Drysuit for very cold water

[rjack321]

Crushed neoprene suits are at least 30% heavier than trilam, they also take forever to dry. Not recommended for airline travel.

You don't need a full heated suit even in 28F Antarctic waters. In fact the power consumption is so high on these that you need a very large battery which is problematic for airline travel. A 50w vest is adequate with a 100wh battery. I have had good experiences with the weezle extreme plus undergarments and their liner boots for multiple hour dives (yours wont be as long) in down to 38f water.

BP/W with aluminum plate for travel. The dry bleed sherwoods are decent and less pricey than the apeks regs. Or Poseidon's - any of these will work but the apeks will be the easiest to find and get serviced.

 

[yuliyahol]

oh wow! Thank you all for your responses, very useful for me!

 

[yuliyahol]

Hi...I watched a documentary on this dive and there was a professional diver (photographer too) and from what I saw, you have to use their equipment in Antarctica. I don't know for sure, but wanted to throw that out there. The coldest I have done is 42...

You have to have all your own equipment and be confident in using it, no new equipment. The other requirement is to have 20-30 dry suit dives.

 

[michael-fisch]

Trilam. Something with smooth fabric instead of cordura will dry faster. Ursuit HeavyLight for example. It is also more flexible in cold.



The most versatile (and probably the warmest) is a separate heated vest. Many divers prefer Santi heated vest over the heated undersuit. Basically you want to wear a wicking layer (merino or fleece like 4th element xerotherm), the heated vest and a cold water undersuit like Santi BZ400x or Weezle extreme+.

Be real careful with the heated vest. Getting cold during the dive and finally switching the heating on during deco will probably give you what I got, a cute and painful Skin Bends.
The doing it right way is to have the heat already on long before your torso starts to cool and keep it on untill you are out of the water. If you need a bigger battery tank because of that - so be it!

Michael

 

[taimen]

Be real careful with the heated vest. Getting cold during the dive and finally switching the heating on during deco will probably give you what I got, a cute and painful Skin Bends.
The doing it right way is to have the heat already on long before your torso starts to cool and keep it on untill you are out of the water. If you need a bigger battery tank because of that - so be it!

I don't doubt your personal experience, but based on NEDU 2007 Study "The Influence of Thermal Exposure on Diver Susceptibility to Decompression Sickness." many instructors teach the opposite (turning heating on only for deco.) There has been interesting discussion on this in the Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine Journal. For example Dr. Pollock's comment there covers also skin beds but finally recommends against active heating during the bottom phase. The way this practice in taught involves using enough passive insulation to prevent getting cold or hypothermic during the bottom phase. Personally I carry a 280 Wh solely for heating so battery capacity is not the limiting factor. Using an insulating heating vest (like Santi) which adds also passive insulation to the torso area seems to be beneficial in this respect.

Once again, I am not trying to start an argument now, because that has already been done in a leading journal.

http://archive.rubicon-foundation.org/xmlui/bitstream/handle/123456789/5063/NEDU_2007_06.pdf
Re: Don't dive cold when you don't have to. - PubMed - NCBI

 

[michael-fisch]

Turning the heat on only during deco is similar to taking a hot shower after a deco dive, you might think it's a good idea but afterwards you will learn, the best way.
The best way of learning is with personal pain - everybody understands it.

Michael Fisch

 

[yuliyahol]

On the television show Northwoods Law the police dive team uses Waterproof drysuits for recoveries under ice. You could also sign up for an ice diving course in Sacramento or Reno/Carson City and save some travel time.

thank you. didn't know we have ice diving in California.

 

[MaxBottomtime]