Dry Suit Question

[Bob3]

I have an old Bunny Suit if anyone would like to try it out & see first hand why there are valves on a suit. Having a black & blue roadmap pinched into the skin isn't my idea of fun.
Whatever trips yer trigger though. Are you into body piercing too?

 

[Atticus]

Please don't misunderstand ... *Some* air in the suit is very nice (or better yet, Argon).

Personally I'd rather only have enough air in the suit to remain comfy however.

-Merlin

 

[Genesis]

You have to have SOME air in the suit.

Neutral pressure with the surrounding water is good.

Positive pressure is not.

 

[Mo2vation]

Which can't be understated... not a good thing.

It also crushes your drysuit undies. You need some gas to allow the undies to loft up a bit... even the best undies are useless if there is not some loft to provide a little gas to trap and warm next yo your body.

I have to agree with others here - I manage warmth with the drysuit, and manage buoyancy with the wing.

This can get pretty passionalte as a topic - the suit buoyancy crowd shouting down the BC bouyancy crowd, and vice versa. It seems pretty hospitable so far... and that's always good.

I think you're on the right road.

K

 

[bertschb]

Up until now, I've only used my dry suit for buoyancy but I'm going to try a little of both next dive just for the heck of it.

I'm not sure why people would get so excited about this topic. It's personal preference. There isn't a right or wrong way to do it. I'm going to try using my BC a little just so I don't keep pumping cold air in my suit.

I personally like using the dry suit just because the inflator and exhaust valves are so easy to use. Plus, I'm really sensitive to suit squeeze. I need to add air as I descend or I get uncomfortable.

That's just me...

 

[Brian Gilpin]

Along these same lines...... I prefer to use bc for buoyancy because I can dump it from almost any position. I leave the exhaust valve on the suit wide open or maybe closed a few notches. I am buying a new DUI and their factory rep reccomended I leave exhaust valve wide open at first.

I am wondering why leaving valve wide open does not simply empty the suit of air at depth. My experience with my very thick Whites Denstek is that sufficient air remains at the same depth. Now that I write this I am thinking the valve is an equalizing valve and not simply a one way valve. Am I on the right track?

 

[Genesis]

It is a one-way dump.

If the pressure outside the suit exceeds that inside, the valve will remain closed - if it did not the suit would FLOOD!

If the valve is completely open, and you are somewhat head-up, putting air in until the valve bubbles a bit out will leave the suit equalized with the environment. Any more air than that is, IMHO, too much.

In practice you will find that you don't need to actually have the air bubble out - you'll be able to know when the "squeeze" is pretty much neutralized. Note that whichever part of your body is lowest will have a slight squeeze anyway; its the nature of the pressure gradient underwater and is not a big deal.

 

[bertschb]

I have a new DUI CLX 50/50 and I close the valve a little bit (1/2-2/3 turn?) at depth. I have E8-130's which are pretty negatively bouyant at first so I need a little extra air during the first part of my dive. My scheme on my next dive is to add just enough air to get rid of the squeeze and then try the BC for the remainder of my bouyancy needs. I need to use my BC more anyway to get familiar with it so this will be a good experiment. Right now I ONLY use my BC at the surface (or while surfacing).

I'm very comfortable using only my suit for bouyancy but it never hurts to try something new.

 

[Mo2vation]

too funny. 50/50, and the 130 waterheater. That thing is a pig - and at the beginning of the dive I find myself using more gas in my BC than I did before I got it. Its been a transition.... I was so dialed in with my beloved HP100 that I required like zero gas and zero adjustments once I was under. I dive the 50/50 shoulder dump WFO all the time.

Its funny getting used to actually using the BC underwater. I'm taking 2 more pounds off this weekend to see how that works... I just feel real heavy for the first half of each dive lately.

Where I use the suit for buoyancy is on the SURFACE. I saw MHK and TLM doing it during with their doubles in DIR/F, and I saw UP do it recently in WA... sort of kicking back on the big bubble in the suit. We're not talking full on Michelin Man, but it sure helps keep the head up when it gets tossing.

K

 

[bertschb]

I'm just getting back into diving after a 20 year layoff and ALL my equipment is new. I'm learning how to use all my gear - no such thing as light canisters, computers, BC's, etc in the old days. AL80's were state of the art and WAY bigger than the wimpy little 72's. I'm very comfortable with my set up but I do have a little too much air in the suit at first. Up till now I was too busy working with my other gear (and too lazy) to try using both the BC and suit.

I love the E8-130's! Big? yes. Heavy? Only on the surface, and only a few extra pounds. I have so dang much gear that 5 or 10 extra pounds doesn't really matter to me. Once underwater I LOVE having all that air. I never have to call a dive because of air. Very relaxing.

BTW, I love your photo! Did you lose any gear or break anything doing that flip? I gotta try that some day! Too cool.