UWDawgDiver
Registered
My wife and I are considering having custom wetsuits made this year by Auqaflite. My daughter had them make a suit for her (farmer john and vest) a number of years back and has been very happy with it. She was diving in the Pacific Northwest and so both with 7mm thick.
We are thinking of having a 5mm and a 7mm suit make with skin seal wrist and ankle cuffs and other details that limit the intrusion of water. So I guess these would end up being Semi-dry wetsuits. We are considering having relief zippers installed but want to know what other people's experiences have been.
Full disclosure, we go down fully hydrated to help prevent cramps and other issues underwater, so we pee in our suits. We have no issues with it and it has never caused a problem with our wetsuits that each have about 150 dives on them. But we are wondering as we move to a more sealed suit with less water flowing in and out, should we add a relief zipper. We don't want to go so far as using Pee valves or She-P valves.
For those who have used relief zippers, how do you like them? Is yours installed vertically, horizontally, or diagonally? Is the zipper head on the top or bottom, left or right? Do you find the zipper head creates a pressure point when trapped under straps and such? Any downsides from zippers failing, stress points on the suit, too much water flushing even when closed?
Finally, for men, do you use the relief zipper like you would standing at a urinal, or do you just use the relief zipper to provide a little extra water flushing in that area? For women who use a relief zipper, has it worked effectively for you?
Thank you in advance for advice on this well worn topic or scuba diving and peeing.
Kevin
We are thinking of having a 5mm and a 7mm suit make with skin seal wrist and ankle cuffs and other details that limit the intrusion of water. So I guess these would end up being Semi-dry wetsuits. We are considering having relief zippers installed but want to know what other people's experiences have been.
Full disclosure, we go down fully hydrated to help prevent cramps and other issues underwater, so we pee in our suits. We have no issues with it and it has never caused a problem with our wetsuits that each have about 150 dives on them. But we are wondering as we move to a more sealed suit with less water flowing in and out, should we add a relief zipper. We don't want to go so far as using Pee valves or She-P valves.
For those who have used relief zippers, how do you like them? Is yours installed vertically, horizontally, or diagonally? Is the zipper head on the top or bottom, left or right? Do you find the zipper head creates a pressure point when trapped under straps and such? Any downsides from zippers failing, stress points on the suit, too much water flushing even when closed?
Finally, for men, do you use the relief zipper like you would standing at a urinal, or do you just use the relief zipper to provide a little extra water flushing in that area? For women who use a relief zipper, has it worked effectively for you?
Thank you in advance for advice on this well worn topic or scuba diving and peeing.
Kevin