Viking Bayonet Dry Gloves

[LKunze]

I use the Diving Concepts glove system and it is a very easy and reliable system.  I had problems early on not with the rings but with the compressed neoprene Diving Concepts gloves developing seam failures and leaking but now I just use the cheap black Magid rubber gloves on the rings and have yet to have a single issue with them. They have better dexterity than the blue PVC smurf gloves or neoprene gloves and have held up better as well.  It takes a lot to put a hole in the rubber gloves.  I've snagged them on sharp objects to the point the glove was stretching and still no hole in the glove. I have holed the blue PVC gloves just from busting a snail in my hand...not the case with the rubber gloves. 

On the Diving Concepts rings I've heard some untrue information about this system such as the rings popping off on ascent from excess air in the gloves and/or leaks due to sand or hair on the o-ring and I do not find this to be the case at all.  I've purposely let my glove blow up like a balloon on ascent and it never came close to popping off, they are very secure.  The key with this system is good maintenance.  You need to make sure you have a thin layer of silicone on the o-ring to make getting the glove rings connected easier when you snap them together and this also makes it easier to pop them off after the dive.

I've had sand and hair/fuzz stuck to the light layer of silicone on the o-rings as well and that has never caused leaks either.  Maybe I'm lucky but I think the DC dry glove system is very robust.  This ring system is very versatile too in that you are not limited as to what gloves you can use. You can use any glove you want.  Rubber gloves, blue PVC smurf gloves, the orange nitrile gloves or neoprene wet suit gloves (provided the seams are sealed good) with a glued on wrist seal that could be stretched over the glove ring. 

Regarding the Viking non-bayonet cuff ring system that arcflash is using, this is a very popular system locally but I have seen first hand several cases on dives over the years where divers using this system have had the glove pull off of the ring on a dive making for a very uncomfortable dive.  Dan G can attest to that.  Your mileage may vary but no glove ring system is perfect and I think with any of the ring types you may use, you have to make sure everything is connected securely and properly before submerging.