Diving Friday 5.Sept.2008???

[bbianchi]

Anyone want to do some earlyish Friday Dives? Late notice and all.. but ill be watching this post etc.

 

[mikeguerrero]

If I didn't have to work, I'd be in.... Brandon, so what type of light did you purchase? Is it a DiveRite? Which model?

Also what model DUI do you have, do you mind talking about the features you go added to it? I noticed your warm neck hood never got tucked away in your suit? Why? Do you get the cold flush on your neck?

Are those blue smurf gloves warm? I'm going with the compressed neoprene size medium....

What about the SI Tech quick rings, why didn't you get them?

Sorry for all the questions... Lastly what about your undergarments....

Late...

MG

 

[Gombessa]

If I didn't have to work, I'd be in.... Brandon, so what type of light did you purchase? Is it a DiveRite? Which model?

Also what model DUI do you have, do you mind talking about the features you go added to it? I noticed your warm neck hood never got tucked away in your suit? Why? Do you get the cold flush on your neck?

Are those blue smurf gloves warm? I'm going with the compressed neoprene size medium....

What about the SI Tech quick rings, why didn't you get them?

Sorry for all the questions... Lastly what about your undergarments....

Late...

MG

If I may speak for silent Brandon...I think he has the Salvo 10w HID...probably a Rebel? They don't make 'em anymore, it's all LED until you hit 21w. Drysuit is DUI CLX450.

The gloves we have just keep you dry, they don't provide any warmth. You need a fuzzy glove liner (think drysuit undergarments for your hands) for that. Some gloves do come with built-in liners, the disadvantage of those is that they get pretty funky, and then you can't just wash/replace the liners.

Zip gloves are a "natural" choice if you have a DUI suit with zip-seals, but as mentioned before, they're kinda annoying because it's not really that convenient to remove the zipseals. You essentially keep the gloves on the suit permanently, which can make it somewhat difficult if you need to do anything requiring dexterity while wearing the suit topside. I like the ring system a lot better. They tend to stress the wrist seals a bit, but the benefits of dry hands are so nice...

It seems pretty difficult to get the warm neck thing working with the DUI hoods. One guy I dive with just up and cut the "royal collar" off the hood. My suit doesn't have the warm neck thing, but I've never felt cold on my neck. Maybe I'd notice it if I had one

 

[bbianchi]

If I didn't have to work, I'd be in.... Brandon, so what type of light did you purchase? Is it a DiveRite? Which model?

Also what model DUI do you have, do you mind talking about the features you go added to it? I noticed your warm neck hood never got tucked away in your suit? Why? Do you get the cold flush on your neck?

Are those blue smurf gloves warm? I'm going with the compressed neoprene size medium....

What about the SI Tech quick rings, why didn't you get them?

Sorry for all the questions... Lastly what about your undergarments....

Late...

MG

Sorry for the delay, you caught me on my hour commute home... anyhow on with the answers!

The light is the Salvo Rebel 10W HID with the 4.5 Amp battery. Got it used, love it but now I think id actually like to upgrade to a 21. They are a little pricey though.

The drysuit is a self-don DUI CLX 450 Signature (custom measurements), I have added the following: neoprene neck seal, zip-seals and the zip gloves with a dam in the wrist to prevent glove leaks from flooding the suit, CF200 crotch padding to reduce suit wear from crotch straps, CF200 knee pads too, large velcro bellows pockets, and an aftermarket halcyon p-valve. I have the whole warm neck hood deal, but its a big pain to tuck in and the neoprene on the neck seal already keeps me plenty warm. Its main benefits would be with a latex seal. I just havent found a trimmed hood that I like I guess. No cold on the neck however, even without the hood.

The gloves biggest benefit is that they keep the hands dry. Like Kenn said its the glove you wear that provides the real warmth. Granted I have dove w/out the liners and they kept my hands just as warm as my 5/3 "Titanium" wet gloves. The biggest drawback to any dry glove with liners is that you lose the tactile feedback from your fingers. Mine are medium, had large initially and it was about an inch too much per finger. One point to mention is that air transfers heat much slower than water.

I had the SI-Tech rings initially. Worked fairly well for the most part. The rings on the suit would occasionally pop off however, mainly when trying to remove the sleeve. I did notice that of the two ring systems I had seen at them time they seemed extra hard on the latex. I am not personally familiar with Kenn's system so im not considering it, but if I was going for an addon dry glove I would get the diving concepts over the SI-Tech. The SI-Tech rings were destroying the latex by hyperstretching it. Since they use pressure/friction to hold and seal and be installed I was getting ripples/folds that were ending up half as thick as it should be, and I found it tough to press the rings in evenly. I ended up sending the suit back to DUI and returning the SI-Tech and having them install the zip-seals.

As far as my undergarment I have the "Polartec PowerStretch fleece 560 gm/m2". Its warm, flexible, and its very breathable.


Hope that covers it all

 

[bbianchi]

It seems pretty difficult to get the warm neck thing working with the DUI hoods.

Its a buddy thing. I say its nearly impossible to do on your own.

 

[bbianchi]

Last call for Friday AM diving???!!!

 

[mikeguerrero]

Brandon,

Thanks for all the feedback on your setup. Ken thank you also for your insight. I will be going with the Polartec PowerStretch fleece 560 gm/m2 as well, a medium. I tried on the actionwear at the dive shop and didn't like the bulky feel. It made me feel very chubby in the center.

When I called DUI and told them, they recommended the one you dive Brandon, they told me it would be more streamline as it stretches with you in the suit. I don't mind tight within the suit as long as it's not that bulky to push up against the drysuit.

I'm also getting the Polartech booties for warmth, do you use them as well? I thought about the pee valve but I have reservations with the setup of condom use.

I never pee in my wetsuit because I have the Merino wool linning and would probably stain it and it feels odd, I have pee'd in other suits in my past and I don't like the feeling, yes I'm weird.

I am going with the warm neck seal like you but I will tuck it in, I'm just square like that.

Brandon I lucked out that I fit a brand new stock CLX450 and it came with the Zip seals installed on the neck and wrist all for $499 including the rock boots.

I've added two standard velcro bellow pockets like yours same size and the CF200 knee pads because I always drop to the bottom like an anchor, you saw me in my wetsuit, I need protection on that area. My wetsuit has kevlar pads and they are great.

I went with the CF200 based on everything I heard about they are just as good if not better than the kevlar and they blend better with the suit.

Since my BC doesn't have a crotch strap I didn't order the crotch pad but will make that upgrade when I get the TECH rig, I'm going to get the Apeks setup you saw online.

I will convert my two PST HP 80 steel tanks into the setup that Ken has. Maybe Ken can help me with that setup.

I already have the Legend LX supreme reg and will add the APEKS XTX200 as my main and th e Legend as my second.

I also will get Robin's bail out bottle, I really like it. I will attach my Kronos reg onto that bottle.

Hey Brando, how often do you use the zipper to pee when you use the restroom? Is it worth the extra $200 or so dollars?

Well, I hope you got to dive today and I'll be seeing you tommorrow... Give me a buzz, I wanted to talk to you yesterday but I lost your number....

Later...

MG

 

[ryssyr]

shoot, just saw this. I was free this morning too. i'm sure i'll see you guys around tomorrow night. I'll be on the silver prince for the day dives, but eating dinner with the group.

 

[bbianchi]

No diving today since I couldnt find a buddy. Just finished up a specialty and did some more DM final exams.

Mike, I dont have the pee zipper easy access deal on my suit. If I did I probably wouldnt use it much. Sounds to me like youre getting a killer deal on your suit as well!