The leading skate-wear manufacturer Hunter Sportswear will launch its latest innovation, a safety glove for ice-skaters with the highest class 5 cut resistance, at SPOVAK that will be held from 16-17 March 2014 in Biddinghuizen, the Netherlands.

The glove represents a breakthrough in hand safety, the company reports. It is designed to offer users the highest level of cut resistance, combined with a high level of comfort. Thanks to its light weight, the glove is said to be able to provide wearer comfort comparable to that of standard sports gloves.

Jeroen de Vries, Hunter spokesperson, commented: “These gloves have been well received in trials – and now that they have been successfully introduced, Hunter will continue to develop new solutions for other protective ice-skating wear, using advanced Dyneema Diamond Technology.”

Lightweight and flexible

The enabling technology behind the new glove is Dyneema Diamond Technology, a patented fibre innovation from DSM Dyneema. The key feature is that the yarn has a cut resistance twice as high compared to regular High Molecular Polyethylene yarn, which can be achieved without the use of glass or steel.

Gloves reinforced with fibreglass or steel are heavy and stiff, making them uncomfortable to wear. Moreover, fibreglass is brittle and may break during use and cause skin irritation.

Dyneema Diamond Technology can be used to create a comfortable, thin, supple glove that guarantees up to level 5 protection, making the level of protection these gloves offer similar to that provided by gloves reinforced with fibreglass or steel. However, gloves made with this advanced technology remain lightweight and flexible, the manufacturer reports.

Maximum hand safety

Jeroen de Vries, explained: “Ice-skating is a wonderful sport, but it is not without danger. Sharp blades can be dangerous – especially during a fall or in a crowded ice rink. Hands and particularly fingers are at risk. So ice-skaters are looking for increased hand safety. Having worked with DSM Dyneema before, we realised that class 5 was attainable, without the use of glass/significant loss of dexterity. This inspired us to work with DSM to develop this particular solution. Thanks to these new gloves, maximum hand safety is now available.”

“Just like cyclists have accepted the need for bicycle helmets, both professional and recreational ice-skaters are looking increasingly for greater levels of protection. In my view, over the next five years or so we will see a growing demand for protective sportswear.”

www.dyneema.com