How cold is too cold?

[Chous]

I think people, who talking about diving in cold water in wet suit is fun and interesting - they never try to use dry suit.
For me - after i bought dry suit, i use it all seasons in almost every water and feel good.
IMHO less then 17 Celsius (62F) - use dry suit! :cool2:

And remember: prostatitis is more close than it seems

 

[Nylorac]

Wow lots of good info. I've been thinking about the chemical heat packet things too. Would it be crazy to even stick a couple in strategic places in my wetsuit for during the dive? Not sure how hot they get.

So I think this is my plan right now:
1. Hot breakfast and drive to site with heater on and warm clothes (and beanie)
2. Meet up with buddy and discuss dive plan as quickly as I can.
3. Don wetsuit in the car and possibly even assemble scuba unit in back too.
4. Once I'm ready I'll get into the water as quickly as possible.
5. Enjoy the low-vis beauty for which I'm freezing (hehe) - but not for too long
6. Open back of SUV, throw in BC/Tank, pour warm water down wetsuit.
7. Hop in, shut door, turn on heat, pull of suit and put on dry clothes.
8. Maybe hold some chemical heaters and cry as needed (j/k)

I'm only doing one dive so once my brain is functioning again I'll organize my stuff a little and drive back home.

Sounds like a good plan to stay warm if it is about the budget (wetsuit) - suck it up, dive wet and just do what you have to too stay warm! No need to rush talking about the dive plan with your buddy though - take your time and do it in the warm car. I don't think the chemical sticks are good idea in the wetsuit though - might work or might burn you - not sure I would take the chance. Maybe some else on the Board knows?

I think you will try it once or twice and then think DRY. Take it from me - I was the one hold out for a drysuit in my diving group. I dove wet comfortably in the water - its when you get out in the cold air that being wet really sucks. And if you do want a second dive just forget about getting back into the wetsuit without some real discomfort. (been there - it really sucks). And really, who wants only one dive??? I just gave in and ordered a drysuit after watching everyone else be so much more comfortable after the first dive.

 

[Misa]

i dont like cold water at all...but @ my AOWD course i was in 6.5mm @ the deep dive course. After i`ve reached 16m the temperature was 8 degrees Celsius (46F) and we roamed around for 5 mins at some wreck. Somehow until 16m i was ok but after stoping there for few mins i made the signs "i`m cold" and "i want to move up a little". It was the worst thing ever!

 

[HowardE]

Anything 70F or colder, and I use my drysuit.

 

[jl_va_21]

I think switching to dry requires me to admit that I live in cold water diving area and am too poor to travel to warm water frequently enough. Right now I'm trying to remain in a state of happy denial.

Anyway this discussion may come to naught as I seem to have picked up a cold in the last 24 hours or so. On top of that the weather forecast continues to drop. It now says this weekend will be around 30 degrees, with a snow likely too. Perhaps it was not meant to be. I'll let you know.

 

[paddler3d]

Where in the mid-Atlantic are you?

The local quarries which I regularly go to and have been to maintain a pretty constant temperature at depth (50-60ffw). The 'hole' of Bainbridge is around 40 year round. It is that top 20ft or so that really changes.

Sadly, I don't dive dry yet. I've tried a lot of different means of trying to stay warm while wet. The closet I've come is a my 8mm semi dry with a 3mm full suit with a 5mm vest, and 5mm gloves and 7mm boots with 3mm socks on. I've been able to do 1 hour dives comfortably at 60+ ft. It is a major PITA, but it can be done.

If you get a drysuit, you'll find yourself diving a lot more.

Good luck!

 

[Dhboner]

I think people, who talking about diving in cold water in wet suit is fun and interesting - they never try to use dry suit.
For me - after i bought dry suit, i use it all seasons in almost every water and feel good.
IMHO less then 17 Celsius (62F) - use dry suit! :cool2:

And remember: prostatitis is more close than it seems

Some of us can't afford a drysuit so to extend the diving season we learn to cope with the cold and work out strategies for getting into and out of the wetsuit

Bob

 

[jl_va_21]

Well, sorry folks. Still not feeling well so I had to cancel the dive. I was looking forward to giving you all a report of how freezing I was. Maybe next time

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Sometimes even a drysuit ain't enough ... last night mine froze between the time I got out of the water and the time I got back to my car. By the time I got outta the thing I could almost stand it up without me in it.

Oh, I was warm enough during the dive ... thank God for argon ... but getting outta my gear was interesting. Wet, cold and wind aren't a good combination ... and by the time I got packed up my fingertips were frostbitten ... once I got in the car and started up the heater they hurt like hell for about 10 minutes.

The dive was worth it, though ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[James R]

Shore dive?

A tent goes a long way! Set up a tent, which will get you out of the wind. A small camping heater is the cherry on top. You can stage dry clothes, towels, etc and go from the water, drop off gear, and head straight in to the tent, zip it closed, and turn heater on. If you have a buddy to stay and keep an eye out, leave heat on in tent while diving. Either way, it'll make changing out of your wetsuit much more comfortable.