Keep the dry suit and undergarments in the shade prior to gearing up- its amazing how much heat they can soak up in the sun. If they start out cooler, you stay cooler longer.
If you don the hood prior to getting in the water take advantage of the potential cooling and wet it down inside and out (use a bottle of water you bring along for that purpose if you are a long way from the water when you gear up.) Having the equivalent of a swamp cooler on you head helps.
The same swamp cooling effect helps a lot with a neoprene dry suit or wet suit if it is wetted down as soon as possible after you get in it. All that water evaoporating draws a lot of heat from the suit and in turn from you. The effect is less pronounced with the average trilam that sheds water and drys very quickly. Bringing along a gallon jug of tap water for pre dive wetting and cooling can help a lot.
The same thing happens in cold weather as well, so cover your wet suit with a windproof rainsuit or similar garment to reduce evaporative cooling and stay warmer between dives if you leave the suit on.
Otherwise, set EVERYTHING up before you don the dry suit and give your self a few minutes to cool donw if you work up a sweat putting the gear together.
When donning the suit put everything on as soon as you can prior to closing the suit. For example put on the wrist slate, compass, and or depth gauge on as soon as you get the arms on and delay zipping up the underwear and suit until the last possible second.
Coordinate with the buddy, they either need to be ready to go when you are or understand they will be on their own once you close the zipper and don your gear as extra time means extra heat stress. Meet them in the either next to the entry point or at the anchor line if you are on a boat. Being hot and sweaty in a dry suit on a rolling and pitching boat is a great way to induce nausea.
If you don the hood prior to getting in the water take advantage of the potential cooling and wet it down inside and out (use a bottle of water you bring along for that purpose if you are a long way from the water when you gear up.) Having the equivalent of a swamp cooler on you head helps.
The same swamp cooling effect helps a lot with a neoprene dry suit or wet suit if it is wetted down as soon as possible after you get in it. All that water evaoporating draws a lot of heat from the suit and in turn from you. The effect is less pronounced with the average trilam that sheds water and drys very quickly. Bringing along a gallon jug of tap water for pre dive wetting and cooling can help a lot.
The same thing happens in cold weather as well, so cover your wet suit with a windproof rainsuit or similar garment to reduce evaporative cooling and stay warmer between dives if you leave the suit on.
Otherwise, set EVERYTHING up before you don the dry suit and give your self a few minutes to cool donw if you work up a sweat putting the gear together.
When donning the suit put everything on as soon as you can prior to closing the suit. For example put on the wrist slate, compass, and or depth gauge on as soon as you get the arms on and delay zipping up the underwear and suit until the last possible second.
Coordinate with the buddy, they either need to be ready to go when you are or understand they will be on their own once you close the zipper and don your gear as extra time means extra heat stress. Meet them in the either next to the entry point or at the anchor line if you are on a boat. Being hot and sweaty in a dry suit on a rolling and pitching boat is a great way to induce nausea.
