Hints for a new Dry Suit owner

[TSandM]

You put your weight where you need it. I use a 20 lb weight belt in Seattle -- used to use the webbing type, but Dumpster Diver convinced me that the rubber freediving belts were better. I like not having all my weight on my rig, because for one thing, it makes the rig easier to move around on land, and for another, I don't hang all the weight from my shoulders, which makes walking in my gear easier.

There is a prejudice in technical diving circles against any weight which can be lost, and it is a reasonable prejudice, since loss of significant weight is a really bad thing under a ceiling. But especially in very cold water, IF you are going to weight yourself correctly (which means able to hold a shallow stop with empty tanks) it may not even be possible to put all the necessary weight on the plate.

One of the things I would recommend doing with a dry suit is periodically soaking the exhaust valve overnight in fresh water, and also using a hose to put some water through the valve from inside out. The floppy diaphragms in those valves can get sticky with marine goo and not dump well. If you are going to use the suit a lot, it's not a bad idea to have the o-rings for the inflator valve in your save-a-dive kit, as those valves are prone to leakage with heavy use as well.

Also invest in a set of clamps (homemade works fine) or the lazy man's equivalent, which is plastic bottles of the right size to obturate your neck and wrist seals, and a good spray bottle with dilute detergent in it. If you have a dry suit, it will eventually be a wet suit . . . and being able to find and fix small leaks keeps your suit in your hands and in the water more often!

 

[Selchie in LB]

One of the things I would recommend doing with a dry suit is periodically soaking the exhaust valve overnight in fresh water, and also using a hose to put some water through the valve from inside out. The floppy diaphragms in those valves can get sticky with marine goo and not dump well. If you are going to use the suit a lot, it's not a bad idea to have the o-rings for the inflator valve in your save-a-dive kit, as those valves are prone to leakage with heavy use as well.

Also invest in a set of clamps (homemade works fine) or the lazy man's equivalent, which is plastic bottles of the right size to obturate your neck and wrist seals, and a good spray bottle with dilute detergent in it. If you have a dry suit, it will eventually be a wet suit . . . and being able to find and fix small leaks keeps your suit in your hands and in the water more often!

Thanks for the tip on the dump valve! As for the last part about seals, WHAT?

I am been having trouble with wrist seals. The ones on the suit, conical were leaky - to small. I got them replaced with bottle type. These are too tight cutting off circulation, but I still get leaking because of my ligaments around my small wrists. Go figure! I am going to go back to conical or even try neoprene (my suit is a Mares she dives.)

I built a home made drying rack out of PVC for $15. I used 1.5" vs. 2.0".

I drilled holes along the arm and leg pipes. It all breaks down for easy storage. The arms are capped and the feet have 90° bends to support the foot without putting too much pressure directly on the soles. I have two fans depending on whether I do a quick wash - mostly outside, or a full inside and out. The little fan for quick and a larger fan for inside and out drying. It is just room temp no heat!

I wear a weight belt and the air moves just fine throughout. Of course so well that my feet are 'floaty'. Still struggling with that. I do use ankle weights despite hard core dry divers insisting they are training wheels that you don't need and will only depend in them!

Once converted you will never go back! Have fun and dive!

Sent from my LG-P999 using Tapatalk 2

 

[BluewaterSail]

Thanks for the tip on the dump valve! As for the last part about seals, WHAT?

I am been having trouble with wrist seals. The ones on the suit, conical were leaky - to small. I got them replaced with bottle type. These are too tight cutting off circulation, but I still get leaking because of my ligaments around my small wrists. Go figure! I am going to go back to conical or even try neoprene (my suit is a Mares she dives.)

I built a home made drying rack out of PVC for $15. I used 1.5" vs. 2.0".

I drilled holes along the arm and leg pipes. It all breaks down for easy storage. The arms are capped and the feet have 90° bends to support the foot without putting too much pressure directly on the soles. I have two fans depending on whether I do a quick wash - mostly outside, or a full inside and out. The little fan for quick and a larger fan for inside and out drying. It is just room temp no heat!

I wear a weight belt and the air moves just fine throughout. Of course so well that my feet are 'floaty'. Still struggling with that. I do use ankle weights despite hard core dry divers insisting they are training wheels that you don't need and will only depend in them!

Once converted you will never go back! Have fun and dive!

Sent from my LG-P999 using Tapatalk 2

Thanks for posting that photo! I never would have thought to hang the suit upside down, but of course that would be the most effective way!

But are you sure that method doesn't train the suit subconciously to have floaty feet?

 

[3D diver]

+1 on ankle weights and weight belt...I like to spread the weight arround & haven't transitioned to a BP&W.

