Cold water exposure suits discussion

[Bryan]

I'm about to dive in that same 73-75 degree water with a drysuit. It is time to switch from Polartech to a summer-weight, wiking base layer. It isn't so bad in the water, but the walk from the truck to the dock is a warm one in the summer!

 

[Cyprian]

I'm about to dive in that same 73-75 degree water with a drysuit. It is time to switch from Polartech to a summer-weight, wiking base layer. It isn't so bad in the water, but the walk from the truck to the dock is a warm one in the summer!

That's why we go find spring fed lakes where we can still hit the 60's or even upper 50's in the summer.

Korvette and I were just talking about this earlier today....it's funny when you start diving dry in TX/OK.

When you dive wet it goes a little something like this in early spring/early winter: "Dang, I wish this water would warm up."

When you dive dry in goes a little something like this in summer: "Dang, I need to find someplace with cooler water in summer....hello thermocline!"

 

[Kunk35]

I dive a 7mm bare, 3mm boots, (admittedly, feet do get a tad cold sometimes), 7mm gloves, and 5mm hoodie. I have thought about making the switch to dry but I have to tell you why I haven't so far. You would think it is the cost, and that is part of it, but the real reason is this: I don't think I have ever been diving when someone with a drysuit didn't have issues with leaks or sticking valves. I've seen inverted, stump hugging divers with their buddies working on the valves and getting them turned back over. I just don't want to bother with it.

I used to bring the taj mahal of setups for surface intervals, complete with sides and a great heat source which worked wonders. Like Frank, the older I get the less I take the second plunge in the 40 something water, but that's okay with me. I don't go diving just to go diving. Relaxing in the sun while taking in the cool air is a big part of my de-stressing. So that second dive just isn't as vital as it used to be.

 

[Cyprian]

I dive a 7mm bare, 3mm boots, (admittedly, feet do get a tad cold sometimes), 7mm gloves, and 5mm hoodie. I have thought about making the switch to dry but I have to tell you why I haven't so far. You would think it is the cost, and that is part of it, but the real reason is this: I don't think I have ever been diving when someone with a drysuit didn't have issues with leaks or sticking valves. I've seen inverted, stump hugging divers with their buddies working on the valves and getting them turned back over. I just don't want to bother with it.

I used to bring the taj mahal of setups for surface intervals, complete with sides and a great heat source which worked wonders. Like Frank, the older I get the less I take the second plunge in the 40 something water, but that's okay with me. I don't go diving just to go diving. Relaxing in the sun while taking in the cool air is a big part of my de-stressing. So that second dive just isn't as vital as it used to be.

Kory,

I think you've ran into some unlucky folk! LOL.

I'm crossing my fingers here as I know dry suits can fail, but in my limited dives with 8 other dry divers this past winter.....I haven't seen a valve issue. A couple of guys got a little wet as a seal was rolled, etc, but for the most part we had dry, happy divers.

As to de-stressing, I like to pull the dry suit top off and tuck the arms in the suspenders....walk around dry and eat some grub between dives, oh and poke fun my my buddies in the group diving wet and having to roll that neoprene on and off!

(LOL, I hope you take that last part in jest, because that's how it was intended).

 

[Bryan]

I think another way to prevent problems is to get one's gear serviced annually. Most of us already do this with our regulators, but it is often overlooked that one's BCD/Wing and drysuit have valves that require annual maintenance, too.

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

Dry suites are not a good choice for a seasonal / occasional diver. Too expensive, too much maintenance and practice is needed to dive one properly and safely. For many divers, its just not worth the hassle. However, for the diver willing to make the investment it offers year round access to diving. Once you are past the original learning curve, you should be dry at least 95% of the time. Little leaks happen, but even those are tolerable if you have decent undergarments.


I only dive dry 10-15 dives / year, the rest are wet but those dives represent weekends I would have been sitting around the house waiting for the warm weather to arrive.