Dry Suit and Weight

[adutto]

People,
Do any of you have a rule of a thumb at the time of switching from wet to dry suit?

In my case, I have to use around 20%-25% more weight, I wonder if that is ok... Looks like a lot to me! Am I doing anything wrong?

Thanks!

 

[Thiad]

I'm not going to claim to be an expert on this (because I'm not!).

I originally started with 24/26# but as I continued to dive, dropped 10. I'm happy at 14/16 depending on if I have a camera or not. It seemed like a lot to me, too, but was quickly shed off the more I dove in a drysuit and the more comfortable I became diving in it. It was very frustrating at first. That's a lot of weight and I'm not all that big.

 

[James R]

With Halcyon SS plate and Faber FX100 steel tanks (single tank)
5mm + hooded vest (3/5) = 0 weight (a bit negative, but not too much)
drysuit + 300g undergarments = 4lbs (3 would work but 2x2lb is easier to find)

 

[adutto]

I'm not going to claim to be an expert on this (because I'm not!).

I originally started with 24/26# but as I continued to dive, dropped 10. I'm happy at 14/16 depending on if I have a camera or not. It seemed like a lot to me, too, but was quickly shed off the more I dove in a drysuit and the more comfortable I became diving in it. It was very frustrating at first. That's a lot of weight and I'm not all that big.

Looks like your experience is pretty much like mine so far!
I got to tell you! It's a relief!

 

[Rick Murchison]

Rule of thumb?
Trilam or neoprene or crushed neoprene?
How much underwear?
Weighting varies with all those factors. I'll even carry a little extra if it's real cold so I can carry a little more loft...
My own weighting runs from about 25# with a single AL80 when it's really cold to no weight at all with steel doubles.
And, steel is your friend... personally I don't recommend diving AL with a dry suit if there's any way to avoid it.

Rick

 

[Thiad]

And I really will admit that I almost gave up those first few weeks. I was so sad. Somewhere around dive 10 (or was that 20?), the suit and I had a Zen moment and things just came together. Hang in there and you'll drop the weight!!

 

[adutto]

Rule of thumb?
Trilam or neoprene or crushed neoprene?
How much underwear?
Weighting varies with all those factors. I'll even carry a little extra if it's real cold so I can carry a little more loft...
My own weighting runs from about 25# with a single AL80 when it's really cold to no weight at all with steel doubles.
And, steel is your friend... personally I don't recommend diving AL with a dry suit if there's any way to avoid it.

Rick

So, good questions

it a crushed neoprene suit with "one layer" of undergarment...
So far I feel that I'm on the same page as you guys!

The bad thing here is that I don't have steel tanks, only AL80... So I'll work my way with them hehehe

---------- Post Merged at 04:12 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 04:10 PM ----------

And I really will admit that I almost gave up those first few weeks. I was so sad. Somewhere around dive 10 (or was that 20?), the suit and I had a Zen moment and things just came together. Hang in there and you'll drop the weight!!

Then, stay tuned for my Zen Dive!!! heheheh

(knowing that it will eventually come, calms me down A LOT!)

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

I was told +6lbs over a 7mmand it worked for me. I tried a dive at +4 and the boys were getting squeezed way too much by the end of the dive..... under weighting and a dry suit are a bad mix.

 

[decompression]

A very rough measurement we use for students was 10% of their weight +10lbs......now that is for a known drysuit/undergarment, AL80 tank and consistent ocean temp (46 degrees). This put us in the ballpark for the first dive starting with a weight check.

 

[spectrum]

20-25% is totally within the realm of possibility but that's where the predictability ends. It will depend on the properties of each suit and your choice of drysuit under garments.

It sounds like you are off to the races so now do a good weight check. You will need what you will need.

Pete