Having personally spearfished without gloves before, I can confidently say you should always wear gloves when you’re spearfishing. There are a number of reasons why wearing gloves is a must when you are spearfishing, but the main reasons are likely to be that your hands are will likely get cold and most fish are pointier than you expect.
In this post I will give you the few reasons why wearing gloves is just as important as wearing a weight belt. I will then break down the best spearfishing gloves I have found.
Do You Need To Wear Gloves While Spearfishing?
If you’re new to spearfishing you have likely made a list of equipment you need. A speargun will always be first, fins second, and a wetsuit likely third. But what many people forget is with wetsuit comes gloves. Many beginer spearfishers don't realize is how pointy fish are. But trust me, their fins, teeth and gills can all easily cut your skin.
The most common situation you’ll find yourself in is after you shoot a fish it will likely still be alive and swimming around unless you stone the fish. In this situation most people like to grab the fish and hold it against their body, in order to secure it and get a good grip on its gills. If you don’t have gloves, you will likely cut your hands up when you are grabbing the fish by its body and pulling it towards yourself. Trust me, it's happened to me.
In addition to fish being pointy, there are many other sharp objects you’ll be dealing with. Your spear, your dive knife, the rocky bottom, your fish stringer, the list goes on and on, you should always be wearing gloves when you’re spearfishing.
What Gloves Are Best for Spearfishing
Okay so you know that you always should be wearing gloves, but deciding on what gloves can be tricky. The good news is there are a lot of options and most of them are inexpensive. I personally believe the most important factor when choosing gloves is the temperature of the water.
If the water is warm where you’re diving, you really don’t need thick neoprene gloves at all. They will likely be overkill, and decrease your mobility for no reason.
The Best Gloves for Spearfishing in Warm Water
If the water you are spearfishing in is warmer than 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21 Celcius) you don’t need gloves for warmth, instead your gloves will strictly be there to protect your hands. Because of this, I prefer and recommend getting cheap yard work gloves from Walmart, Home Depot, or Amazon.
Cheap gloves might not last super long, but will be perfect, because they will protect your hands, and you can easily replace them. I like this because the last thing I want to be thinking while I am diving is “Should I be grabbing this fish, what if it damages my expensive gloves” trust me, when you’re underwater dealing with a fish, that isn’t a thought you want.
While I think any basic yard work / garden gloves will do the job, here’s a picture of ones I personally used when I was spearfishing the Florida Keys and I have no complaints about. And no cut up hands either.
The name of them if you want to buy them online is Nitrile Coated Work Gloves.
The reason I like using these gloves is because they are thin, and don’t restrict movement, while the nitrile coating protects your hand from getting cut up. If there was no coating I don't think they would do as good of a job.
I also noticed these gloves last an entire whole summer of spearfishing Striped Bass in Rhode Island. About 20 dives or so.
The Best Gloves for Spearfishing in Cold Water
When the water is colder you will want gloves that keep your hands warm, and don’t prevent too much mobility. I personally enjoy using 3MM gloves as long as I can. This thickness will keep your hands from getting too cold, without sacrificing much movement.
Of course if it’s really cold you're going to want thicker gloves. I have used 5MM gloves in early season Tautog spearfishing in Rhode Island. 5MM gloves are going to keep your hands nice and warm the whole time you're in the water.
My personal recommendations for the best spearfishing glove in cold water would be the Beuchat Marlin gloves. The best part about these gloves is they are easy to get on, they are warm, and they will protect your hands from getting cut up.
The best 5mm spearfishing gloves are likely the Mares Flexa Fit gloves. The reason these are great is because of the fit on your wrist. They are made with a water tight seal to prevent water flushing in and out of your gloves which leads to your hands getting cold. If you’re wearing 5mm gloves, you most likely are in a situation where you need your hands to stay warm. At 5mm you will notice a decrease of mobility, but warm hands are always best. They also have a 24 month warranty, so the $29.99 price tag is quite worth it.
Things to Consider When You’re Buying Spearfishing Gloves
As I mentioned my main reason for buying garden gloves for warm water spearfishing is the fact you are going to get rips in your spearfishing gloves no matter what. There are a lot of sharp objects and many situations you get into while spearfishing don’t give you the luxury of time to be careful enough not to rip your gloves.
When it comes to finding spearfishing gloves, I believe finding the right middle ground between quality and price is important. The same goes for diving booties. This is the main reason you aren’t seeing any gloves on this list over $30. I just don’t think it’s worth spending that money if you are definitely going to be buying new ones in the not so distant future.
If you have any questions about spearfishing gloves feel free to message us, we are happy to give you some personalized equipment recommendations.
