Gloves

Hand protection for UK and travel diving, from thin neoprene gloves for warm water through to three-finger mitts, dry glove systems and liners for cold inland sites. Cold, wet hands lose dexterity fast, so fit and grip matter as much as material. Stock covers wet gloves, latex and heavy duty drygloves, undergloves and wrist warmers. Not sure what works with your suit? Bring it in and talk to us.

Close-up of a diver's neoprene-gloved hand, showing the textured grip pads across the fingers

Expert advice
Talk to divers who use the kit we sell.
Servicing and repairs
Regulators, cylinders, drysuits, BCDs and computer batteries.
Rutland dive centre
A real shop in Oakham, with training and pool sessions.
UK delivery
Posted across the UK. Ask about lead times on special orders.

What is in this collection

Hand protection for everything from a warm water holiday to a February dive at an inland site. There are neoprene wet gloves, dry glove systems that keep your hands out of the water altogether, thin liners and undergloves to wear beneath either, and heated gloves that run from a drysuit heating system. Brands in stock here include Fourth Element, Waterproof, Kubi, Mares, Typhoon, Scubapro and Santi, plus secondhand gloves when we have them.

Wet gloves

Neoprene gloves let a thin layer of water in and rely on the material and the fit to do the rest. The ones we carry run from 1.5mm up to 7mm three-finger mitts, including the Waterproof G2 and G30 ranges, Fourth Element neoprene gloves and mitts, the Mares Flexa Fit, Typhoon 3mm gloves and the Scubapro Everflex. Thicker neoprene insulates more than thinner neoprene, but you pay for it in dexterity, and a glove you cannot work a clip in is not doing its job either. There is a fingerless Typhoon Regatta glove in here as well for surface and boat work.

Dry gloves and dryglove systems

A dry glove system seals to a drysuit and keeps your hands out of the water entirely. We stock Fourth Element heavy duty dry gloves, Waterproof latex drygloves and the Waterproof Ultima complete system, and Kubi latex gloves. The caveat that matters is compatibility: rings, cuffs and mounting systems are not universally interchangeable between manufacturers. Check the manufacturer specification for your suit and for the system you are looking at, or bring the suit in and we will check it with you. There is a dedicated Drygloves collection if that is specifically what you are after.

Liners, undergloves and wrist warmers

Fourth Element G1 glove liners, Halo A°R gloves and Xerotherm wrist warmers all go under something else, either inside a dry glove or under a suit cuff to cover the gap that always ends up cold. Size the outer glove with the liner in mind rather than to your bare hand.

Heated gloves

Santi heated gloves are powered from a drysuit heating system rather than worn on their own, so they need a compatible battery, thermovalve and cabling. Those live in Heating Systems. Treat heating as an addition to the insulation you are already wearing, never as a substitute for it.

Fit, thickness and dexterity

We deliberately do not publish a thickness-per-temperature chart, because the right glove depends on the water, the length of the dive, what you need your hands to do and how you personally feel the cold. What we will say is comparative: thicker neoprene insulates more than thinner neoprene, and a well-fitting glove works better than a loose one because less water moves around inside it. Come and try things on if you can, and grip something while you are wearing them rather than judging by feel on the shelf.

Looking after them

Rinse gloves in fresh water after every dive and dry them away from direct heat and strong sunlight. Latex parts perish over time, so check seals and rings before a trip rather than on the morning of it. If a dryglove ring or a seal needs replacing, talk to us.

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Frequently asked questions

There is no single right answer, and we will not give you a blanket rule for a safety item. Thicker neoprene insulates more than thinner neoprene, but it also costs you dexterity, so the choice depends on the water you are diving, how long you are in it, how you personally feel the cold and what you need your hands to do down there. The neoprene gloves in this collection run from 1.5mm up to 7mm three-finger mitts. Tell us where you are diving and we will help you narrow it down.

That depends entirely on the suit, the cuff or seal it has and the ring system involved. Dry glove rings and mounting systems are not universally interchangeable between manufacturers. Check the manufacturer specification for both your suit and the glove system you are considering, or bring the suit into the shop and we will check it with you before you buy anything.

Snug, without restricting your circulation. A glove that is too tight is uncomfortable and works against you; one that is too loose lets water move around inside and takes away the grip you need for clips, valves and a camera. Try them on with any liner you intend to wear underneath, and try gripping something while you have them on rather than judging by feel alone.

With a dry glove system, yes, and it is common practice. Size the outer glove with the liner in mind rather than buying it to fit your bare hand. With wet gloves it is more constrained, because the glove is meant to fit closely, so allow for it when you size up. We stock Fourth Element G1 liners, Halo A degrees R gloves and Xerotherm wrist warmers for exactly this.