Updated on September 2, 2024
When you go diving you want to enjoy yourself or complete your mission most effectively and comfortably. Gloves can play a major role in keeping your fingers and hands warm and safe from other external factors that might cause cuts, abrasions, or punctures.
To help you select the best scuba diving gloves for your dive plan, 10 top-performing pairs have been selected for consideration. To begin there is a basic buying guide followed by reviews of the gloves, a comparison table, and a couple of care and maintenance tips to finish.
If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know in the comments section at the bottom. I’d love to know your thoughts.
Best Scuba Diving Gloves Buying Guide
What type of environment are you entering?
Based on the temperature of the water, you should provide a level of thermal protection as a sort of extension of your wet or drysuit. When the water is cold enough for a heavy wetsuit or a drysuit, you will need a measure of insulation on your hands to make sure they are warm enough to have the necessary dexterity to be safe and comfortable. If you are doing a penetration into a cave or wreck, protection from abrasion is important.
What is the purpose of your dive?
If you are doing construction or salvage work, you need a very sturdy glove. A photographer will need to have fairly articulate use of hands and fingers. Night diving or penetration has the risk of damage to the hands and warrants protection.
How thick should the gloves be?
Generally speaking, the colder the water, the thicker the glove. The available range is .5-7 mm. A general guideline is:
- 1-3 mm: water between 16-24°C (61-75°F)
- 5-7 mm: water between 8-16°C (46-61°F)
The basic material used for thermal protection is neoprene.
It is flexible and adheres well to the hands. When the material is thin, it is easier to put them on and take them off. When the material is thicker, not only is donning and doffing more difficult but there is also decreased flexibility and dexterity. For warm water dives, other materials including textiles and leather can be used.
Aside from neoprene, textiles, and leather, several other materials are used.
Amara is synthetic leather that can be used on the palm for added grip. Kevlar is a synthetic fiber that is used to reinforce against abrasion and general wear and tear, which is important on work gloves. Dyneema is another new polyethylene fiber that is also very strong that appears on some models.
There are also some design variations.
The basic style is the normal five-finger glove. For the coldest of water, mittens may be the ticket, but some dexterity will be forfeited. Donning and doffing are a consideration. Solid wrist gloves are more difficult in that regard. The elasticity of the neoprene is important for easy on and off. Split wrist designs with velcro or a zipper make donning and doffing easier, but perhaps the water flow in through the wrist will be greater.
The below selection provides a range for you to consider in your selection process, based on the type of diving you do.
Best Scuba Diving Gloves in 2024
- ScubaPro Seamless Glove 1.5 mm
- Fourth Element 5 mm Neoprene Gloves
- Akona 3.5 mm ArmorTex Neoprene Gloves
- NeoSport Premium Wetsuit Gloves
- Scubapro Everflex Gloves
- Bare Ultrawarmth Gloves
- Cressi Tropical 2 mm Gloves
- Cressi 2.5 mm High Stretch Gloves
- Seavenger Abyss 1.5 mm Reef Gloves
- Bare 7mm Unisex K-Palm Three-Finger Scuba Dive Mitt
ScubaPro Seamless Glove 1.5 mm
- Warm water use
- 1.5 mm neoprene
- Very light at 4 oz
- Heat-taped seams for easy on and off
- Printed palm aids in gripping
- Rating: 4.3
- Price: $$
Fourth Element 5 mm Neoprene Gloves
- 5 mm stretch neoprene
- 7.2 oz
- Coldwater glove with thermoflex lining for added warmth
- Carbonite print on surfaces provides improved durability and a good grip
