Help!? I need to purchase my first drysuit. As good as my Bare semi-dry farmer john is, its not cutting it anymore! I work in shallow cold water (45-50 degrees). I need to remove/get into my drysuit 2-3 times daily, alone. I need one easy to get into (single most important factor)and durable, I do not swim, my area underwater is limited to 20' for about an hour. Flexibility required, strange sometimes tight positions and frequently upside down. Manual dexterity a must, are there gloves usable that are close to skin? In contact with concrete usally fairly smooth but slightly abrasive with time, esp toes, legs, knees and shoulders. Looks and appearance of fit not at all important. Suggestions please!!! Which type of suit is best suited? (Trilam, shell, neo etc...) Which seals are better for me? Instead of a brand, I need specifics. Which type of material and why. Which type of suits can I wear sweats with? This will reduce prep time since i'm in them to begin with. Other than a custom suit, if I buy one used can I increase the neck size? Normally i'm a stock XL but 18.5" neck.
1st time drysuit questions
- Thread starter dondl
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Having never owned a dry-suit you would be best advised to go to a shop that carries many different types of suits, ask questions and get professional help. Above all take your time and see what is available and look into all the features before you buy. Suit types are many and although you have a good idea of what you want in a suit it can still be difficult to get the right suit without doing the research and educating yourself. It is a big expense so take the time and get it right.
Just my 2 cents. I know some divers that bought suits because the suit sounded like what they were wanting, then as the became more savy, wished they'd gone with something else. The hardest thing to get rid of IMO, is a used dry suit.
Just my 2 cents. I know some divers that bought suits because the suit sounded like what they were wanting, then as the became more savy, wished they'd gone with something else. The hardest thing to get rid of IMO, is a used dry suit.
You might try posting this in the exposure protection forum. It sounds like you need a crushed neoprene suit with a front zip and neoprene seals. Your neck is the same size as mine. I do find latex seals easier to live with, but neoprene is tougher. It sounds like you be using it heavy.
Jim
Jim
Jim is correct and I have taken the liberty of moving the thread to the exposure suit forum for you, no need to re-postSwimJim:
Ber :lilbunny:
I dove tri-lam suits for about 15 years before switching to neoprene. It was a counter intuitive switch given all the DUI inpsired anti-neoprene suit indoctrination I had received. Much of it was true of older neoprene suits, but is no longer the case today.
In terms of being upside down, the snug fit of a neoprene suit is preferable as it controls air movement better and the insulating and softer qualities of the material allow a lot less air to be comfortably used in the suit.
The neoprene material also stretchs like a wet suit so a much trimmer and snugger fit can be maintained without compromising flexibility of the suit. In contrast, a self entry (front zip) trilam invariably has either a rather baggy torso or a telescoping torso to allow enough room to get into the suit and to bend in the suit.
Sweats work fine as an undergarment and are ample insulation even in 40 degree water.
The bad news here is that front zip neoprene suit options are very limited and would at best involve a u shaped unisuit type zipper.
My preference is to use a suit with a normal across the shoulders zipper. Self entry is still readily possible using a carabiner mounted on something at shoulder level (wall, ladder bimini top support, etc). I just hook the zipper pull to the carabiner and rotate my body to zip the suit. Unzipping can be done the same way or with a 3' piece of rope attached to the zipper pull to allow you to unzip it from the opposite side.
Durability is good with most neoprene suits although knee pads are a must. Neoprene seals are also much more durable than latex. What a neoprene suit may lack in durability compared to vulcanized rubber suit or heavy duty tri-lam, it mopre than malkes up for with a cost 1/4 to 1/3 the cost of those suits. I work with frayed and rusty cables, metal and concrete extensively underwater and find that my neoprene holds up well. I have also found that neoprene gloves work better than dry gloves as if they are hold, your hands still stay warm. And for the most part they are cheaper to replace than dry gloves. The biggest advantage has been the elimination of the cuff rings needed for dry gloves as they got in the way, interfered with getting my hands into small spaces and created a hard edge that led to abrasion of the glove or seal when working with and rubbing against hard objects.
In terms of being upside down, the snug fit of a neoprene suit is preferable as it controls air movement better and the insulating and softer qualities of the material allow a lot less air to be comfortably used in the suit.
The neoprene material also stretchs like a wet suit so a much trimmer and snugger fit can be maintained without compromising flexibility of the suit. In contrast, a self entry (front zip) trilam invariably has either a rather baggy torso or a telescoping torso to allow enough room to get into the suit and to bend in the suit.
Sweats work fine as an undergarment and are ample insulation even in 40 degree water.
The bad news here is that front zip neoprene suit options are very limited and would at best involve a u shaped unisuit type zipper.
My preference is to use a suit with a normal across the shoulders zipper. Self entry is still readily possible using a carabiner mounted on something at shoulder level (wall, ladder bimini top support, etc). I just hook the zipper pull to the carabiner and rotate my body to zip the suit. Unzipping can be done the same way or with a 3' piece of rope attached to the zipper pull to allow you to unzip it from the opposite side.
