TESTCENTRE
They are... inevitable
46
HydroTherm Heated Gloves
COMPANY: NORTHERN DIVER PRICE: £ 420 TEL: 01257 254444 WEB: WWW. NDIVER. COM
It’ s normally the extremities that succumb first to the effects of cold water diving. The hands in particular are susceptible to low temperatures. This can lead to a reduction in dexterity and with it the ability to operate equipment.
Thick neoprene gloves or mitts can reduce the effect, but using a more substantial material can result in a corresponding loss in deftness. While dry glove systems go a step further by allowing a thermal inner glove to insulate the hands from the water completely, similar limitations may also apply. While there are several heated inners available for dry gloves, Northern Diver’ s HydroTherm Heated Rechargeable Diving Gloves are essentially wet gloves with integrated heated elements. Manufactured from 4mm super-stretch neoprene, these gloves offer a close, comfortable fit. What’ s more, they are every bit as flexible as a normal pair of 4mm gloves.
The key behind this system lies in the concealed heat elements located on the rear of the hand and fingers. Siting the element across the silicone-textured palms would of course, leave them open to damage when carrying out tasks, but as a I found for myself, the process of conduction is rapid and the entire hand is soon engulfed by all-round warmth.
The compact battery slots into its secure pouch
Heated element on the glove’ s rear
Gloves assembled
The glove is well constructed with stitched and liquid-taped seals, plus an inner seal inside the wrist to prevent flushing. As a standalone glove it offers excellent thermal properties in and of itself. An extended gauntlet accommodates a neoprene pouch. Here, the slimline 80mm x 40mm, 170g rechargeable LiPo( Lithium-ion Polymer) battery pack is inserted.
Any concerns that the battery would prove uncomfortable or intrusive in use were swiftly allayed as soon as I glovedup. To all intents and purposes it felt just like any other neoprene glove. I tried the gloves with several different suits including a wetsuit, a drysuit with neoprene seals, latex seals plus a drysuit with dryglove rings. Only the latter required any adjustment, with quick shimmy-up of the wrist seal / ring to compensate for the longer glove length.
Battery and glove are joined together via waterproof connectors and supply a continuous-use battery life of around 100 minutes. This can of course be extended by periods of powered-down use. The same connectors recharge the battery packs using the two supplied mains chargers, a process which takes approximately three hours.
Anyone familiar with the Marvel
Avengers movies may see a similarity between super-baddie Thanos’ Infinity Gauntlet and the activation of the HydroTherm. Just as the all-powerful Infinity Gauntlet requires a specific hand gesture to activate its awesome powers, Northern Divers’ version follows suit. Simply pass the wrist over the opposite hand’ s battery pack, but unlike Thanos,