Comprehensive "stay warm" plan

[Cacia]

I posted this deep in another thread but I am posting as a new thread because getting cold was a big problem for me before I figured this out for myself. I generally dive with tough guys that wouldn't be caught dead looking like they were trying to get comfortable, so I had NO role models. My heart rate was dropping into the 40's when I was chilled and I would be "kind of out of it." I realized when I noticed that I would warm up a good 10-15 minutes before beginning to shiver. I started to get serious about hypothermia.

1. make sure you get warmed up between dives. Take everything off, even though its a hassle. dry off and put on a jacket. get out of the wind. A lot of work for 30-40 minute interval, but I have to. night dives? get a microfiber watch cap. Drink hot tea in between.

2. Hoods are a good thing. The henderson hyperstrech fits so close on my head (easy to get on though) that it doesn't trap air and it goes on and off quickly.

3. Change into a dry wetsuit (thats right folks). I have several because ...they will last three times as long, so in the long run its not more expensive. Putting on a dry wetsuit by dive #3 will make you very cheerful, but people will give you a very hard time. because they are wishing they had one.

I4. Eat enough food. If I get really low on calories to burn, I get very cold. Eat cashews or peanut butter...something like that will make a big difference.

I have heard stories about SoCal divers pouring a thermos of hot water into their wetsuit before putting it on for second dive at night.

Learn to recognize signs of hypothermia and recognize it is not just a matter of being uncomfortable. If you are feeling "out of it" and warming up before beginning to shiver, your core temp is getting too low.

 

[dherbman]

If diving wet, a hooded vest is a great addition.

 

[JeffG]

5: Wear a drysuit

6: Have the proper undergarments for your drysuit

7: Use an electrical heater

 

[jeckyll]

My stay warm plan:

Put on wool socks, longjohns, pants, moisture wicking top, fleece top. Drive to dive site. Get into thinsulate undersuit. Get into drysuit. Try to forget about the fact that you still haven't gone to have that small leak fixed in the right knee and will get a bit wet. Wear enough weight to keep all that fleece neutral at 5 feet with 600 psi left in the tank. Keep wool cap and wool gloves handy for SI.

 

[Doc Intrepid]

I was gonna say, catherine, if you're having that much difficulty with cold on those 3 and 4 dive days, etc. another answer rather than 3 or 4 wetsuits is a drysuit.

Here is one specificially designed for use in the tropics. It's made of a material, similar to gore-tex, that passes vapor out but won't let water in:
http://www.dui-online.com/dry_30.htm

It uses standard wetsuit boots and hood, as well as gloves if you choose to wear them.

As far as the cost goes, I suspect it would compare favorably with the cost of 3 or 4 quality wetsuits.

Just a thought ...but I've been diving dry since 1986 and - particularly given the discomfort you've described - its simply a better, safer way to handle situations where divers are sensitive to potential hypothermia.

At least check it out...

FWIW. YMMV.

Doc

 

[Green_Manelishi]

I posted this deep in another thread but I am posting as a new thread because getting cold was a big problem for me before I figured this out for myself. I generally dive with tough guys that wouldn't be caught dead looking like they were trying to get comfortable, so I had NO role models. My heart rate was dropping into the 40's when I was chilled and I would be "kind of out of it." I realized when I noticed that I would warm up a good 10-15 minutes before beginning to shiver. I started to get serious about hypothermia.

1. make sure you get warmed up between dives. Take everything off, even though its a hassle. dry off and put on a jacket. get out of the wind. A lot of work for 30-40 minute interval, but I have to. night dives? get a microfiber watch cap. Drink hot tea in between.

2. Hoods are a good thing. The henderson hyperstrech fits so close on my head (easy to get on though) that it doesn't trap air and it goes on and off quickly.

3. Change into a dry wetsuit (thats right folks). I have several because ...they will last three times as long, so in the long run its not more expensive. Putting on a dry wetsuit by dive #3 will make you very cheerful, but people will give you a very hard time. because they are wishing they had one.

I4. Eat enough food. If I get really low on calories to burn, I get very cold. Eat cashews or peanut butter...something like that will make a big difference.

I have heard stories about SoCal divers pouring a thermos of hot water into their wetsuit before putting it on for second dive at night.

Learn to recognize signs of hypothermia and recognize it is not just a matter of being uncomfortable. If you are feeling "out of it" and warming up before beginning to shiver, your core temp is getting too low.

I recommend hot water, rather than tea, to drink between dives. I also, like Doc Intrepid, encourage you to consider a drysuit.

 

[Cacia]

I was gonna say, catherine, if you're having that much difficulty with cold on those 3 and 4 dive days, etc. another answer rather than 3 or 4 wetsuits is a drysuit.

Here is one specificially designed for use in the tropics. It's made of a material, similar to gore-tex, that passes vapor out but won't let water in:
http://www.dui-online.com/dry_30.htm

It uses standard wetsuit boots and hood, as well as gloves if you choose to wear them.

As far as the cost goes, I suspect it would compare favorably with the cost of 3 or 4 quality wetsuits.

Just a thought ...but I've been diving dry since 1986 and - particularly given the discomfort you've described - its simply a better, safer way to handle situations where divers are sensitive to potential hypothermia.

At least check it out...

FWIW. YMMV.

Doc

thanks, but I don't want to look fat.
Besides, Doc, -- I have read all those pee issues and that would be totally unacceptable to me.

 

[jeckyll]

thanks, but I don't want to look fat. (I looked!) On-Float dives dry here too.

Vanity over comfort??

 

[Cacia]

yup. have you ever traipsed around in stilettos? ...guess not. No Birkenstock's for me baby.

 

[Wayward Son]

If I were going to buy 3 wetsuits for this, I'd just spend that money on a dry suit.

But, I don't have a dry suit & I dive wet all year. One thing I differ on is taking off the suit between dives. I don't find that necessary at all, provided I take steps to keep my core warm. I wear something for a dive parka -one day I will buy an actual dive parka- usually my old M65 field jacket & liner from the Air Force. I also wear a knit hat. Warm drinks help, whether coffee, hot chocolate, whatever. Being a habitual coffee drinker it has no profound effect on my any more, I'm used to it. I also drink plenty of water before & between dives.

But if I can stay wrapped up & out of the wind, I generally stay comfortably warm between dives. I didn't feel cold last winter diving wet as cold as 57, and that with just a 1mm skin with a 5mm Hyperstretch.

Warm water on the boat helps. 2 of the boats I dive on have it. Precharge the suit before the 1st drop & you're spared that initial shock of cold water entering the suit, and it helps both after the dive & before the next entry. With inboard motors, it's easy to tap into the cooling lines & connect to a heater core in the water tank, nice & toasty