysuit end, you have about 3/16th of an inch before the O ring groove. It has to be really severely dented for you to claim that it's the ring system that's leaking. I too, had a leak on my left wrist after every dive, the leak never ran past my elbow. I even thought that my exhaust valve was the culprit, changed that, but still leaked. Thought, it was the ring system, but after careful inspection, that wasn't the culprit. Did a leak test in my hot tub about 3 different occasions, and I finally nailed where it was coming from. It was from the seam right on the very end of the left wrist where it met the latex seal. Plugged that up with aqua seal, and at least 40 dives later, still dry.

Putting that DC snapon drysuit wrist collar is quite invasive to the drysuit. It really stretches out the fabric (whatever material your suit is made of).

If it's really the ring that's defective, you can buy just a set of the DC snapon glove system drysuit end ring at Silent World for about $60.00 The whole set (gloves, rings for the gloves and drysuit, and O rings) about $200.00. About 3 months ago, I bought a whole set from E-bay for just $50.00. Now, that was a steal. I'm planning to install it on my other drysuit.

I'm still loving mine.

I'd guess that I have 700-800 dives on my current set of DC rings. They are beat up, dented, scratched and look like crap, but the only leaks I've had have been user induced (ie not snapping the rings together properly pre-dive, not lubing the o-rings periodically, etc).

The gloves can be a real PITA to install, although Limey claims he's remedied that (I'm still waiting to see it with my own eyes), but I'll definitely consider DC rings again when I'm in the market for a new set.

Jeanna uses Vikings and is happy with them.

Same here, no leaks except not popping on properly.
Brian: I will demonstrate my jedi glove-replacing technique this weekend. On your gloves.
I'll bring the UV-tech

It would be nice if you could take a video on it and post it so peeps on the board that use the DC snap on glove system can use it as a reference when needed.

[mpenders]

....

It would be nice if you could take a video on it and post it so peeps on the board that use the DC snap on glove system can use it as a reference when needed.

Here you go:

[youtube]http://youtu.be/J_JWR09pf8A[/youtube]

He sure makes it look a hell of a lot easier than the time I was recruited to assist in replacing gloves on a pair of DC rings - it took two of us and required quite a bit of colorful language.

[cardiver]

You don't need to make a tool. A few A clamps will do the job just fine. It takes about two minutes per glove.
Thank grateful diver for this tip!

[Waynne Fowler]

Well, a dozen dives into the DC drygloves and I'm loving them. Will see how they do over the longhaul.

If you EVER get to a place where you don't absolutely LOVE those things G... bring em on back and I'll buy them back for exactly what you paid.

AFAICT.... For every upside... there's a downside.... some ups crest higher and some lows dip lower... I've installed so many of these systems I don't think I could count them all. Never have I had a problem, nor have I known anyone to "struggle" with them.
I've swapped people out of every other system I know of except those that have come out in the last year or so. No one that I know of has gone back to their previous systems.

The extra 2 minutes per glove change that I do occasionally (hmmmm.... I think I had to change out my gloves about 3 or 4 years ago... or was it 6??????) is so drastically offset by the ease of everyday use that for me that part doesn't even enter the equation. That I took 30 minutes about 6 or 7 years ago to make a pvc tool and that I carry it in my Save-a-Dive kit (I've never used it on site... never needed to, much like most of the tools in that kit) is simply "not a issue". If your cuffs get scuffed up on the edges of the o-ring groove (the actual 'groove') where they seat, you could have problems... if you saw all the chips and dings in my rings you'd wonder how the heck they stay dry.. but they don't leak a drop. The only part of the ring I care about is that area on the suit ring where the o-ring touches the edges of the groove it sits in... that's where the sealing interface is.

That said... off the cuff (pun intended) I like the idea of that system Jerry's talking about.. the oval shape is rather novel and could lend itself well to getting into pockets.. that looks interesting...BUT... am I mistake or are those proprietary seals?.. they look as though they have a ridge built around the bottom to slip into a grove of some sort? I'm not so certain that the tab things would live long around me... I'm rough on my stuff.

[limeyx]

The Diving Concepts dryglove system seems to be good until the plastic around the snap-on point gets scraped and dented from general wear and tear. Ive been diving with wet DC drygloves for a long time now because of it...

If it's just minor scrapes from general wear and tear, it should still seal very good. Mine has scratches on it, and seals like it was new. On the glove end, that is really not an issue, as the O ring is located inside the ring. Now, on the drysuit end, you have about 3/16th of an inch before the O ring groove. It has to be really severely dented for you to claim that it's the ring system that's leaking. I too, had a leak on my left wrist after every dive, the leak never ran past my elbow. I even thought that my exhaust valve was the culprit, changed that, but still leaked. Thought, it was the ring system, but after careful inspection, that wasn't the culprit. Did a leak test in my hot tub about 3 different occasions, and I finally nailed where it was coming from. It was from the seam right on the very end of the left wrist where it met the latex seal. Plugged that up with aqua seal, and at least 40 dives later, still dry.

Putting that DC snapon drysuit wrist collar is quite invasive to the drysuit. It really stretches out the fabric (whatever material your suit is made of).

If it's really the ring that's defective, you can buy just a set of the DC snapon glove system drysuit end ring at Silent World for about $60.00 The whole set (gloves, rings for the gloves and drysuit, and O rings) about $200.00. About 3 months ago, I bought a whole set from E-bay for just $50.00. Now, that was a steal. I'm planning to install it on my other drysuit.

I'm still loving mine.

I'd guess that I have 700-800 dives on my current set of DC rings. They are beat up, dented, scratched and look like crap, but the only leaks I've had have been user induced (ie not snapping the rings together properly pre-dive, not lubing the o-rings periodically, etc).

The gloves can be a real PITA to install, although Limey claims he's remedied that (I'm still waiting to see it with my own eyes), but I'll definitely consider DC rings again when I'm in the market for a new set.

Jeanna uses Vikings and is happy with them.

Same here, no leaks except not popping on properly.
Brian: I will demonstrate my jedi glove-replacing technique this weekend. On your gloves.
I'll bring the UV-tech

It would be nice if you could take a video on it and post it so peeps on the board that use the DC snap on glove system can use it as a reference when needed.

If I have time I will do it.
Showed BDub last night and he is now a believer

[Gdog]

Somehow I dont think you will be buying these back from me Waynne! STill lovin them, especially now that the water temps are dropping again.