“I recently obtained a set of the BlackOps™ tactical gloves and can honestly say that this product provides a distinct advantage when operating in between dry and wet environments. Due to my past experience as a qualified Force Protection Team Leader and ETT trainer for the U.S. Navy, I can attest to the high level of durability, dexterity and improved grip gained using this product. I frequently use your gloves when sailing as they offer a high level of protection without compromising my ability to operate equipment. In my own tests of your product on the firing range, I have found that the BlackOps™ glove does not interfere with weapon operation and would be my first choice for VBSS (Visit Board Search and Seizure) operations or maritime security forces.”

Very Sincerely,

J.D. Gillespie

Our current website has one big problem and that is we can’t add any new products to it. So with the help of Design Sensory of Knoxville, TN we are refreshing the site and adding a cms system that will allow us to introduce new products. The new site is slated to launch late November or early December just in time for Christmas shopping. For those not already familiar with our Black O.P.S (Omni.Purpose.Sport) glove for fishing, gardening, mechanical and construction work, it is one of the additions you will see. Also we will be unveiling the new Darkfin split toe bootee. It’s better than being barefoot!
How about more clothing options? Hoodies, tanks and hats! Coming soon..shorts, rashguards, and a really cool shirt that our FB friends requested (keeping it under wraps for now).
Of course, it wouldn’t be a proper unveiling if we weren’t offering discounts and sales on everything!
Check back with us soon! www.darkfingloves.com

We got a really awesome email from a guy named Tim who is a Kayaker. Here is what he wrote about Darkfin gloves in short. 

“ I was was excited to get a pair of Darkfin gloves in the mail this week and even more so to try them out at my biweekly winter whitewater kayak pool session today. I have to say, I\’m impressed with your gloves and everyone else that tried them out today was too.

we have hand rolls competitions to see who can do the most consecutive hand rolls in quick succession. Previously my best was 17, but I topped that today with 21 wearing your darkfin gloves. The difference was that I had more power on my handrolls and was able to perform them faster

A beginner kayaker with a weak handroll was nailing every single handroll wearing your gloves

I can wear darkfin gloves while I\’m using my paddle without any hindrance – in fact I had more grip than I have with my normal kayak specific gloves, and dexterity was never an issue. The fact that I can use a paddle and know that if I lose it I have the extra power of the darkfin gloves to give my handroll a boost if I need it – thats incredible.

Aside from the improvement in handrolls, I found a greater freedom to play around in my boat without a paddle. This is something that I work on anyways, but without the extra power of the darkfin gloves, you\’re limited in what you can do before you roll over.

This ability to work on skills without a paddle was a big selling point for another of the intermediate kayakers in the group – she was grinning from ear to ear the whole time she was wearing them, clearly impressed with the freedom to work on her edging skills without a paddle

Anyways, great product. It seems to sell itself once someone gets a chance to try them. ”

We thanked Tim and bribed him to send us his best shots Kayaking while wearing Darkfin Gloves and we would send him another pair free! Thanks again Tim, you just opened up a whole new market we didn’t even know we had!

Darkifn is now the excited and proud sponsor of Triathlete Jonathan Miller of Salem, North Carolina.  Check this guy out! You can visit his blog for upcoming events and info about him at http://ironinspire.blogspot.com/p/2011-race-schedule.html

Go Jonathan! Let us know how Darkfin helps you!

Jonathan Miller

Jonathan and his daughter

This guy had the longest most epic dreads at the whole show, they were down to his knees in the back

Front of the Orange County Convention Center

Quicksilver brought in Tony Hawk!

He's still got it

So we set up a booth at Surf Expo in Orlano not knowing what to expect. The size of the event was definitely not expected, with 30 aisles of booths stretching probably a 1/4 mile each for a total of almost 2ooo booths, it was pretty friggin big! For 3 days I took little breaks and wandered around to look at the other booths and still never got to see them all.  The funny part was that I thought the building we were in was the entire convention center.  It was only a quarter of the size!  I saw more dreadlocks and girls in bikinis than I normally would on a good day at the beach.  There were big companies such as Quicksilver, UGG, O’neill, and others like it, but there were a lot newbies like us too, the little guys.   We went with the mindset that this was about exposure and getting people’s reactions to Darkfin’s.  We have had tons of positive comments from our customers and was thrilled to get the same reaction at the show.  We converted some skeptics, made some good contacts, got to physically try them on people and make believers out of them.  One of our props for the show was a 55 gallon fish tank for people to be able to put the gloves on and stick their hand down in the water and feel the resitance.  Then while wearing the wet glove we had them grab the edge of the tank and feel the grip.  It’s one of those things where seeing is believing.  All in all it went well, we made some contacts with some new stores and still in the works of getting Darkfin’s carried in surf shops. 

Josh posing in the Darkfin booth

There's me, your inexperienced blogger, doing my best Darkfin pose

Roy on right, inventor and creator of Darkfin's.

The let all the newbies have a display in the front

 Jamie Sterling  pipeline pic wearing Darkfin Gloves

This email just in from Jamie Sterling:

“I just finished 3rd in the Nellscott Reef Big Wave world tour contest up in Oregon.
We had 50ft waves and optimal clean conditions for the event.  I’m currently ranked 1st place on the Big Wave world tour.
My next event will be up in Half Moon Bay at the famous big wave surf spot “Mavericks”.  The waiting period begins Dec 1.  The tour will finish in feb at “Todos Santos”.  With 2 events left and a big lead in points I’m sitting pretty for a Big wave world title.  I wanted to say thank you for believing in my dream!

Aloha
Jamie ”

- Jamie, thanks for believing in ours too!

I think it’s pretty awesome when people like your product so much they get back on your website to send you a comment.   Here are 2 comments that we received recently:

From Steve in FL  ” I bought my pair while going through the PADI divemaster program here in South FL. Dude, these are the best thing I’ve used in years. Thanks for making a product that saves me time, energy and I don’t have to buy something from friggin china or another pair of woven gloves with holes in the f…ingers ever again!! Don’t go anywhere and keep crankin these out..”   thanks Steve, we will!

From Mike in Canada  ”Roy, I am freediving and spearfishing with your product in the Strait of Juan de Fuca-across the water by ferry from Victoria, BC. In addition, I am an hour + a ferry ride away from Seattle, 2 hours from Tacoma. I am in 52 degree water and do…not… have a cold problem using your gloves. They help me get down using l…ess energy and enable me to grip my spear shaft, something that regular scuba gloves do not, they slide right off. Anyway, I’d be happy to present your gloves to retailers here in the Pacific NW and Canada if needed. I know there is a big scuba/freedive community in Victoria. Some people seem a little worried about the gloves being thin and concerns about getting cold. For me, they insulate fine-in fact, I spearfished last night using the newest double sealed scuba gloves and my fingers got cold! “    That’s fantastic Mike!

Exciting news! Captain Paul Watson and his crew of the Sea Shepherd on the popular show Whale Wars on Animal Planet will be wearing Darkfin’s on their upcoming season.  Production is starting but the new episodes don’t air until June of next year.  They will be wearing Darkfin’s during their annual swim with the penguins. Captain Paul Watson contacted us requesting Darkfin’s and just received them sending back a letter to tell us they LOVE them and are excited to use them!  Stay tuned for more..

Sea Shepherd paying homage to Steve Irwin