theMerFanc
08-19-2016, 06:55 PM
So one thing I have been really interested since the beginning of my mer-journey is webbed gloves. There are a few threads where they are mentioned but I wanted to dedicate a thread entirely to them and my (or others) experiences with them.
I recently purchased two sets of webs from Amazon and today I had the chance to take them to the pool and test them out. I wanted to share my findings, my thoughts and the pros and cons with the merfolk around these waters. Anyone else who has tried these gloves or others are free to post their own reviews.
First up are These (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B011T5IVDM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1) bad boys.
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51WFcJQ80yL._SL1024_.jpg
These webbings are a silicone prosthetic that slip over your fingers. They are not a full glove. This itself has pros and cons attached to it. The sizing on the listing is accurate; small is children, medium is womens, large is mens. I purchased the medium and they fit me very well. Despite the listing saying they are a soft elastic silicone, this mer doesn't know how to read. I thought they would be a rigid plastic and I was extremely pleased with the product that actually came. I am able to stretch my fingers apart to the extend of the silicone and they don't tear or break. They allow one to tread water easily and I was able to turn around in two strokes underwater. In addition, they were great in my dog paddling surface adventures. They do not go all the way to the actual webbing of the human finger which allows water to get through theirr. Although one would assume this would make them less powerful, I didn't see a difference in performance. Because the tips of your fingers stick out of the ends of these webbings, I was easily able to deal with my noseplug, goggles, ear plugs and clip the monofin safety release on and off. The biggest downside that I came across on my first test is that because they are not a full glove, too much rigorous swimming causes them to slip slowly from the fingers. This can be caught however and fixed before they fall off.
Pros:
*Inexpensive
*Fold up Small
*Easy to dry off and store
*Almost invisible from a distance in the water
*Stretchy and allows most finger movement
*Tips are exposed allowing minute use of fingers (earplugs, noseplug, goggles, fun straps)
*Lightweight and could probably be Incorporated into a silicone tail design.
*Float
Cons:
*Flimsy; the listing offers an option to buy 3 pairs which leads me to believe they will rip over time.
*Slips off fingers with vigorous swimming and time.
*Finger tips are exposed so ocean swimming and handling coral and rocks will not be protected
I spent $5.99 on my pair. Looking around, there are some for as low as 2.50 on amazon which in my opinion is an absolute steel. These are great gloves.
Next up is the H2Odyssey Paddle Glove (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004UI6336/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1).
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51fANNgIb%2BL.jpg
First thing I notice off the bad is the sticky palms. I really don't know what the heck they are for as it doesn't really provide any extra grip int he water. however I do also notice that the fabric on the palm of my gloves is not the same as what is pictured. Just like the first pair of webbings, they do exactly what you need them to. Treading water and turning under water are extremely easy tasks with these gloves. They are a thin neoprene back which helped to keep my hands warp (not that I really needed it) and they looked great with my black longsleeve lycra rashguard. The huge logo is kind of a turnoff and I wish the back of the webbing wasn't grey but what can you do? They are very secure and fit my hands perfectly. I purchased the medium and they fit me great. They are snug around my fingers which gives this MerFanc a very secure feeling. There was absolutely no slippage and I didn't need to worry about them falling off mid swim. Despite the weird palm fabric, I was able to unclip my monofin safety strap with no issue. I was able to squish my silicone ear plug in deeper but not really to take it out or adjust it. It was able to slip my noseclip and goggles on and off.
Pros:
*Very secure with no slipage
*Powerful
*Will protect against sharp rocks or pool bottoms
*Little fear of ripping or breaking
Cons:
*Less minute finger ability
*Obvious from a distance (Could take some working and explaining why a mermaid would need these)
*More expensive for the same job
These gloves ran me $17.99 on Amazon. More expensive then I probably would have spent if I'd gotten just the other ones first but I do really love them. I will liekyl reserve these gloves for rivers and the ocean where I have to deal with a strong current.
I recently purchased two sets of webs from Amazon and today I had the chance to take them to the pool and test them out. I wanted to share my findings, my thoughts and the pros and cons with the merfolk around these waters. Anyone else who has tried these gloves or others are free to post their own reviews.
First up are These (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B011T5IVDM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1) bad boys.
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51WFcJQ80yL._SL1024_.jpg
These webbings are a silicone prosthetic that slip over your fingers. They are not a full glove. This itself has pros and cons attached to it. The sizing on the listing is accurate; small is children, medium is womens, large is mens. I purchased the medium and they fit me very well. Despite the listing saying they are a soft elastic silicone, this mer doesn't know how to read. I thought they would be a rigid plastic and I was extremely pleased with the product that actually came. I am able to stretch my fingers apart to the extend of the silicone and they don't tear or break. They allow one to tread water easily and I was able to turn around in two strokes underwater. In addition, they were great in my dog paddling surface adventures. They do not go all the way to the actual webbing of the human finger which allows water to get through theirr. Although one would assume this would make them less powerful, I didn't see a difference in performance. Because the tips of your fingers stick out of the ends of these webbings, I was easily able to deal with my noseplug, goggles, ear plugs and clip the monofin safety release on and off. The biggest downside that I came across on my first test is that because they are not a full glove, too much rigorous swimming causes them to slip slowly from the fingers. This can be caught however and fixed before they fall off.
Pros:
*Inexpensive
*Fold up Small
*Easy to dry off and store
*Almost invisible from a distance in the water
*Stretchy and allows most finger movement
*Tips are exposed allowing minute use of fingers (earplugs, noseplug, goggles, fun straps)
*Lightweight and could probably be Incorporated into a silicone tail design.
*Float
Cons:
*Flimsy; the listing offers an option to buy 3 pairs which leads me to believe they will rip over time.
*Slips off fingers with vigorous swimming and time.
*Finger tips are exposed so ocean swimming and handling coral and rocks will not be protected
I spent $5.99 on my pair. Looking around, there are some for as low as 2.50 on amazon which in my opinion is an absolute steel. These are great gloves.
Next up is the H2Odyssey Paddle Glove (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004UI6336/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1).
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51fANNgIb%2BL.jpg
First thing I notice off the bad is the sticky palms. I really don't know what the heck they are for as it doesn't really provide any extra grip int he water. however I do also notice that the fabric on the palm of my gloves is not the same as what is pictured. Just like the first pair of webbings, they do exactly what you need them to. Treading water and turning under water are extremely easy tasks with these gloves. They are a thin neoprene back which helped to keep my hands warp (not that I really needed it) and they looked great with my black longsleeve lycra rashguard. The huge logo is kind of a turnoff and I wish the back of the webbing wasn't grey but what can you do? They are very secure and fit my hands perfectly. I purchased the medium and they fit me great. They are snug around my fingers which gives this MerFanc a very secure feeling. There was absolutely no slippage and I didn't need to worry about them falling off mid swim. Despite the weird palm fabric, I was able to unclip my monofin safety strap with no issue. I was able to squish my silicone ear plug in deeper but not really to take it out or adjust it. It was able to slip my noseclip and goggles on and off.
Pros:
*Very secure with no slipage
*Powerful
*Will protect against sharp rocks or pool bottoms
*Little fear of ripping or breaking
Cons:
*Less minute finger ability
*Obvious from a distance (Could take some working and explaining why a mermaid would need these)
*More expensive for the same job
These gloves ran me $17.99 on Amazon. More expensive then I probably would have spent if I'd gotten just the other ones first but I do really love them. I will liekyl reserve these gloves for rivers and the ocean where I have to deal with a strong current.