The best Diving Gloves in 2024

If your hands get cold during a dive, it’s time to buy a pair of scuba diving gloves!

Besides keeping your fingers warm, gloves also have other benefits like protecting you from cutting yourself on rocks that you should not miss out on.

But there are lots of different diving glove brands and models out there and it can be overwhelming to pick the right ones.

Therefore, here are the best scuba diving gloves in 2024, as well as a buyer’s guide if you need more info.

The best diving gloves in 2024

1. Scubapro Everflex: Renowned for its flexibility and comfort.
2. Aqua Lung Thermocline Kevlar: Offers a balance between warmth and dexterity with the added benefit of Kevlar protection.
3. Fourth Element 5mm Dive Gloves: Known for its thermal protection in cold waters.
4. Cressi High Stretch: Offers great flexibility and is suitable for various water temperatures.
5. Mares Flexa Fit: Boasts a unique design with a neoprene flap closure, providing excellent warmth.

Why wear diving gloves underwater?

Using gloves while scuba diving provides various benefits like warmer hands, protection from scratches and abrasions, and others.

Here are several reasons why gloves can be a great addition to your scuba gear:

Thermal Protection: One of the primary reasons to wear gloves is to protect against the cold. Water saps heat from the body faster than air, so even in relatively warm waters, prolonged exposure can lead to cold hands. In cold water dives, gloves help prevent hypothermia.

Abrasion and Cut Protection: Underwater environments, like coral reefs, shipwrecks, or rocky terrains, can be rough and sharp. Gloves protect divers’ hands from cuts, scrapes, and abrasions.

Protection Against Marine Life: Some marine organisms can be harmful upon contact. For instance, fire coral, certain jellyfish, or spiny sea urchins can sting or puncture the skin. Wearing gloves provides an additional layer of protection against such encounters.

Improved Grip: Handling equipment underwater, especially metallic objects, can be slippery. Gloves often have textured surfaces that enhance grip, ensuring better handling of items like cameras, torches, or tools.

Protection from Contaminants: In certain diving environments, like polluted waters or specific cave systems, there might be potential contaminants. Gloves act as a barrier, protecting hands from direct exposure.

Reduced Risk of Infection: Any cut or abrasion, even minor ones, can become infected when exposed to seawater. Wearing gloves reduces the risk of initial injury and, consequently, potential infections.

Increased Confidence: For new divers, wearing gloves can provide an added sense of security, allowing them to be more confident and less tentative during their dives.

However, it’s essential to remember that while gloves offer protection, divers should still be cautious and respectful of their environment. Avoid unnecessary contact with marine life and be aware of buoyancy to minimize disturbance to the underwater world.

How to pick the right diving gloves

When buying a pair of diving gloves, here are a few things to consider.

1. Right Fit

Ensure the gloves fit snugly but not too tight. A very tight glove can restrict blood flow, making your hands colder. Conversely, a loose glove can let in water, negating its insulating properties.

2. Thickness

Glove thickness, usually measured in millimeters (mm) is the main factor to keep your hands warm. Similar to dive boots, a 1-2mm glove is ideal for tropical waters, while 5mm and above is suited for cold water.

Remember though that some countries forbid the use of (thick) diving gloves!

3. Seams

Sealed seams prevent water ingress, providing better insulation. Look for gloves with glued and blind-stitched seams for cold water dives.

4. Wrist Closure

Gloves with adjustable wrist straps offer a more customized fit, preventing water from flushing in and out of the glove. This usually means they are warmer, however, it also makes them a bit more bulky to carry in your suitcase.

5. Grip

Many gloves come with textured palms or finger surfaces to improve grip on equipment. If you are an underwater photographer, you might want one that gives you a bitter grip on your underwater camera equipment.

On the other hand, if you want to stay as warm as possible, you could opt for some that have the greatest thickness and ditch the extra grip.

6. Materials

Pick the right material for your diving gloves. We’ll look at the different materials below.

7. 3-Finger vs. 5-Finger Style

There are diving gloves with 3-finger (Mitt Style) designs, and those with 5. Whichever you prefer depends on what you want to do underwater.

Let’s look at this in a bit more detail next.

3-Finger vs. 5-Finger Style Diving Gloves

The choice between 3-finger and 5-finger diving gloves depends largely on the specific requirements of the diver and the diving conditions. Cold water divers might lean towards 3-finger gloves for the added warmth, while those needing precise dexterity should opt for the 5-finger design.

3-Finger (Mitt Style) Diving Gloves

Pros:

1. Warmth: By keeping three fingers together, they share warmth, which makes these gloves ideal for colder conditions. The reduced surface area helps to retain heat better than individual finger compartments.
2. Simplicity: Fewer individual finger compartments often mean fewer seams, which can sometimes translate to a lower likelihood of leaks or damage.
3. Durability: Due to the reduced number of seams and compartments, 3-finger gloves can offer enhanced durability, especially in challenging environments.

Cons:

1. Dexterity: The most evident drawback is reduced dexterity. Handling equipment, adjusting settings, or performing intricate tasks can be challenging.
2. Fit: For those unused to the design, it can feel strange or even uncomfortable initially, especially if the glove doesn’t fit perfectly.
3. Adaptation: There might be a learning curve, particularly for tasks requiring fine motor skills like operating a camera or adjusting small equipment.

5-Finger Diving Gloves

Pros:

1. Dexterity: These gloves allow for greater flexibility and control, making it easier to handle equipment, use tools, or perform detailed tasks underwater.
2. Natural Feel: The design is akin to regular gloves, offering a more intuitive and comfortable feel for most divers.
3. Versatility: Suitable for various activities, from casual dives to technical dives where manipulating equipment is critical.

Cons:

1. Warmth: They might not retain warmth as efficiently as 3-finger gloves because each finger is isolated, leading to more surface area exposed to cold water.
2. More Seams: With more compartments comes more seams, which can potentially be weak points where water can seep in or where the glove can wear out.
3. Bulkiness: Some 5-finger gloves, especially those designed for cold water, can be bulkier and might restrict movement more than 3-finger gloves of a similar thickness.

Diving Glove Materials

There are different diving glove materials, although neoprene is the most commonly used one.

Neoprene

Neoprene is the most commonly used material for any scuba gear. Wetsuits, boots, and hoods are also usually made from it.

Pros:

• Provides excellent insulation, making it perfect for cold water dives.
• Flexible, ensuring comfort and better hand movement underwater.

Cons:

• Can wear out faster when used in rough terrains.
• Might not provide enough protection against sharp objects.

Kevlar

Pros:

• Highly puncture and cut-resistant, ideal for wreck diving or diving in areas with sharp corals.
• Durable and long-lasting.

Cons:

• Might not offer as much thermal protection as neoprene gloves.
• Generally more expensive.

Amara (Synthetic Leather)

Pros:

• Lightweight and offers decent protection against abrasions.
• Dries quickly and is less prone to retaining odors.

Cons:

• Less thermal insulation compared to neoprene.
• Not as cut-resistant as Kevlar.

Dry Gloves

If you use a drysuit, you will inevitably come across dry gloves, too.

Dry gloves keep your hands dry but not warm. Similar to a trilaminate drysuit.

In return, they offer enough space to put on extra warm wool or other thick gloves.