What's up with the gloves?

[PhysicsOnIce]

Is it just me or is there a disproportionate number of skaters wearing gloves in competition now days?
Personally, I think it disrupts the line of the arms... and looks a bit unpolished in most costumes....
Is this something new that has come as a result of the new ISU spin regulations...?

[Live2Sk8]

I think it might be partially because of the popularity of Biellman spins - you can cut your hand on the blade.  I am not flexible enough to ever be able to do a Biellman so I have no practical experience!

[Doubletoe]

I grab my blade when I position my free foot for my pancake spin so I actually make finger sheaths out of old tights and moleskin to protect against blade cuts.  Gloves would be easier, of course, but I refuse to wear gloves unless they look right with my dress and fit the music/character.

[davincisop]

I have Raynaud's so I have tossed around the idea of the nude gloves. I love how it looks sans gloves, but I'm almost considering getting the nude ones just for testing as that takes longer than a 2 minute program and if I am on the ice for more than a few minutes I lose feeling in my hands.

So that could be the case for some competitors, as well as the beilman thing others suggested.

[CaraSkates]

I have Raynaud's so I have tossed around the idea of the nude gloves. I love how it looks sans gloves, but I'm almost considering getting the nude ones just for testing as that takes longer than a 2 minute program and if I am on the ice for more than a few minutes I lose feeling in my hands.

So that could be the case for some competitors, as well as the beilman thing others suggested.

I've worn gloves for all my MIF tests so far (passed Novice and one attempt at Junior). I usually just wore black or matching to my dress but I'm going to try and find very close to my skin tone for the next time I test Junior. My hands are *always* cold and I know I'll skate better if I'm not concerned with freezing hands.

So far I have never worn gloves for FS competitions/tests (excluding an artistic where it was part of the costume). This season I have more grabs on spins so I'll have to test that out prior to competing and see if I cut myself or not. Blade grabs are a factor for sure - a friend who skated Senior Ladies always wore nude gloves because otherwise she would cut herself and bleed all over the ice.

[Doubletoe]

Gloves are perfectly acceptable for MIF tests!

[fsk8r]

A question which might be more suitable for another board, but where are people buying all these nude gloves, I have very rarely seen them for sale, but have seen sufficient people wearing them that I'm guessing someone manufactures them.

[Doubletoe]

A question which might be more suitable for another board, but where are people buying all these nude gloves, I have very rarely seen them for sale, but have seen sufficient people wearing them that I'm guessing someone manufactures them.

I have seen them for sale on a UK website, but nowhere in the U.S.

[taka]

A question which might be more suitable for another board, but where are people buying all these nude gloves, I have very rarely seen them for sale, but have seen sufficient people wearing them that I'm guessing someone manufactures them.

Try these guys...
Iceboxskating
loveiceskating - may only have kids sizes for unstoned but have adult sizes stoned.
Ice venture has had them in the past but only seems to have the extra small size at the moment.
Greelandice has sparkly ones but I'm not sure if they sell non sparkly ones on their own.

[AgnesNitt]

Figurespins found this page about making your own gloves.

http://ladythesta.deviantart.com/art/Lycra-Glove-Sewing-Tutorial-134664983

[Query]

I don't know much about lady's clothing. But anyone can learn how to search the Internet


HOW TO USE A SEARCH ENGINE 101

Go to http://yahoo.com or http://google.com. Type

   +"nude gloves"

into the search box. Hit "Enter".


"+" means it must be a fairly exact match. The " marks mean the words should appear together.

There are lots and lots of results. They aren't all family friendly, but most are places selling such gloves.

Presumably they must match your personal skin color. Not being a lady, I have no idea how that is done. Can they can be dyed?

I get why Synchro skaters usually don't wear gloves - they might slip, and the lines fall apart. But singles? - As a guy with no fashion sense, I guess I'll never get it.

[Doubletoe]

I don't know much about lady's clothing. But anyone can learn how to search the Internet


HOW TO USE A SEARCH ENGINE 101

Go to http://yahoo.com or http://google.com. Type

   +"nude gloves"

into the search box. Hit "Enter".


"+" means it must be a fairly exact match. The " marks mean the words should appear together.

There are lots and lots of results. They aren't all family friendly, but most are places selling such gloves.

Presumably they must match your personal skin color. Not being a lady, I have no idea how that is done. Can they can be dyed?

I get why Synchro skaters usually don't wear gloves - they might slip, and the lines fall apart. But singles? - As a guy with no fashion sense, I guess I'll never get it.

And did you do these searches and find any good nude gloves?  I didn't, other than the skating gear site in the U.K.

[4711]

http://www.brookmays.com/prod_disp.aspx?itemnum=NWSGM&gclid=CjwKEAjwwdOhBRCG0fPrlfO1gGUSJAC1FmHXzKQeAMIsD36loN3j3AeAFcaaZBmrU13YsG2gHPCKZRoCWGTw_wcB

I have seen dance lines and color guards with nude gloves this season. Color guard has the sure grip ones, probably not something you need...
(but this was + Nude gloves. I fully expected to go blind, but the results weren't too bad! )

[Query]

Yes. I looked at Yahoo:

  http://us.yhs4.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?hspart=Opera&hsimp=yhs-opera_14desktop&p=%2B"nude%20gloves"

and found lots. But I have no idea whether or not they are "good". And I am searching from the U.S.

