Bare 3mm S-Flex Glove

As a general rule, thicker neoprene insulates more, so colder water pushes you toward thicker accessories, but fit, dive length, and personal cold tolerance matter as much as the millimeter number. Divers commonly lose a great deal of heat through the head, so a hood is often the highest-value warmth upgrade for the money. Remember that every added piece of neoprene also adds buoyancy you will need to account for.

Boots should fit like a snug athletic shoe, with no heel lift and no crushed toes; a little water inside is normal, a sloshing pocket is not. Try them on with the socks you would actually dive, and remember your fin foot pocket has to accommodate the boot. Hard-sole boots protect on rocky shore entries, while soft-sole boots are lighter and pack smaller for boat and travel diving.

Gloves should be snug across the palm with fingertips reaching the ends without bunching, since trapped air and loose fingertips destroy dexterity. Thicker gloves are warmer but make buckles, clips, and inflator buttons harder to operate, so choose the thinnest glove that keeps you comfortable in your conditions. Try working a clip or buckle while wearing them before you commit.

A hood should seal around the face and neck without restricting your throat or jaw, and lie flat on your head without pulling the mask strap out of position. A loose hood flushes cold water continuously, while an overly tight one is distracting and uncomfortable. Many hoods have a vent to release air trapped during descent, so check yours and burp out any trapped air before you go down.

New neoprene compresses and relaxes with use, so a boot, glove, or hood that feels firm out of the packaging usually settles slightly after a few dives. It should still be snug afterward rather than loose, because neoprene that stretches into a loose fit was probably oversized to begin with. Buy for a snug fit when new, but never for a fit that restricts circulation or breathing.

Yes, because every piece of neoprene you add is buoyancy, and a hood, boots, and thick gloves together can shift your weighting noticeably. Do a proper buoyancy check any time you change your exposure protection rather than assuming your usual weight still works. The weight-check procedure is covered in your training, and a dive professional can help you re-do it.

Rinse them inside and out in fresh water after every dive day, since they hold sweat and salt more than any other gear, and dry them fully inside-out before packing. Dry them out of direct sunlight and never on a heater, because heat hardens neoprene and weakens glued seams. Store them dry and unfolded, as damp neoprene sealed in a bag is how gear picks up a permanent smell.

The S-Flex Glove is offered in eight unisex sizes: 3XS, 2XS, XS, S, M, L, XL and 2XL. Bare sizes it by hand measurement using a palm circumference and length chart, so measure your hand rather than relying on a street glove size. Aim for snug across the palm with fingertips reaching the ends without bunching.

The S-Flex Glove is offered in 3mm and 5mm; 3mm keeps more finger feel while 5mm adds thermal protection. The 3mm is the warmer-water option and keeps more finger feel for clips, buckles and inflator buttons. The 5mm version adds thermal protection for colder diving at the cost of some dexterity. Call us if you want help deciding.

Yes. The S-Flex Glove has an abrasion-resistant coating across the palm and fingers, the area that takes the most contact when you grab surfaces or adjust gear mid-dive. Its seams are double-glued and blind-stitched rather than simply sewn, which helps the glove resist wear over repeated dive days. Rinse in fresh water after every dive day to extend its life.

Yes. Bare publishes a Proposition 65 warning for this glove because it contains Chloroprene, a component of neoprene that is known to the State of California to cause cancer. The warning applies to the neoprene material itself and is standard on many neoprene exposure protection products sold in California.