The Complete Handbook of Surfing Gloves

Chapter 1: Understanding Surfing Gloves

What Surfing Gloves Actually Are

A surfing glove is a fitted neoprene covering for the hand and, in most designs, the lower wrist. It is worn during water activities, primarily in cold or temperate conditions, to provide thermal insulation and, in many cases, to improve or maintain grip on the rails and deck of a surfboard. The glove is not a waterproof barrier in the way a rubber dishwashing glove is; rather, it traps a thin layer of water between the wearer's skin and the neoprene. The body's own heat warms this trapped water, slowing the transfer of heat away from the hand. In effect, you are insulating your hand with a layer of your own body heat, not with dry air.

The product is commonly confused with a wetsuit boot or a splash guard, but it serves a distinct function. A boot is built for foot placement on a traction pad and is a far more rigid shell. A surfing glove is built for finger dexterity, wrist flexibility, and constant tactile feedback from the board. It has to allow you to adjust your grip while paddling, reposition your hand when duck-diving through a wave, and still give you enough sensation to feel a change in the board's trim. This is a substantially more demanding requirement than merely retaining heat.

In the industry, you will see a number of terms used loosely. "Wetsuit gloves," "booties for hands," and even "water sport gloves" are sometimes used.