Developing paddle strength takes a lot of time and can easily be lost by not surfing for a long period of time.
It’s arguably the worst part about surfing.
There are several ways to solve this problem, one of them being to simply paddle and surf more.
Another alternative is the use of webbed gloves.
With so many options on the market it's important to know which ones are the best for surfing, we’ll break some of them down.
What Are Webbed Gloves — And Do You Need Them?
Webbed gloves are gloves with webbed neoprene skin in between each finger. Much like a duck or seabird with webbed feet, these gloves allow you to paddle much faster and farther by pulling more water in with each paddle stroke.
Surfers all around the world have turned to webbed gloves to get an edge on their paddling so they could be just right for you.
What Should You Look For in Webbed Gloves?
Cost of Webbed Gloves
An important aspect of webbed gloves is how much you're willing to spend.
Something on the higher end will probably cost you around $40-$50.
They usually cost more because of the materials and overall quality of the gloves.
Some cheaper options can cost around $20 but they might be of lower quality.
Webbed Gloves Materials
Typically webbed gloves are made of neoprene (the same stuff your wetsuit is made of) which is usually pretty reliable and provides for a ton of mobility.
However, there are other options like latex, which have proved to be just as reliable as neoprene.
The higher end latex gloves will usually cost more than the neoprene ones but they will most likely last longer.
Mobility and Fit of Webbed Gloves
Something you want to look out for when purchasing webbed gloves is how they feel on your hands.
The gloves should fit on your hands fairly snugly in order for proper mobility to take place.
The gloves should feel like you're pulling more water in order to paddle faster and shouldn't feel at all unnatural.
They should enhance your paddling experience and in order for that to take place the gloves should fit properly.
The 5 Best webbed Gloves Today
DarkFin Power Gloves
The DarkFin Power Gloves are probably one of the highest quality options available. Instead of neoprene, these gloves are made of 100% natural latex which also means they are biodegradable.
They also have a 3D webbing profile which allows for 70% more surface area than just paddling with your hands.
Since they're made of latex you can control how much propulsion you want by moving your fingers farther or closer together. These gloves are priced at $31.95.
You can purchase these webbed gloves for surfing here.
H2Odyssey Magna Webbed Gloves
Another solid webbed glove is the H2Odyssey Magna Webbed Gloves.
These gloves are made out of 2mm neoprene. A cool feature of these gloves are the sticky PVC coating on the palm which adds some grip when holding onto your board during duckdive.
These gloves come in at $29.95
You can purchase these webbed gloves for surfing here.
Speedo Webbed Gloves
Speedo’s aquatic fitness gloves are another quality pair of webbed gloves.
They are made out of 2mm neoprene and also have a rubber palm for extra grip on your hand.
These gloves are great for increasing your propulsion in the water because they are built for swimmers.
However, this is a downside of these gloves because they aren’t made for surfers so they will likely break down in ocean conditions over time.
They’ll set you back $30.
You can purchase these webbed gloves for surfing here.
Octoblue Webbed Gloves
These gloves may be designed for swimming but they still offer a ton of features that are appealing towards surfers.
To start, the OctoBlue Webbed Gloves are made out of neoprene and lycra material and what they call “shark skin palms” for a ton of grip when they get wet.
These gloves will only set you back $10.
You can purchase these gloves here
DarkFin Short Web Gloves
Another staple by DarkFin, these gloves are similar to their flagship power gloves except they don’t cover your full hand.
The web is a little shorter so it offers slightly less resistance when paddling.
These gloves are probably DarkFin’s best gloves for surfing because of the short web. They are reasonably priced at $30.95.
You can purchase these gloves here.
Webbed Gloves For Surfing FAQ
Q. Do webbed gloves help surfing?
They help with paddling while surfing. If you can paddle faster you can paddle out past a set or back to the lineup and catch more waves. They allow you to pull more water in for increased propulsion.
Q. What are webbed gloves used for?
They are used for surfing, diving, swimming, and other water related activities.
Q. Do webbed gloves work?
Yes, if you think about how sea birds have webbed feet it's the same concept. You pull more water in and this propels you faster through the water.
Q. Do people with webbed gloves swim better?
They will probably be swimming faster and more efficiently. So yes they do allow you to swim better and faster.
Webbed Gloves: The Bottom Line
Paddling isn’t the funnest part about surfing and if there’s any way to increase your efficiency while paddling then every surfer should consider it. Webbed gloves offer the surfer a quicker and more efficient paddle so check some of the options out and pick out a glove that’s best for your surfing!
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