TUSA Titanium Gloves

Brrrr! I won't deny it. It has been a cold water winter for California diving. The diving has been as spectacular as ever, but temperatures have been three to five degrees below normal. That's not going to stop me, however, from enjoyable winter diving in California. I just double up on the insulation in my dry suit and head for the kelp. But I do have one problem &emdash; my hands. Yes, there are some excellent cold water gloves out there, but they often restrict fine motor control and feeling. Sure, they are warm but at the price of mobility.

Thinner gloves are an option, but in water below 60 degrees, they provide grossly inadequate thermal protection. The TUSA Titanium Glove provides an option that works well. I've used these gloves in waters down to 52 degrees with great success. While I'm sure they're not as warm as bulkier gloves, this is a good glove for photographers, spearfisherman, or any diver who needs fine motor control in cold water.

Key to this glove is the material &emdash; a 2mm thick infused with fine powder grains of titanium. If you turn the gloves inside out and stretch the fabric you can see the metal shining back at you. Wetsuits with reflective metal in the neoprene is becoming more commonplace, largely because it is so effective. It is, however, more difficult to find the same material used in gloves unless custom ordered. This material is soft, stretchy and resilient.

The palms of the gloves are soft synthetic suede that is pliable and flexible throughout the dive and even after repeated wetting and drying cycles. It is durable yet thin enough to control even the most finicky camera controls. And it is reinforced in the portions of the palm that are most prone to wear and tear. All seams are sewn inside and out for added durability.

These are gauntlet style gloves with long wrists to overlap the wrists of wetsuits or seals on a dry suit for an extra margin of thermal protection. Elastic velcro-closed wrist bands further seal off the glove for a nice seal that prevents cold water seepage. I like the fact that the wrist band was thick for better comfort and excellent sealing.

The gloves come in five sizes that run on the snug side, which is good for better warmth. You want these gloves to fit tight for maximum effectiveness. And in the words of Henry Ford, you can have them in any color you want, so long as it is black.

For more information, see a TUSA dealer near you. For the nearest dive store carrying TUSA gear, see the Dive Store Directory in the back of this issue or call TUSA at (562) 498-3708.

Special thanks to Divers Discount Supply for supplying these gloves for review.