 

[TSandM]

If you are going to leak-check a suit, you need something to close off the wrist and neck seals. You can do that with clamps (make sure they're smooth or padded, so they don't damage the seals) or by putting a bottle or something else IN the seal to block it. Then you close the dump valve and blow the suit up, and spray the area you suspect with soapy water and look for bubbles. It helps if you have some idea of where the leak IS, and it is often not at all where you would think. For example, failing neck seals will often result in a soaked crotch, if you dive in correct trim . . . the water seems to run down the front of the suit and pool in the groin, which is where you get the wettest. We've found that putting the suit on over something like surgical scrubs -- light fabric that will easily show wet spots -- and getting in the pool or hot tub for just a minute or two, is a great way of localizing the leak so you can look for it more efficiently.

 

[BluewaterSail]

I use a weight belt with my drysuit. I have the rubber Marseille style weight belt that's normally used for freediving.
The typical v weights that are sold are 8 lb. and 11 lb. weights.

If you need a bit more weight than that, adding a weight belt is a good option.

-M

Mitch, do you think that the rubber belt is less abrasive on the suit, or a better choice because of fit?

Are you refering to the type of buckle that has a pin that you put in a hole, like normal belts? Wouldn't that be hard to get off and on or adjust in the water, or is the point that you never would want to, unless you are unconcious and being rescued?

Actually, having a different style buckle than the harness sounds like a really good idea.

 

[Pullmyfinger]

Mitch, do you think that the rubber belt is less abrasive on the suit, or a better choice because of fit?

Are you refering to the type of buckle that has a pin that you put in a hole, like normal belts? Wouldn't that be hard to get off and on or adjust in the water, or is the point that you never would want to, unless you are unconcious and being rescued?

Actually, having a different style buckle than the harness sounds like a really good idea.

I use this one:
It's not abrasive at all on the suit fabric. I started using it when I first started diving. I think these free diving belt are much better than the webbing belts normally used in diving.

I just wear it snug and it sort of sticks to you. They don't shift at all.
They are very easy to release, just pull the end and it releases right away.

Free divers have a need for an easily releasable belt, so if it works for free diving, it'll be well suited to scuba diving also.

Mako, makes a Marseille weight belt also. They have better prices than Rob Allen these days. You can find Mako on this forum in the manufactures section.

The biggest problem you will have with a Marseille belt is keeping an eye on it...they tend to walk away, if not watched closely.

I love my Marseille weight belt.....it matches my Jet fins, and doesn't make my ass look big!

-M

 

[dbulmer]

A couple of tips

1) Use KY jelly or equivalent for getitng the wrist seals on and off your hands.

2) For drysuit testing, you could use plastic bottles filled with water and secured via bungie to plug off the wrist/neck seal. It's simple and easy.
Use a gardening spray gun with a little washing up liquid inside it for putting over an area where you suspect a leak might be.
You can also use this to apply a little cleaning to the undersuit zip.

3) Don't worry about weightbelts ! The Emotion will be able to handle that - just check that the weights themselves do not have any sharp points ie weights here are coated in plastic and over time the plastic degrades leaving one or2 sharp points - that's what you need to be careful of.

4)Talc is used for latex seals - the Emotion comes with a bottle of talc If you buy talc make sure that it is non perfumed talc. And make sure any talc that you apply does not get into the dump valve.

5) If you got the plastic zipper the Emotion comes with a small bottle of lubricant - I'm not sure what it's made of . For a normal zip, Ziptech lubricant is pretty good.

6) From time to time check that the dump valve on the suit is tight - sometimes they loosen with use and before your first dive check that it is tight.

 

[TSandM]

I use the rubber weight belt, too, and love it. I was also dubious about how well the buckle would release, but it's trivial. On the other hand, it's never going to release if you don't want it to, which is a nice quality in a weight belt

 

[BluewaterSail]

A couple of tips

1) Use KY jelly or equivalent for getitng the wrist seals on and off your hands.

2) For drysuit testing, you could use plastic bottles filled with water and secured via bungie to plug off the wrist/neck seal. It's simple and easy.
Use a gardening spray gun with a little washing up liquid inside it for putting over an area where you suspect a leak might be.
You can also use this to apply a little cleaning to the undersuit zip.

3) Don't worry about weightbelts ! The Emotion will be able to handle that - just check that the weights themselves do not have any sharp points ie weights here are coated in plastic and over time the plastic degrades leaving one or2 sharp points - that's what you need to be careful of.

4)Talc is used for latex seals - the Emotion comes with a bottle of talc If you buy talc make sure that it is non perfumed talc. And make sure any talc that you apply does not get into the dump valve.

5) If you got the plastic zipper the Emotion comes with a small bottle of lubricant - I'm not sure what it's made of . For a normal zip, Ziptech lubricant is pretty good.

6) From time to time check that the dump valve on the suit is tight - sometimes they loosen with use and before your first dive check that it is tight.

KY Jelly (#1)and Talc (#4) on the wrist seals? I'm having trouble picturing that.