Considering a dry suit? What the heck . . . . (Lessons Learned)

[TSandM]

Dry gloves don't solve the wrist seal problem, they temporize it. A flooded glove is a flooded suit, if the wrist seal doesn't seal. Unfortunately, I know this from personal experience. And if you aren't diving in temperatures where dry gloves are required, it's awfully nice not to use them; the ring systems are all bulky and awkward, compared with bare wrists.

I would NOT recommend a neoprene neck seal for Jax, for the same reason Jill Heinerth doesn't recommend them in the cave diving book. She's got a slender neck and a normal sized head, and any neoprene seal that will go over her head without making her feel as though she is having to give birth to it is not going to seal on her neck. Again, both personal experience and references support this.

There are latex seals that work for little people, and at the moment, as far as I can tell, that's where we're stuck. I don't know if DUI sells non-Zip seals that are full cones, but if they do, that's the answer, because you can cut them as small as you need to.

 

[Jax]

I would NOT recommend a neoprene neck seal for Jax, for the same reason Jill Heinerth doesn't recommend them in the cave diving book. She's got a slender neck and a normal sized head, and any neoprene seal that will go over her head without making her feel as though she is having to give birth to it is not going to seal on her neck. Again, both personal experience and references support this.

:spit:


:rofl4:

:rofl4: :rofl4:

 

[waterpirate]

I have been diving dry for a while. Last weekend on the boat several new suits leaked at the wrist and knecks. I am not familiar with "full cone" for the wrist. I prefer the "bottle style" as it allows more surface area for sealing, a full 1/2 inch. Solved my tendony wrist issue. I also pull my kneck seal down lower on my kneck and have found it effective as well.
As a side note people allways refer to the suits as "damp suits" I find that unacceptable. Whenever my suit needs even a minor tweek, I send it out to the pros. I am always dry. The exception is the seals, that a third grader could change, but that is a disscussion bordering on prefferance, not usage.
Eric

 

[Jax]

How about lessons learned with feet? Hope some of you with attached boots or other experiences chime in!

My suit has socks - so, I need something on my feet.

At first, I used larger neoprene booties, but found that bubble migration would inflate the feet and pop my bootie-with-fin off my foot.

My friend / LDS instructor wore Chuck Taylors, and those have turned out to be the most convenient and comfortable things to wear. Easy-in, easy-out, quick to dry, and easy to replace.


Also, undergarment socks. The ones that came with my Fourth Elements are unisized and somewhat shapeless. I found they bunched uncomfortably in whatever I wore, sometimes binding and cramping my feet. Ski socks, anyone? Since I don't use them much anymore, I tried them out and they keep my feet toasty and very comfortable.

 

[Tristan.ak]

How about lessons learned with feet? Hope some of you with attached boots or other experiences chime in!

My suit has socks - so, I need something on my feet.

At first, I used larger neoprene booties, but found that bubble migration would inflate the feet and pop my bootie-with-fin off my foot.

My friend / LDS instructor wore Chuck Taylors, and those have turned out to be the most convenient and comfortable things to wear. Easy-in, easy-out, quick to dry, and easy to replace.


Also, undergarment socks. The ones that came with my Fourth Elements are unisized and somewhat shapeless. I found they bunched uncomfortably in whatever I wore, sometimes binding and cramping my feet. Ski socks, anyone? Since I don't use them much anymore, I tried them out and they keep my feet toasty and very comfortable.

I use chuck taylors too! fleece socks works wonders from rei.

 

[TSandM]

Man, I can go on about footgear . . . I've used neoprene booties, Chuck Taylors, Gill surf shoes, Whites boots, and Bare boots. The problem with any footgear is that, once again, you are trying to accomplish two diametrically opposed functions with the same object (like octo holders ). You want something that will stay on your feet, and something that doesn't prevent your insulation from lofting enough to keep those feet warm. It's hard to get both. My strong personal preference is some type of attached boot, but they aren't perfect, either. I've been using TurboSoles on my old Fusion. They don't come off, have plenty of room for lofting insulation, and have a good Velcro strap around the ankle, but they have no ankle support and aren't particularly comfortable on broken rock entries. Mine also leaked rather promptly, although they are easy to fix.

On the borrowed suit, I have been using the Bare boots. They aren't bad -- the heel is narrow enough so I don't feel as though they are going to come off all the time, and they also have a sturdy Velcro ankle strap. They have a good sole for walking on broken ground, and a little ankle support. I am buying some to use with the new suit -- but assuming I get the old one back, I will NOT use the new one with the boots in a cave. Where you can't afford to lose a fin under any circumstances, I think a sock/boot arrangement is too high risk -- but then again, I've LOST a boot AND fin 1000 feet back in a cave. It wasn't fun.

As far as foot insulation goes, I tried the 4th Element socks, but found the two layers slid over one another, and made it easy to kick out of the boot. I've been using two layers of socks, polypro hiking socks with the fluffy fleece lounge socks they sell in silly colors over the top, and that's worked pretty well. I recently invested in a pair of extremely heavyweight SmartWool socks, and they seem to be working very well, too (not sure they're any better, but I think they'll last longer than the fleece, which isn't very durable).

 

[ajduplessis]

I use ankle neoprene booties (scubaboot) over my suits socks without popping off issues. Only time will tell.

I have made couple of good gear investments along the way and my drysuit (fjord hd) is one of them. The downside is that I struggle to get proper undergarments and importing is co$$$tly.

 

[Kern]

As already said, over boots are a tossup between too tight & too lose. I'v settled on my evo's, they never feel like they're going to come off, but I try not to do them up too tight. I don't have any problems with them coming off, & they don't allow too much air into the sock. So no air migration problems.

Socks, I'v used heavy merino mainly, but have been trying some fleecy bamboo ones just recently. I'v found them both to do s good job. That said, I probably don't dive in water as cold as you may. 10 C is my coldest so far.

 

[Tristan.ak]

sierra design makes a sleeping bag booties that are permaloft, plus they are $20-40 unlike scuba brand booties that run into $100-200 for a pair.