Durability is good with most neoprene suits although knee pads are a must. Neoprene seals are also much more durable than latex. What a neoprene suit may lack in durability compared to vulcanized rubber suit or heavy duty tri-lam, it mopre than malkes up for with a cost 1/4 to 1/3 the cost of those suits. I work with frayed and rusty cables, metal and concrete extensively underwater and find that my neoprene holds up well. I have also found that neoprene gloves work better than dry gloves as if they are hold, your hands still stay warm. And for the most part they are cheaper to replace than dry gloves. The biggest advantage has been the elimination of the cuff rings needed for dry gloves as they got in the way, interfered with getting my hands into small spaces and created a hard edge that led to abrasion of the glove or seal when working with and rubbing against hard objects.
Thanks so far for all the help!!! One problem I have is there is no one around to talk to. No place to even see a drysuit other than one chain store. It carries pure crap in wetsuits and totally unknowledgeable staff. Most have never dove. I am confused about one thing, I can wear sweats with a neopreme drysuit? Aren't they too tight? Also my 7mm farmer john is tough to get into, esp wet. Is it so much different with a neopreme drysuit? Once again the MOST important consideration is getting in and out of or are all drysuits too similar in this respect for it to matter? I'm used to attaching cords to my other three wetsuits and using a variety of fastened hooks to zip up easily, thats the one part no matter where the zip is located, I'll be alright. Sports injuries have seen to my creativity. Thought and prep outweigh braun anytime. If a drysuit has attached soft booties is there still a seal around the ankles? Or will this be another benefit of a drysuit?
I do not understand parts of this statement:
In terms of being upside down, the snug fit of a neoprene suit is preferable as it controls air movement better and the insulating and softer qualities of the material allow a lot less air to be comfortably used in the suit.
Controls air movement?
Less air to be comfortably used in the suit?
Please explain.
Once again thanks for the info and patience.
I do not understand parts of this statement:
In terms of being upside down, the snug fit of a neoprene suit is preferable as it controls air movement better and the insulating and softer qualities of the material allow a lot less air to be comfortably used in the suit.
Controls air movement?
Less air to be comfortably used in the suit?
Please explain.
Once again thanks for the info and patience.
Neoprene suits have attached booties and no need for a seal at the ankle. Neoprene fabric streches quite a bit where trilam fabric does not stretch at all and vulcanized rubber stretches very little. Compressed or crushed neoprene is somewhere in between but no where near as stretchy as uncompressed neoprene.
That stretch allows a much trimmer and snugger fit to the suit. But the fit does not have to be anywhere close to skin tight like a wetsuit. In my experience, good neoprene suits are sized to have fairly snug lower legs but with comparatively more room in the chest area so they are much easier to get into with only a very slight tug needed to get your feet inot the boots.
The amount of air you can get by with in a neoprene suit is the major factor in preventing a rush of air to your feet when upside down. In a trilam or vulcanized rubber suit, the "squeeze" caused by inadequate air in the suit is a series of fairly sharp and painful pinches throughout the suit and particulary in any internal bends and joints like the inside of your elbow. In contrast, in a neoprene suit, a squeeze from little or no air in the suit is more of a sensation of pressure without the sharp painful parts and you can consequently comfortably tolerate a lot less air in the suit during the dive. And that's also helped by the lack of the many baggy folds that occur in a trilam suit.
That stretch allows a much trimmer and snugger fit to the suit. But the fit does not have to be anywhere close to skin tight like a wetsuit. In my experience, good neoprene suits are sized to have fairly snug lower legs but with comparatively more room in the chest area so they are much easier to get into with only a very slight tug needed to get your feet inot the boots.
The amount of air you can get by with in a neoprene suit is the major factor in preventing a rush of air to your feet when upside down. In a trilam or vulcanized rubber suit, the "squeeze" caused by inadequate air in the suit is a series of fairly sharp and painful pinches throughout the suit and particulary in any internal bends and joints like the inside of your elbow. In contrast, in a neoprene suit, a squeeze from little or no air in the suit is more of a sensation of pressure without the sharp painful parts and you can consequently comfortably tolerate a lot less air in the suit during the dive. And that's also helped by the lack of the many baggy folds that occur in a trilam suit.
cummings66
Contributor
To expound a bit on the air movement part. In a drysuit the air is what lofts the undergarment to keep you warm, if you dove it totally compressed you'd get cold plus you would find it hard to move after a point. So you add air as you go deeper, at 20 feet you'd have little air in the suit. As you come up the air expands and needs to vent, if you don't vent then a looser suit will let the air move easily and if it goes to your feet you'll find them getting higher and higher on you. Many people have been dragged to the surface feet first due to this and their lack of knowledge on how to remedy the situation. A class is good here. The reason you might get dragged up feet first is there are no exhaust valves in your boots, and as your feet get higher the air expands more causing you to rise more, making the problem worse. You have to fix it quickly. Now a tighter fitting suit in the leg/boot area means you have less air space to fill and the problem though it can occur is a bit harder to make happen.
The whole issue with air movement in a drysuit is that it affects your trim causing a higher SAC if you're not careful. It's not hard to control, but does take practice. Once mastered you'll find it is not that hard.
One interesting side affect of air in the boots is that on an ice dive you can walk on the underside of the ice by allowing air in the boot.
The whole issue with air movement in a drysuit is that it affects your trim causing a higher SAC if you're not careful. It's not hard to control, but does take practice. Once mastered you'll find it is not that hard.
One interesting side affect of air in the boots is that on an ice dive you can walk on the underside of the ice by allowing air in the boot.
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