The Complete Handbook of Surfing Gloves
A practical reference for professionals, retailers, and serious cold-water surfers
by Alumigogo Books
non-fiction
A straight-talking reference on surfing glove design, selection, care, and the business behind them. No fluff, just working knowledge.
About this book
For anyone who paddles out in cold water, a pair of surfing gloves is not an afterthought; it is a piece of safety equipment that directly affects grip, dexterity, and hand temperature. This handbook breaks down exactly how those gloves are constructed, why the materials behave the way they do, and what actually matters when you compare one product against another. It covers neoprene types and thicknesses, seam construction, closure systems, and how these factors interact with water temperature, session length, and board handling.
Reader Reviews
Melissa Green
★★★★★Finally, a surfing glove reference that doesn't read like an ad. I run a rental shack in Maine and the chapter on business models alone paid for the book - I had been considering renting gloves and this gave me a realistic breakdown of the costs and the wear rates. The section on seam failure was also spot on. We've already changed how we dry our rental gloves after reading it. It's a dry read, but it's a reference book, that's what it should be.
David Smith
★★★★★I've been surfing New Jersey winters for a decade and I've bought maybe eight pairs of gloves. I wish I had this resource years ago - I learned more about neoprene type and thickness and how it relates to water temperature in the first chapter than I knew from experience. The troubleshooting chapter about seam tape was useful, too. I saved a pair I was about to throw away. It's not a casual read, but it's not meant to be. I'll be keeping this on the shelf as a reference.
Anna Jackson
★★★★★As a shop buyer, I appreciated the structured comparison of specs and the clear explanation of why one pair is worth $80 and another is worth $40. The fitting guide is solid and specific. My only gripe is that the chapter on types and specifications could have included a quick reference chart for thickness vs. temperature, but the information is there. It just means you have to flip between a few sections. Overall, it's a genuinely useful addition to my shelf.
John Baker
★★★★★Good, practical book. I bought it because I'm thinking about selling gloves online and I wasn't sure about the difference between brands and what a reasonable margin might be. The business chapter gave me a decent framework, but it could have gone a bit deeper on specific supplier relationships and negotiation. The first few chapters on materials and usage are very solid, especially the explanation of the difference between plain seams and glued seams. A solid four out of five.