For example, it found:

https://www.etsy.com/search?q=nude+gloves (an ebay search - lots of them. Some are skin tone, some show a lace pattern over skin tone or transparent).

https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=A0LEViRVJzdUzBwAbCwPxQt.;_ylu=X3oDMTBybnV2cXQwBHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDMgRjb2xvA2JmMQR2dGlkAw--?qid=20110905195429AAq6suy

http://www.corset-story.com/nude-lace-gloves-nude.html

https://www.etsy.com/listing/41994899/vintage-vogue-gloves-vintage-nude-gloves

http://womensvoicesforchange.org/tag/the-nude-glove

and so on.

You could also search for +"skin tone gloves".

Good luck.

[dlbritton]

I'll ask about this from the male perspective. Currently I wear black fleece gloves and black wrist guards in lessons. I hope to test Pre-Bronze in the spring. Is it okay to wear black gloves and as importantly, wrist guards to test? I'll probably wear a dark colored long sleeve shirt. The wrist guards are somewhat of a security blanket. I have worn them so long I don't feel "dressed"without them. Or should I start practicing without wrist guards to get used to it?
.

[blue111moon]

Wearing wrist guards on a Pre-Bronze test will have no effect on your Pass/Fail rate.  The judges don't care;  they've seen everything from knee-braces to casts on test sessions.  As long as the equipment doesn't affect your performance or block their view of your body line, it doesn't matter.

That said, however, since you admit you are uncomfortable without the wrist guards, it wouldn't hurt to start weaning yourself off their use for short periods of time.  Eventually, there might come a day (in competition or at a higher test level) when you won't want them seen.  It might be easier to get used to occasionally skating without them now than before they become a permanent crutch.

[Doubletoe]

Yes. I looked at Yahoo:

  http://us.yhs4.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?hspart=Opera&hsimp=yhs-opera_14desktop&p=%2B"nude%20gloves"

and found lots. But I have no idea whether or not they are "good". And I am searching from the U.S.

For example, it found:

https://www.etsy.com/search?q=nude+gloves (an ebay search - lots of them. Some are skin tone, some show a lace pattern over skin tone or transparent).

https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=A0LEViRVJzdUzBwAbCwPxQt.;_ylu=X3oDMTBybnV2cXQwBHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDMgRjb2xvA2JmMQR2dGlkAw--?qid=20110905195429AAq6suy

http://www.corset-story.com/nude-lace-gloves-nude.html

https://www.etsy.com/listing/41994899/vintage-vogue-gloves-vintage-nude-gloves

http://womensvoicesforchange.org/tag/the-nude-glove

and so on.

You could also search for +"skin tone gloves".

Good luck.

Yes, that yields results for "nude gloves" but none of them will work for figure skating competitions because skaters specifically need "nude mesh gloves".  Those are very hard to find.

[Query]

Yes, that yields results for "nude gloves" but none of them will work for figure skating competitions because skaters specifically need "nude mesh gloves".  Those are very hard to find.

If you look for +"nude mesh gloves"

this is all I found:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/177724921/vintage-1950s-nude-mesh-womens-gloves

I understand why you might want "nude mesh" on the torso, to meet the faux-decency standards of figure skating. But why nude-mesh gloves?

You gals are SO picky about clothing! If that link isn't usable (is it even for sale?), maybe you do need to make your own. I give up.

[techskater]

They need to be nude mesh because you want the illusion of uncovered hands...

[twinskaters]

Just came across these. Not sure why the vast price differential.

http://www.northerniceanddance.com/store_/competition-gloves-p-8375.html

http://www.northerniceanddance.com/store_/jerrys-stretchy-gloves-beige-p-3957.html

[littlerain]

I think the jerrys ones are your standard knit glove, which accounts for the price difference

[Query]

Neither of those two pair is nude mesh, and is probably easier to detect.

To me, healthy skin always looks great (within decency limits), but fake skin doesn't look nearly as good as dramatically colored clothing.

[Loops]

Neither of those two pair is nude mesh, and is probably easier to detect.

To me, healthy skin always looks great (within decency limits), but fake skin doesn't look nearly as good as dramatically colored clothing.

Query, I think people here agree.  The thing is, when you're grabbing your blade to do various catch foot elements, it's very easy to cut yourself, so you need something on your hands for protection.  Gloves look weird in general, and colored gloves would be out of place with most competition dresses.  Healthy skin is great, but blood is bad, especially during competition, so gloves are now almost a necessity.  The nude mesh, or something else that isn't quite as obvious is the answer. 

In terms of the two gloves options posted by twinskaters, I agree with Littlerain- I have the Edea version of the less expensive ones- they're your standard issue knitted (stretch? glove).  Great for practice and testing- cheap and cheerful-  I wear two pairs to keep my fingers from freezing solid.  The more expensive pair are what I would use for competitions if I needed them.

[Query]

Healthy skin is great, but blood is bad

Oh! 

I do also get that the ISU requires that at least 50% of your skin be covered, which some skaters push to the limit.