Best grippy gloves

[DooSPX]

I have been using Clinchers (or Clincher style) gloves for years, but they continue to get slippery on the strap no matter what I do, so I'm going back to normal gloves. I am looking for the glove that offers the most grip from the palm to the finger tips. I have been looking at the Connelly Claw (now Prophecy) w/ the fingertip bumps, the HO 41's, the Radar Ergo that have the fingertip bumps and the SL Stealths. What do you other Ballers think?

[doonez]

I was amazed at how grippy the D3 Enzo gloves are. They are also by far the most comfortable I have worn

[6balls]

Slippery clincher style gloves????

[DooSPX]

@6balls yes, slippery, the strap gets slippery and it causes the handle to consistently move around in my grip unless I superman the handle, but I prefer a relaxed grip.

[DooSPX]

Thanks for the tips guys, much appreciated!

[6balls]

@doospx the only time it's slippery for me is brand new. Once broken in no slip...and in my case now I sand paper 'em when new so not slippery first use.

Bottom line though is if they don't work for you, don't use 'em.

[6balls]

OK update. Have an old pair of Radar Vice and about to change 'em out. Have removed the dowels to avoid the occasional release "hang up"...but it hasn't completely eliminated the issue. It doesn't happen often, but if you are smoking your best pass and have a momentary hang up that costs you a pass...or go around 6 ball two handed like I did the other day it makes you consider hanging up strapped gloves despite all the positives.

Today I carefully cut out the loop that holds the dowel even though no dowel in it and skied two sets. Much less bulky feel for the glove, no hang ups...might be the best of the best. I cut them b/c this pair is just about done after 1.5 seasons...but when I pull out the next pair I will set 'em up this way.

 

 

[A_B]

@6Balls, most of the guys I know who wear Clincher-type gloves, push the dowel out. Are you saying you cut off the hole that holds the dowel?

[6balls]

@AB yes I pushed the dowel out prior but still had a hang up here and there...most upsetting is that the hang up typically happens at my shortest passes and when I have the best handle control...punishment for good technique.

Today I took an exacto and cut the loop out that held the dowel taking care not to affect the stitching. Muy bueno. Gloves feel more nimble and less bulky more like normal gloves but still provide excellent grip and hand protection. If it wasn't so easily copied by others, I'd create my own but my guess is manufacturers would change in a hurry and I'd have zero competitive advantage.

The reason I did it is that this pair is close to done, so good experiment. Now that I know it works well will cut on the new pair right away in addition to sanding the straps with fine grit before use. Getting all dialed in....

[alex38]

Hi 6balls, could you show o photo of the cuts you made? I have a pair that I took the dowels out of, then started to look at ways to get the little loop out if the way, I can probably figure out what you did. Did you make it so it is as if there never was a dowel loop?

[6balls]

@alex38, yes as if there was no dowel loop. I cut the entire dowel loop out taking care not to get into the stitching. Would be tough to make this cut with the dowel in there so take it out first.

Tonight skied same Vice gloves again and no hang up clean thru 38 off with multiple 35's. This mod seems to be the ticket for me. I was about to throw in the towel because even though the hang up issue is relatively infrequent...if I lose a tourney 38 over that issue I would be really upset...early to 5 ball get a hang up and don't finish the pass...grr. I love the hand protection and grip but was about to go back to standard gloves for tourneys. I think this mod solves the issue for good....at least for me.

[skidawg]

All time Fav is radar locks, to bad they are no more, Enzo's are nice, my wife like's tail 41's

[alex38]

I would petition for a radar locks comeback!!!!

[Chuck_Dickey]

Progear's are my all time fav!

[MattP]

I'm with @Chuck_Dickey I switched to Pro Gear this year and have really liked them. It's time for a new pair but I'm ok with that. Coming off ML K-Palms it was a bit of a different feel, but I got used to them pretty quickly.

[alex38]

@6balls, I have 2 pair of vices, I cut the loops off 1 pair leaving like a 2 mm line of excess. I can't ski right now but this does seem way better, feels like less volume bunched up by fingertips and more of a "hook" from the strap. I did have 1 stick once too and was a little freaked out, looks like your mod may be the way to go. Ski well.

[6balls]

@alex38 that's the way I have mine right now and working great. Feel way less bulky and no hang ups clean thru 38 last night.

[alex38]

@6balls funny, cuz when I first tried em I examined them to no end thinking: there's gotta be a better way for this.... You're idea was it.

[danspence]

@DooSPX during the winter I used the RadaR Ergo gloves and they are the best thick gloves I have found. I find that the 41 tails are not sized up right for me, the pull on my finger tips and slide straight off. However the best gloves that I have found have got to be the Pro Gears. They are super light and super grippy, can easily fingertip and feel connected everywhere. Defo would recommend the Pro Gear however if not then the ergo's.

[Andre]

Just visited his site.

Nice slogan...

http://www.progear.ch/index.php

[6balls]

@alex38...bit the bullet...pulled out my new pair of radar vice and treated 'em like the test pair by taking out the dowel and cutting out the dowel loop. Felt easier in my mind on the old pair about to be retired, but still confident it's the right thing to do.

[DooSPX]

After spending an hour at Performance Ski JUST looking at gloves and trying them on, and then trying them with a handle tied off to a bench, I narrowed it down to the Radar Ergo's and the ML K palm curves. I ended up with the K Palms, these gloves felt like glue while pulling on the handle.

[andjules]

I know it's their low-end glove, but has anyone tried straightline's 'reach' glove? I just noticed that the entire palm/finger surface is silicone. Wondering what that'd feel like.

http://www.slsports.com/gloves-reach.html

[Broussard]

I haven't skied with them, but I did put them on and grip a handle. Not thinking they would be too great.

[BlueSki]

Does anyone have experience with the Connelly Claw 2.0? Any Good?

http://www.bartswatersports.com/catalog/Water_Ski_Gloves/Connelly_Claw_2.0_Gloves/index.asp

 

[Deep11]

@alex38 I'd recommend being a little careful when trying out the radar vice without the dowel. It did in the summer after reading about it here (I think @6balls has mentioned this before) and the photo below showed what happened - front hand slipped off on the way to 6 @35 off. Put me out of action for 4/52 (tore something rather than a break). I've since put dowels back in (smaller though as the orange ones were too big) and confidence has returned. You need to find the balance between handle diameter and glove size. (Much easier if the manufacturers actually maintained strap length and dowel size the same each year!)

[Wish]

Dont forget actual glove sizing for Vice gloves has changed for 2014 (all gray/black material). I leave dowl in. Love them. Handle size IS an element you have to consider. There is no better grip IMHO. And Radar took that concept to the next level in comfort and usability.

[Kavan]

The ergo k's are really nice!

[A_B]

Anyone try the new HO Legends yet?

[6balls]

@deep11 sorry you took a driller...no issues here so far with dowels out...basically one season experience.

[Zman]

@BlueSki I am curious about the new Claw as well. I wore out quite a few of the old Claw gloves. A bit hard on my hands but the fit and grip worked well for me. The new Claw looks cool too.

Really like the Radar Ergo gloves (the green ones) - also a great fit for me. Now, I just need to match the gloves with a new green Vapor!

[BlueSki]

H2O Proshop had the Claw 2 cheaper than others so I gave them a shot for my annual "here, you can give me these for Christmas" handoff to the wife. I am used to neoprene on the back of the hand, so this feels a bit different. The palm seems good, so we will see how it goes in the spring.