Argon Drysuit Inflation question / help

[rjack321]

Like this.

Who's your daddy??

 

[rjack321]

If you're not breathing helium, then you're unlikely to recognize any benefit at all.

(There are those who would say that even if you ARE breathing helium, the effect is likely to only be placebo...)

The research is inconclusive:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/...ve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12067149&dopt=Abstract

(there are a number of threads in SB archives citing other research if you care to do a search)

Bottom line is that if you are not using trimix, argon is a lot more of a PITA (and expense) than you may want to deal with.....

Trimix or not has little to do with it IMO. If you are genuinely cold in your undergarment, argon is warmer. If you are so-so and just want to be warmer, argon doesn't do much. YMMV

Good hoods are the single best way to crank up the heat factor. Cricket makes excellent custom hoods, 12mm in the body, 3mm face seal. http://www.otterbaysuits.com/
Good to work with by email and inexpensive for what you get.

 

[KMD]

Like this.

That why you cant tell the difference. All this time you have been diving ARON instead of ARGON.

 

[Ben_ca]

Trimix or not has little to do with it IMO. If you are genuinely cold in your undergarment, argon is warmer. If you are so-so and just want to be warmer, argon doesn't do much. YMMV

Good hoods are the single best way to crank up the heat factor. Cricket makes excellent custom hoods, 12mm in the body, 3mm face seal. http://www.otterbaysuits.com/
Good to work with by email and inexpensive for what you get.

Another vote for Cricket's hoods.... super thick and warm....

 

[Soggy]

That why you cant tell the difference. All this time you have been diving ARON instead of ARGON.

DOH!

- Aaron

 

[Gilldiver]

The research is inconclusive:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/...ve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12067149&dopt=Abstract....

Lets see what it says:

Rectal and all skin temperatures decreased significantly in both groups during the dive but no difference was measured between argon and air dives. Thermal comfort was not different between the groups. Replacing air with argon neither improves subjective impression of thermal comfort nor attenuates core or skin cooling during cold water diving to 10 meters of sea water for 60 min

Ya, that is inconclusive!

The main thing is to use either air or argon in your suit instead of a Helium mix back gas. Put some helium in your suit and you will get cold.

 

[rjack321]

Lets see what it says:

Rectal and all skin temperatures decreased significantly in both groups during the dive but no difference was measured between argon and air dives. Thermal comfort was not different between the groups. Replacing air with argon neither improves subjective impression of thermal comfort nor attenuates core or skin cooling during cold water diving to 10 meters of sea water for 60 min

Ya, that is inconclusive!

The main thing is to use either air or argon in your suit instead of a Helium mix back gas. Put some helium in your suit and you will get cold.

If you read the whole article instead of just the abstract, you'll learn that they were using neoprene drysuits and a mystery "wooly bear" undergarment, apparently standard issue in the Norwegian Navy.

A shell suit and a proper undergarment which provides 100% of the insulation is a different ball of wax. Argon does have 1/3rd less thermal conductivity than air.

 

[scubawally]

I dont use trimix but I still have an argon bottle ( I also have a 2mm crushed neoprene suit and regularly dive in very cold (28-40 degree) water. I find that it does help out alot and if it is only a placebo than im fine with this as long as I still think that Im warm