Clincher gloves. Sound off!

[markchilcutt]

I would like to hear the pros and cons on using clincher gloves to slalom ski?

[kfennell]

Pros - you can hold onto more

Cons - You can hold on until your face hits the wake.

 

Overall I stopped using them and when I did I stopped crashing behind the boat so much

[chris_logan]

Pro - Much less arm fatigue = More buoys/day or passes/set

Con - Takes a while to get used to them and learn the ideal place for the handle to rest on the strap, which results in some fantastically awkward skiing & crashes early on.

 

I use them only for slalom and love them. Makes practice sets more appealing when I need to be able to hold a pen and write the next day.

[alex38]

cons first (and this is only my take)- once one is on, its hard to manuever the other glove well so they take extra time to put on which can annoy your friends, also can hinder manuevering your bindings depending on mechanics or type of binding, i had one brand that would get caught on the handle, only at the six ball for some reason-super annoying. sizing is kind of critical

 

pros- you can relax your grip quite nicely which for me equals less fatigue overall, i hate to think where i wouldve been in the course if the handle didnt pop out of my grip-that is basically over-if its more load than i can manage i can let go, if its up my alley im making the next ball unless the rope snaps. the new pro locks i got whch i mentioned in another post are out-of-the-box-no-hang-ups-comfy-for-days-awesome.

[TustinTom]

Pros:

At 6'4" and 250 lbs./50 yrs old (not in shape) they are a near must have. I am not sure how much more weight/load they allow me to carry, but I would be DOA without them. This is a view of a struggling 15 offer, who doesn't work out and skis 3x a month.

Cons:

None for me.

 

I can see @kfennell 's point. If you are in shape and skiing shortline, your speeds/handle/grip loads behind the boat a worlds apart from mine. The "over" load/grip ability of these gloves could bring problems. I am looking forward to that day.

[dvskier]

I find it much easier to ski multiple passes with my Masterline Pro Lock gloves. Deep water starts are easier also.

[Booze]

Pros - Yes, without a doubt you can hold more tension with less (hand) clamping force. Also, it eliminated ripped palm skin for me, though it can still be an issue on calluses at the finger joint.

Cons - They are more cumbersome. I do miss the handle (not totally) occasionally on my good side. Most memorable was an opt-up to 38 at 2011 Nationals...Had a great start and missed the grip around 2ball. Over in an instant.

 

I've had two cervical discectomys, which left me with some weakness in my left arm. There is absolutely NO way I could ski at tournament level without 'clinchers'. BTW, I've tried them all. Currently, I think the Radars are the best. Too bad the "Clincher" guy folded up. They were the best IMO.

[alex38]

 

I totally forgot 1 pro, with 1 pair of Masterline liners I am blister free and that's big for me.

[Chef23]

I wear them to protect my hands. I got a ton of blisters before and I rarely get them now. I don't have any problems releasing the handle and I have been using them for 4 years or so and never felt like I couldn't get off the handle.

[6balls]

Pros:

My hands are never torn up. With standard gloves if I skied enough I had hamburger hands despite kevlar liners, straight line liners, the overton's neoprene cut outs etc.

 

Grip is awesome without much effort. Pays to scuff up the strap with sandpaper before using them new as the strap is slippery on the handle until worn a bit.

 

Clinchers in particular were crazy durable. I would burn holes in any glove you could give me multiple times per season...kevlar, amara, pre-curve...didn't matter. I used Clinchers for multiple seasons before needing another pair.

 

Cons:

More cumbersome for don and doff.

 

I have on occasion had a slight delay in getting my free hand off of the handle when I want to do it. It's a fraction of a second, but when it happens it's at very short lines into my off side. No injury as a result but may turn a challenge pass from run-able to just missed due to narrow margin of error for me at that length. This was greatly mitigated by taking out the solid dowels in the glove.

 

Early pro-locks the strap seemed to tear out at the wrist rendering them useless. They were great about service recovery and replaced for free. Radar Vice seemed to be built more robustly, but are more cumbersome yet. Newer masterline pro-locks I've had no issue. Older clincher's seemed to last forever...glove material wore out before the strap.

 

If you are curious...get a set of masterline pro-locks and try 'em out. Rough up the strap with sandpaper before use and take out the dowels. Fairly low risk experiment. If you don't like 'em, hopefully we have the same size hands and I will buy 'em at a slight discount

[aupatking]

I can't flip anyone off when I wear mine.

Only time I use mine anymore is when I haven't skied in a long time(injury) and my Tail 41's aren't enough to keep from ripping off a callous. Super glee the skin back on and throw on a pair of Pro-locks.

[socalskier]

Con- I feel they are a direct cause of the tendinitis (golfers) that I have in my elbow

Pro- no blisters

[Chris Taylor]

I had the clinchers when they first came out and loved them, fwd 20 yrs and I am needing some again as the grip strength (tennis elbow) killed most of last season for me.

@BMG73 sent you offer

[Wish]

Be mindful of buying used. Radar ran a bunch where the D-ring that holds the main strap was made of plastic. It fails under big loads and it's always in a really bad place that it happens. Went through to pair that way. No injury but HUGE falls. Currently having issues with the new metal D-ring digging into the back of my thumb at the base. Causing nerve issues. Left hand only (RFF skier with curved handle) Trying repositioning strap but it's not helping much. Gonna see what Radar rep says at Masters. Have heard a couple other complaints on this. As for the rest of the design, Radar, as @6balls suggest, are very robust compared to ML. Aside from recent thumb issue...far more comfortable as well. I give the 2 curled finger flip off....it means twice what the single does.

[kfennell]

@socalskier I had that, use a bigger diamater Handle, it will go away immediately.