- Easy on and off, snug fit, and minimal water entry due to stretch material and seams that are stitched, welded, and glued
- Rating: 4.7
- Price: $$$
Akona 3.5 mm ArmorTex Neoprene Gloves
- 3.5 mm Quantum Stretch Neoprene
- 8.8 oz
- Water-resistant finish
- 1.5-inch velcro wrist closure
- Ergonomic flexible pre-bent fingers
- Palm and fingers of woven, durable Akona ArmorTex material for resistance to abrasion, cuts, and punctures with flexibility
- Glued and blind stitched
- Rating: 4.3
- Price: $$
NeoSport Premium Wetsuit Gloves
- Flexible premium neoprene in 3mm or 5mm thicknesses
- Very light 4 ounces
- Velcro elastic wrist enclosure
- Textured palm for a good grip
- Glued and sewn seams ensure no leakage
- Rating: 4.5
- Price: $
- 3 or 5 mm Everflex neoprene
- Contoured shape for flexibility
- Silverskin nylon lining with metalite coating for warmth retention
- Comfortable, quick-drying inner plush lining
- Textured fingers for a good grip
- Rating: 4.9
- Price: $$
3 or 5 mm ELASTEK Nylon II full-stretch outer fabric and low-loft OMNIRED inner fabric for ultimate fit and comfort
- 4-panel design improves stretch, increases dexterity, and makes them easier to put on and take off
- Pre-curved anatomically correct fingers for improved dexterity and fatigue reduction
- GLIDESKIN-IN wrist seals to prevent water entry
- 3D palm print for a good grip and abrasion resistance
- Double glued and blind stitched for reduced water flow
- Rating: 4.9
- Price: $$$$
- 2 mm neoprene and Nappa leather
- Abrasion-resistant palm
- Good sensitivity and dexterity in the fingers
- Large velcro area on the wrist for adjustment
- Rating: 4.2
- Price: $
Cressi 2.5 mm High Stretch Gloves
- 2.5 mm high stretch neoprene
- Metalite lining for a smooth surface and easy on and off
- Preformed semi-bent fingers
- Non-slip finish for good grip
- Rating: 4.3
- Price: $
Seavenger Abyss 1.5 mm Reef Gloves
- Warm water use
- 1.5 mm neoprene mesh back and Lycra panel insertion make for flexibility
- Amara leather palms for a good grip
- Reinforced palm and thumb
- Durable blind stitched seams
- Adjustable wrist band
- Protection from scratches and punctures
- Available in 5 color combinations
- Extremely light 1.6 oz
- Rating: 4.0
- Price: $
Bare 7mm Unisex K-Palm Three-Finger Scuba Dive Mitt
7 mm Nylon II Neoprene for cold water
- Kevlar covered on abrasion-prone surfaces on the palm and fingers provides puncture resistance
- Three-finger K-palm mitt keeps fingers closed together for extra warmth
- Forearm gauntlet for extended coverage on the wrist
- Adjustable wrist closure
- Anatomically cut and bent fingers
- Textured palm for good gripping
- Double glued and blind stitched for reduced water flow
- Rating: 4.8
- Price: $$$
Scuba Diving Gloves Comparison Table
| Picture | Glove | Thickness | Rating | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
  | Scubapro Seamless Glove 1.5 mm | 1.5 mm | 4.3 | $$ |
  | Fourth Element 5 mm Neoprene Gloves | 5 mm | 4.7 | $$$ |
  | Akona 3.5 mm ArmorTex Neoprene Glovess | 3.5 mm | 4.3 | $$ |
  | NeoSport Premium Wetsuit Gloves | 3 and 5 mm | 4.5 | $ |
  | Scubapro Everflex Gloves | 3 and 5 mm | 4.9 | $$ |
  | Bare Ultrawarmth Gloves | 3 and 5 mm | 4.9 | $$$$ |
  | Cressi Tropical 2 mm Glove | 2.5 mm | 4.2 | $ |
  | Cressi 2.5 mm High Stretch Gloves | 2.5 mm | 4.3 | $ |
  | Seavenger Abyss 1.5 mm Reef Gloves | 1.5 | 4 | $ |
  | Bare 7mm Unisex K-Palm Three-Finger Scuba Dive Mitt | 7mm | 4.8 | $$$ |
| Picture | Glove | Thickness | Rating | Price |
Dive Glove Care and Maintenance
- Rinse in freshwater after each dive (just like a wetsuit). Don’t machine wash or use detergent.
- Allow them to thoroughly dry out of the sun in a ventilated place. Textile gloves will take longer than neoprene models.
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