Water Ski Gloves: Why Are They So Important?

A good pair of ski gloves will get you skiing longer and keep blood in the fingers on those colder days. Use this guide to sort through the different types of gloves and find the perfect pair for your next trip to the lake.

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SIZING

The most important thing when fitting waterski gloves is that have a tight and firm fit. If your gloves are too loose they won’t work effectively and can give you cramps in your arms. No matter which style of glove you choose make sure it’s the smallest size you can fit your hand into and comfortably tighten the wrist straps. To keep your hands warm waterski gloves are usually made from neoprene like wetsuits so they will soften when they get wet. For the best fit you want your fingers at the end of the gloves with minimal webbing between the fingers and bunching across the palm. Test them out before use in the water by getting a friend to tension a handle while you hold on and put your weight on it.

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GLOVE DESIGN

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Waterski gloves are usually a full finger design but three-quarter finger gloves are also available. Three quarter gloves can feel more comfortable to wear and give greater dexterity while full finger waterski glove designs are warmer and allow fingers to be pre-curved. Pre-curved fingers are an important part of of how a waterski glove reduces the strain on your muscles and aids grip strength.

A wrist strap also helps to transfer the strain to your arms and most waterski gloves also have a strap that tightens over the back of your hand. The palm of a glove is reinforced with stitching and padding to give you grip, comfort and feel on the handle. Common palm materials include:

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AMARA: standard waterski gloves are padded with a soft material like Amara for the most comfortable feel on the handle. They are effective at reducing wear and blistering on your hands but lack the toughness of a more durable material such as kevlar.

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KEVLAR: super tough kevlar is used in high end slalom ski gloves for the best durability and to give you the most grip on the handle. With less padding they give you a responsive feel on the handle and the stiffness of kevlar allows pre-curved fingers to be extra effective in sticking you to the bar.

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“CLINCHER” STYLE GLOVES

Rather than stitching material onto the palm, clincher style waterski gloves are made with a heavy duty strap running from the wrist to a piece of dowel on the middle fingers of the glove. Because the strap is a smaller length than the outstretched palm of the glove it forces your hand around the handle and transfers the strain to your forearms rather than the muscles in your fingers and wrist. They’re the ultimate glove for that last ski of the day when your arms are pumped!

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We hope this guide has helped you to find the perfect set of slalom ski gloves. Remember to get that tight fit and if you have any questions feel free to CONTACT our friendly staff.