New Masterline Prolocks seem slippery

[Chef23]

I broke out a new pair of Prolocks this morning and they seemed really slippery. Has anyone else found this to be the case and how did you get them to be less slippery? I left my other pair at another ski site and I have regionals coming up this weekend.

[Horton]

Have you called Master Line?

[Chef23]

@Horton, it was one set with them and I didn't want to panic if people had experienced this and it went away. I don't remember my other gloves being slippery.

 

I have called Masterline with issues in the past and haven't had great experiences with their follow through.

[Horton]

I am thinking of a new rule around here that you must call the mfr before you posting about product issues. I think that is fair.

[A_B]

Yes I felt the same. You can take some gravel, cinder blocks, driveway, etc, and scuff them up a little and they get better. I agree, not the out of the box stickiness as before though. Masters Curves are the same way. The black amara is not as sticky as the old gray. Maybe it will hold up better? I loved the red/black/gray gloves. Jury is still out on the all black Curves. Pro Locks use same material.

[jwroblew]

I agree with AB, take something and rub them around in the palms, If you don't it will take a few sets until they wear in.

[Than_Bogan]

@Horton I would not like such a rule. Getting input from neutral parties with experience is often much more valuable than calling the manufacturer.

 

I guess I could see that kind of a rule before posting a "negative review," but when asking questions or looking for folks experience, it's a very different story.

[boarditup]

I have not experienced a problem with the gloves on newer handles. I do, however, hit my handles with a wire brush to roughen them up and make them tacky every once in a while. Keep the gloves the way they are and roughen the rubber on the handle.

[Wish]

I am totally guessing here but I think it's in the manufacturing and storage of the straping material itself and what they use to keep it from drying out when it's on the big roll before its gets cut off and stitched to the glove. I'd try some good ol Palm Olive dish soap or some kind of degreaser first before abrasives. I did this with my Prolocks and it helped. Then I baught Radar Vice gloves where the glove itself is a way better build and never looked back. Did not have to mess with soap or gravel or anything else. I just use them. And they are awesome.

[Horton]

@ThanBogan

 

What I think no one but me cares about is that this is the biggest news outlet in water skiing. If a product is clearly flawed it should come out here but if it is not bad or if the factory will take care of it I do not want to paint the company in a bad light.

 

I need to steer the conversation so the info is good and not reactionary negitive. Maybe just changing the title of this thread would be enough. I totally understand that @chef23 just wants some help. I do not want the new guy to think ML is a second class product because it is really a very first class product.

[tfriess]

@ThanBogan , your trash

[Ed_Johnson]

I have been using Clincher types for over 15 years and have 2 rules with new gloves.

 

(1) Always take rough sandpaper and a wire brush and visibly roughen the straps before use.

 

(2) Only wear one NEW glove at a time for a few sets to break it in. Keeps the distraction factor low that way.

[Wish]

@Ed Johnson. The 1 new one at a time is a great idea!!!. Thanks. @Horton I think within a few posts most (almost all) threads are advice driven that I have seen. Maybe I'm wrong. Love Eds. I threw out the Vice gloves as an option because I really feel its a better design. I to have used clincher type gloves for a decade. ML used the original Clincher design and modified a couple little things. Radar threw out everything except the strap and dowl and started from scratch with the glove. Materials are better. Design allows for putting them on easier and the portion that goes around your wrist that takes the load is substantially wider (spreading out load) and cushier then ML. ML ProLocks were an improvement on the Clinchers but Radar put that concept to a new level (IMO). I suspect like anything else, if more Vice gloves are sold, ML will have to make a change. If not, they will stay similar to what they have. I buy nothing for the home without looking at Amozon for consumer reviews. It pushes competition, quality, sales and consumers benifit .....win win win. But if it was a defect, I would call first and did just that with Radar a month ago. Totally satisfied with their response and how they took care of things. If they had not. I would have posted here.

[Than_Bogan]

@Horton Perhaps surprisingly, I do care about accuracy of information and impression. I try to make corrections when I see something getting misleading.

