Dry suit air in your leg

[Sylvain]

I know that everybody is taught how to get the air out if it ever get in you leg and feet. My question is how often did it ever happen to you and did you use what was taught to you or did you use another method to clear the air.

 

[darkpup]

I know that everybody is taught how to get the air out if it ever get in you leg and feet. My question is how often did it ever happen to you and did you use what was taught to you or did you use another method to clear the air.

From your question, it's as if you're suggesting that gas in your legs or feet is a bad thing. I regularly move gas to me feet to help with trim when I'm tired, to warm up my feet, or to help with head stands while playing around in the shallows.

Have you had much experience with a drysuit?

The only time I would think it would be a problem is if you had a free flow on your inflator, and weren't able to shut down or detach the inflation. I guess the same would be true for an uncontrolled ascent, but that comes down to experience and practice. Starting out shallow for your first few dives in a drysuit isn't a bad idea, but over time you're able to feel where the gas is and know how to manage the bubble.

~ Jason

 

[TSandM]

Air in the feet and legs is a problem during ascents, if you can't clear it. I've never had a foot-first ascent, but I've watched one in a buddy (and helped stop it). I practiced both of the "urgent" methods -- the dive and arch and the somersault -- in my dry suit orientation, but I've never had to use either. The key is to learn to feel when the air is expanding, and get your feet below your body and exhaust valve so that the air can bubble up to your arm and be vented.

 

[jeckyll]

I also move air to my feet for trim. As well, I don't use any ankle weights, don't need them with the Bare rock boots that go with my suit. I've never had a problem with my feet getting really floaty in the last 40+ dives in my drysuit, but it is something you want to keep in check.

 

[ScubaJW]

I have DUI FLX50/50 and Mobby's 400 grams undies... I do have the difficult with air in my legs/feet area due to bulky of undies that causes to hold the air It was difficult to get the air out of my legs so I got myself those Dive Rite gaiters. Problem solved for me - never had air in my legs/feet anymore.

 

[cummings66]

The only time I had excess air in my boots was during the first orientation dive with it. Now I can tell by how the fin fits as to the overall state of that issue, I can feel it in other words and deal with it before it becomes an issue.

I got rid of it by the T&R maneuver.

 

[Sylvain]

I actually have been diving dry for 20 years I usually dive the Bay of Fundy and in order to get repetitive dive I much prefer dry. Sometime I do like to dive wet just to remind me why dry suit were invented. The reason I was asking is my wife will be starting to dive dry and was asking if there was more than one way of getting rid of the air if it ever went in your feet and leg.

 

[Scottri]

After a few dives in a drysuit you get comfortable with air in your legs and feet. I don't even think about it anymore.

 

[TSandM]

We were taught two techniques: One is to fin strongly downward and then arch upward (making more or less a parabolic arc) until the feet are below you. The other was a somersault.

In practice, I have found the most useful thing is, when you feel the boots getting loose on your feet, straighten your knees and arch your back until the feet are lower than the rest of you. But this won't work if you are headed to the surface feet-first.

 

[diver_sam_851027]

During my drysuit orientation I was deliberately flipped upside down and taught to tuck my knees in against my chest which kinda rolls you out of it.

I haven't had a problem with floaty feet with my current suit, like someone above mentioned, I can tell by how tight my fins are fitting whether I have enough air in their, if they feel like they're falling off, I probably have too much air and I just get somewhat vertical to release some of it.