Bare Arctic SGS but need more...

[Code Monkey]

Hi All,

I've got a Bare Arctic SGS semi-dry but it gets pretty cold, here, in Southern California and I want to add stuff to make it better. I was wondering whether a 7mil vest with hood would help (and, if so, do I wear it under or over a semi-dry)? Would mittens (I've got 5 mil gloves, now) or 7 mil booties (I think mine are just 3 mil) help? Any other ideas?

Thanks (and Brrrrrrr)!

 

[spectrum]

Put the hooded Arctic step-in over the SGS full suit.
http://www.bare-wetsuits.com/bareshop/diveproduct.asp?dept_id=23010&pf_id=61426

There isn't much point in having the premiums SGS liner against the outside of the suit so I'd just go Arctic for the vest.

I have the Arctic Fullsuit and this vest I'm comfortable to 50F for multiiple dives. I could have gone lower but went dry. I did make a dive at 40F just for the heck of it, no problem.

If that's not enough then you have earned your drysuit.

I also highly recomend the Bare Neosocks and the 5mm gauntlet gloves.

Be sure to prime the suit liberally with nice warm (almost hot) water as you suit up. this will give you a hedge against the first round of infiltration.

Pete

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Very timely thread.

This past weekend I did 3 quarry dives in Ohio in a rental 7mm farmer john and bibbed hood. Water temps were 48-50 on the surface and 41-43 at depth and I had no problems. My feet and hands were a bit numb at the end of each dive and I was a tad chilled, but not bad really. My dives were 30 minutes to 25 ft, 40 minutes to 61 feet and 33 minutes to 52 feet.

I got home and found out that my new Bare 7mm Arctic SGS with 7mm Arctic Vest had finally arrived! It was delivered about 2 hours AFTER I left for the weekend!

Anyway, thanks for the question Wade and the input Pete. Without giving it any thought, I would have put the vest UNDER the suit. But reading your post, I can see why the vest really should go OVER the suit. I hope to give the setup a try in another couple of weeks. The water temps will be a bit warmer by then, but certainly less than balmy! Probably upper 40s to low 50s, maybe mid 50s.

I also purchased the 6mm ice boots and the 5mm gauntlet gloves.

Pete ... I assume I want to gloves nice and snug? I have very small hands for a guy. My hands are actually the same size as my wife's and she's 5'2" and 110 lbs! Now I'm only 5'8' and 155 lbs myself. I went with the XS gloves and they actually seem to fit perfectly. Definitely snug, but my finger tips aren't cramped. It seems that they will provide me with very good dexterity. This past weekend I dove with Small Deep See Iceman 3-finger mittens. They were a bit long in the fingers and took on water at about 30 feet or so. I also didn't really like the dexterity much at all. I had a hard time operating the hose on my wing. Really had to work at getting a proper grip on the inflator/deflator and pretty much held onto it once I had a good grip.

 

[spectrum]

I also purchased the 6mm ice boots and the 5mm gauntlet gloves.

Pete ... I assume I want to gloves nice and snug?

Oddly I think a bit loose works best. Mine happened to come in a bit on the loose side, by that I mean not snug and not baggy, perhaps just right.

Think "limb" for a moment. In that suit your core will be cozy. The gauntlet and wetsuit sleeve will keep your blood warm as it passes through your wrist. What seems to be happening for me is that my palm is a heat radiator. And by having just a bit of room in the glove the warmed water circulates. If I feel my fingers getting cool I just flex my hands a few times an voila!

This has worked in my wet gear to 50F and in my neoprere drysuit w/neoprene seals down into the upper 30s F.

Pete

 

[Divedoggie]

The hooded step through arctic vest works great.
The back zipper on the full suit, and the front zipper on the vest are opposite each other, and are thus sealed off. With good gloves and booties, you will have very little water intrusion.
My suit is a MediumLarge and my vest, worn over the suit is a Large.

With all that said, I pretty much always dive dry in colder water now!

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Be sure to prime the suit liberally with nice warm (almost hot) water as you suit up. this will give you a hedge against the first round of infiltration.

Pete,

Do you find that priming the suit with warm water also helps with getting the suit on? I am finding my new Arctic SGS somewhat of a challenge to get on.

 

[hlsooner]

I have the Bare Arctic SGS and use it with the Bare 7mm hooded vest along with the 7mm gloves and boots and find I that I am very comfortable for two or three dives in 46 degree water here in New England. Of course, the suit fits very snug all over, so that may have something to do with why it is so effective.

 

[cap_bert]

Hi,

I have the same suit. I picked up a 7mm hooded shorty, also bare sgs. As far as i know they have replaced the sgs line with the the velocity line, but i think you can still find similar products. I have dove this setup in water 45-50F and been reasonably comfortable for 35-45 min. I hope this helps.

 

[wheelietaco]

I have the sgs, been in the lower 50's and upper 40's in just the sgs and dry hood with the ice boots. was comfy.

 

[Daner]

I dove this Sunday in the 7mil Arctic SGS fullsuit, step in 7mil Arctic hooded shorty, 5mil gloves and 5 mil boots. Water temp was 41F, maximum depth was 29 feet with a total dive time of 38 minutes. Fingers started getting chilled at about 30 minutes and upon exit I noticed my feet were a little numb but they didn't feel cold in the water. As soon as I got dry clothes on I wasn't cold at all (air temp was low 50s) so I guess my core was kept warm.

I didn't dump any warm water in the suit prior to the dive but I found that there was no rush of cold water upon entry anyway so I don't think it would have done anything anyway. Now last year the coldest I dove was 56F in a rented 7mil farmer john and jacket with bibbed hood. There was an uncomfortable rush of cold water down the neck when I first got in the water. I found the 7mil Arctic SGS combo in 41F was far more comfortable than the 7mil farmer john/jacket/bibbed hood in 56F.

Edit: BTW I find the 'it gets pretty cold, here, in Southern California' quite funny but I guess its all relative.