 

At the same time, I fear the idea of being afraid to say anything bad. This site is an awesome source of information because it isn't sugar-coated and approved by the marketing department.

[Chef23]

@Horton I just was trying to find out if others have had that issue and it went away before I called Masterline I don't think I maligned the product.

[Horton]

Yes that balance is the hard part. I do not want readers to be afraid to speak honesty. On the other hand you have seen what happens when a forum is un moderated.

[Horton]

@chef23

I know. A am a little sensitive on the subject lately. There is no manual for running this place....

 

Ok enough about how I run BOS. I will address this in another thread

[Than_Bogan]

(Crap -- how am I supposed to catch Horton in The Points That Don't Matter if I keep Awesome-ing his posts?? I gotta stop that.)

[Waternut]

A lot of ropes, straps, and laces have a very soapy/slick feel the first time they get wet. Unless ML prewashes everything prior to shipping it, I would consider it normal.

 

I agree your first line of questioning should be here and not the manufacturer. It's very rare that I get a warm fuzzy feeling from the manufacturer when I call them. They are all very confident that what you are describing is normal but I never get the impression that really understand what I'm telling them. Unless it's a really small company, I just feel like they are trying to defend themselves rather than actually help.

[tfriess]

@ThanBogan like I said....

[skibug]

A light roguhing of the straps with sandpaper always works for me. As far as the manufacturers go; I don't see any issues with good constructive feedback and kudos for the manufacturers when they step up. I think the latter often gets overlooked and you usually only hear the "bad" feedback.

[eleeski]

I paint wetsuit glue on the straps of my Masterline clinchers. By the time it wears off the straps have softened up enough for a great grip. I did this with the old Clinchers as well.

 

The clinchers that came with the Goode Powervest gripped well straight out of the box. But I wasn't physically ready to really hold on during my first sets so it may be another variable.

 

@chef23 posed a reasonable question - not a Masterline bash. And my experience has his issue being a general issue with the style of glove not limited to one manufacturer.

 

Eric

[Chef23]

Fortunately I found my old gloves so I am going to ski with those through Regionals then try roughing up the straps on the new ones.

[ToddL]

@ Ed Johnson - (2) Only wear one NEW glove at a time for a few sets to break it in. Keeps the distraction factor low that way.

 

Way cool idea! I recently bought some Radar Vices to see what all the noise was about. For me, the Masterline ProLocks seem to "fit" better. More specifically, the Vice's seem to route the lock strap closer to the index finger based upon where it attaches to the wrist strap. This caused the strap to feel in the way compared to my Pro Locks. I prefer the wrist strap design on the Vices - they are so much easier to get on. However, the Vice's outer wrist strap is too long and I have about .5" of excess velcro hanging. I wore the vices once and then put the Pro Locks back on. I may try the 1 glove process to see if I can overcome the index finger interference feeling. Hmmm...

 

Btw, I think both companies produce great products and the support that I've encountered has been exemplary. Both companies' owners and reps genuinely want to produce a loved product and hope that most skiers will find them as the best solution for their needs.

[Ed_Johnson]

@ToddL: I have the same problem of excess wrist strap velcro with my Goode Clinchers. What I do is take a scissors and cut it off, then use a Bic Lighter and heat the edges to seal it. Works great.

[6balls]

All the "lock" style gloves will be slippery first set unless you rough the strap up. I use as little sandpaper. It doesn't take much. Had this issue with clinchers, ML's and Radar.

On another note, ML is replacing both my pairs with torn straps...they claim it was a bad batch and the replacements should be better.

Lastly, put the Radar version of the lock glove through a week of abuse last week skiing as many as 4 sets/day. They appear to be a sturdier build especially the wrist wrap. The strap with the dowel is stiffer, too, which took more time than the others to break in and made the glove cumbersome at first. This has resolved. Will see how they hold up now in the coming weeks, but seems like the best built lock glove I have seen.