Any advice for first time using a drysuit?

[Chewie07]

Well... all DUI dump valves are on the left arm.

Or, you can raise both. It'll look like you hung yourself up to dry

 

[tkdgodess]

Relax and enjoy. I use my DS for comfort and BC for buoyancy.

 

[Doc Harry]

Dive a automatic shoulder dump not a cuff dump... borrow a pair of gaiters for the firt dive... Thats about it.

I advise to learn to dive without gaiters.

I found that instead of keeping air from going to my feet, the gaiters just trapped air in my feet.

I got rid of my gaiters and it was the best thing I have done.

 

[Randy43068]

I agree, don't use the gators. Stay shallow and allow the air to trap in your feet once so you know how to deal with it. Knowing how it feels, you'll also know how to recognize and prevent it from happening again.

 

[brandnew]

Well I started out with a TSL350 had fun with that at about 20ft and 64 degrees.

The next was in CX200 at about 40 degrees (I didn't have enough on underneath for that one and froze).

I was expecting to have some difficulty at first but was surprised and had no problem adjusting to the dry suit and got compliments on my bouyancy.

The end result.... I want one.

I won't spend any more money on dive gear, I won't spend any more on dive gear

except.........

 

[scubamountaingirl]

Hello all, may I add to this thread with a question or two?
I just got my new Whites Fusion and the first three dives were well, not fun. I could NOT sink...no air in suit, no air in BC> We worked out some of the issues. On the last dive I insisted on staying at a 25 Ft. platform just to not complicate matters. What we did was put a steel 130 on my back and take weight off my waist and tank. Even with that I was a turtle and feet up in the air. I only put in a touch or two of air at 25ft. just to get the squeeze off. But even with that I could not go horizontal for more than 60 sec. and then poof I would start to cork....We did this for over a Hr. so I was pooped. The advice I got is to change my fins to shorter heavier ones, use a back plate weight and move the weights I was using closer to my belly button. My BF noticed that even with all my air out of my suit i was carrying a bit of air above my chest . uhhhggg i know its a learning curve but it seems that this is overkill. any suggestions that we haven't thought of? i love love love my suit( and its not that hard to get in and out of even with the hype) but i can not dive till this is fixed. frustrated. w

 

[Ber Rabbit]

I was expecting to have some difficulty at first but was surprised and had no problem adjusting to the dry suit and got compliments on my bouyancy.

The end result.... I want one.

I won't spend any more money on dive gear, I won't spend any more on dive gear

except.........

A drysuit that fits properly is a joy to dive and they do a great job fitting you at the DUI event.

They are addictive aren't they? Oh and the "I won't spend any more money on dive gear" chant doesn't work...believe me, I've tried

Hello all, may I add to this thread with a question or two?
I just got my new Whites Fusion and the first three dives were well, not fun. I could NOT sink...no air in suit, no air in BC> We worked out some of the issues. On the last dive I insisted on staying at a 25 Ft. platform just to not complicate matters. What we did was put a steel 130 on my back and take weight off my waist and tank. Even with that I was a turtle and feet up in the air. I only put in a touch or two of air at 25ft. just to get the squeeze off. But even with that I could not go horizontal for more than 60 sec. and then poof I would start to cork....We did this for over a Hr. so I was pooped. The advice I got is to change my fins to shorter heavier ones, use a back plate weight and move the weights I was using closer to my belly button. My BF noticed that even with all my air out of my suit i was carrying a bit of air above my chest . uhhhggg i know its a learning curve but it seems that this is overkill. any suggestions that we haven't thought of? i love love love my suit( and its not that hard to get in and out of even with the hype) but i can not dive till this is fixed. frustrated. w

I know how you feel, my first 75 dives in my suit were not fun...yes, seventy five dives that had a fun factor similar to your first three. Does the drysuit fit properly? If it's big on you it can be challenging to get all the air to dump, I know that from experience. A drysuit that fits properly is worth its weight in gold, the difference diving it is amazing. It took me 75 dives to determine it was the poor fit of the suit rather than my inability to learn something new that was causing all the problems.

Heavy undies also mean more air trapping. This is great for staying warm but can be a source of some buoyancy challenges. Do your undies completely fill the lower part of your legs in the suit? If you have any bagginess in the calves it's going to trap air and drag you feet first to the surface. My suit has attached boots and that was a nightmare until I got a heavy set of underwear booties that take up the excess space. When I got my new suit, the one that fits properly, my drysuit undies were thick enough to take up all the space in my calves so my trilam looks skin tight in that area even though it's not. That was the change that allowed me to stop using the ankle weights. I still get some air in my feet but it's not enough to cause buoyancy problems.

Are you working with an instructor or very experienced drysuit diver? Maybe working with someone different will help.

BTW I'm 5'7" and weigh 140 pounds. I carry 28 pounds of lead with an AL 80 in fresh water when I'm diving my drysuit, that's double what I wear with my wetsuit. I cannot hold a safety stop with 26 pounds when I have 1000psi or less in the AL80. I tried 30 pounds in salt water and fought to stay down, 32 pounds worked like a dream in salt water.

If you can't sink with no air in the suit and no air in the BC then you need more weight.

Keep at it, sometimes it feels like an uphill battle especially when everyone else is having such an easy time. Don't let the drysuit win!
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[scubamountaingirl]

Ber, thank you for all your good ideas. NO i dont know if the suit fits me properly. it's a lg/xlg as the sizing is sm/med then a jump to lg/xlg. the legs in the sm/med were too small so there was no choice if i wanted to dive a fusion....hummmm . the legs are good, tight and comfy but the top, as the bf noticed was a touch roomy...i am wearing the undergarment that came with the suit with a pair of under armour tights. but....i am wearing a depends...now i am thinking this is also part of the mix. Do you also? I am heavier than you but am heartened to hear that you also need a lot of weight to go down.
I am not diving with an experienced dry suit diver. He has about 25-30 dives with his fusion and is working it out as we go along. I did take a class. I found it almost useless. Both suits I dove with for pool and ow had holes and I never stayed dry and thus never really learned what it was like to be in a "dry suit" I learned the basics so I could take them with me.
OK if you had 75 bad dives I will back up and be grateful. I live in the mountains in NY so for me to get to a nice body of water to try this is a 4hr. drive each way. but until it gets too cold to change outside i guess i will keep trying. again, thank you. wendy

 

[Daiika]

Scubamountain, I think your problems to start with might be too little weight. As Rabbit said, he uses a lot more weight compared to a wetsuit. Wetsuit I use 13 pounds, Drysuit I use 24-26 pounds. I am 5'6" and 148# And try to keep your feet below your head always, until you get used to the suit. GL.

 

[Randy43068]

"HE"
(snickering)

He is a SHE. But not a heshe.