[Killer]

I've been using the RadaR vice gloves off/on for a few years now. @Wish I blew out the D ring on my first pair after only a few sets. Radar as always was very helpful and replaced them, but they hadn't released the metal ring model, so I got a replacement pair. I still have them but use them sparingly, when my hands need a break.

 

cons:

-I find like others have mentioned you have to re-learn how to grab and release the handle. going back and forth from regular gloves makes it difficult to "get it" with the clinchers.

 

-I've had a number of miss-grabs that don't occur withe regular gloves

 

- @socalskier I agree with you on elbow issues, not sure why someone disagreed with you? I find the strap takes the pressure off your fingers and hand, but passes that tension up the chain. My arms are more sore after using them

 

- can still rip your hands up, just in different ways.

 

Pros:

-definitely distributes the load better through your arms and back

-reduces finger fatigue.

 

Overall I will continue to use them sparingly, especially in early season or when my hands need a break. I much prefer traditional gloves and can't see getting away from them.

[A_B]

I would only add they could help save your elbows but at risk of tweaking your shoulder.

Agree the original Clinchers were the best. A friend ordered like 40 pairs when they were dwindling in the market. He is 63 so should be set for his skiing life.

 

Maybe others will disagree, but I found to work properly, you shouldn't be able to straighten your fingers all the way straight. If you can, go next size smaller.

[LZywicki1]

Kind of a love hate relationship, only using it on my bad hand. Lovery the added grip strength but miss handle sometimes.

[LZywicki1]

 

[eleeski]

Goode gloves might be the closest to the old clincher gloves. I didn't really like all the extra straps and velcro. (So I'm using the Goode vest??) Also I found the Masterline gloves were slippery when new (cured that by painting them with wetsuit glue).

 

I use a rubber band or O-ring around the base of the fingers to keep the strap from flapping and interfering with the handle release. (Solution to the only con with clinchers).

 

Of course, I trick in garden gloves.

 

Eric

[jdk99]

I used the Radar Vice gloves for 2 seasons and loved them. I no longer use them.

 

PROS:

 

Phenomenal for reducing strain on medial epicondyle (golfer's elbow). Essentially eliminated the problem for me.

 

CONS:

 

Regardless of what some mights say, there is not doubt that in a fall there is a split second delay in release (at least if you leave the dowel in). Invariably this results in the rotator cuff/labrum being overloaded if only briefly placing those structures at risk. Both my brother and I suffered cuff injuries and labral tears while using the gloves when neither of us had shoulder issues before nor since discontinuing use. He required surgery, fortunately i did not.

 

CONCLUSION:

 

I have kept the gloves and will wear them when my elbow flares but try to be more intentional/earlier with my release to prevent shoulder injuries.

[socalskier]

I am trying a larger handle that is ARS and bent. I am also going to try the gloves without the dowel. Everyone is different but as much as I liked them at first they focused the pull too much on my center fingers and really flaired up my tendinitis. I had never in 25 years had it before.

[6balls]

I've been able to ski with both medial (golfers) and lateral (tennis) elbow with clincher style when I would have really struggled with standard gloves. Never had the shoulder issues mentioned but I've also never had them hang up in a fall...only slight delay on very rare occasion getting my release hand off at the instant I want it. Has not happened with dowels out.

 

I really favor them...but not for everyone.

[skibug]

dowels out is the way to go, same effect, less or no hang ups.

[A_B]

Agree. Don't need to dowels.

[Wish]

I am one of those "no matter what people say"..people. Been using clincher style gloves (with dowel) since its inception practically. Have take just about every fall known and while I cannot say that there is or is not a split second delay in release (I do believe it all happens so fast it's hard to to tell), I can say no shoulder issues. I also believe this is do to handle diameter. I believe that matters significantly as it relates to you hand and glove size.

[DW]

They allow my wife to ski, thus they are great!

[Chef23]

Anyone have any experience with the way this year's Masterline Clinchers and Radar Vice fit? I have an old pair of Clinchers with the steel loop in size M that are toast and when I bought a replacement pair last year they didn't fit the same. I don't have access to a shop so I need to buy and hope they fit or send them back which is a pain.

[Garn]

Masterline and Clinchers fit about the same. I wore Large in Clinchers and I wear large in Masterline. But Radar are small.... and I mean small! I bought a large pair and I could not even get them on!

[gsm_peter]

From a beginner.

I use ML prolocks size S and Radar size L.

Prefer to ski using the radars.

Aclinchers provide for me only advantages.

The only thing forgotten is thah my wife (like most?) hate blisters so clinchers improve our relation o:)

 

 

 

[markchilcutt]

Thanks for all the input everyone. After 3 sets on the Radar clinch glove 2 with dowl 1 without I have decided they are not going to work for me. Just never felt like I could feel even hand pressure on the handle. Plus struggled with getting off and back onto the handle.

[ToddL]

I have used Pro Locks and Vices. The Pro Locks fit better, but the Vices are easier to get on. The Vices that I have are before Radar changed the sizing.

 

As long as you open your hand when you want to let go, there is no issue.

 

I like that I can simply curl my fingers just a little and have all of the grip needed for a deep water start.

[One_Ski]

@Wish - I've had the same problem with the D-ring digging into the bone at the base of my thumb. I fixed this by putting a slight curve in the D-ring; I mounted it in an anvil and tapped on it with a hammer. With this slight curve, the end of the ring no longer digs into my thumb. Other than that, I like the ProLock's better than Radar. I've tried both. The Radar gloves seem to be built better (more comfortable with a wider wrist strap), but the straps seem to be a little longer, making it harder for me to take advantage of the dowel. Using ProLock's and the Masterline Radius Ergo handle, I've never had a problem grabbing or releasing the handle.

[Wish]

@One_Ski I am going to do that. Makes sense.