Drysuit skills?
- Thread starter Mitchell Teeters
- Start date
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OP
Sure it's personal to me. I have done a lot of research trying to find what would be best for me within my parameters. I merely asked a question about skills that need to be learned for my situation. Now it is about telling me not to waste my money. Again. I HAVE NO CHOICE, I cannot afford under any scenario to drive a couple states to get measured for a custom suit. I cannot afford the time, nor the expense. Then I read from a friend on here that he has to send his EXPENSIVE Santi drysuit off to be RECUT because even after a custom measurement they screwed up the thighs and made them too large.
But since we continue to pursue the line that I didn't even ask about, I sent Mike at DRIS the measurements he instructed me to do. When comparing these measurements to the size chart (which is evidently as accurate as a CUSTOM measurement based on someone I consider to be an expert) the king 2 is nearly an exact match. The only concern was the chest and shoulders, the manufacturer said I would have no problems since it was baggy for donning. Now as luck would have it I do match up with the sizing. If necessary I will invest in gaiters and I will be training quite a bit here shortly in the local university pool.
Now can we get back to the frigging thread question? I have received great responses regarding the skills I need. I don't request anymore "you are making a mistake" statements please.
But since we continue to pursue the line that I didn't even ask about, I sent Mike at DRIS the measurements he instructed me to do. When comparing these measurements to the size chart (which is evidently as accurate as a CUSTOM measurement based on someone I consider to be an expert) the king 2 is nearly an exact match. The only concern was the chest and shoulders, the manufacturer said I would have no problems since it was baggy for donning. Now as luck would have it I do match up with the sizing. If necessary I will invest in gaiters and I will be training quite a bit here shortly in the local university pool.
Now can we get back to the frigging thread question? I have received great responses regarding the skills I need. I don't request anymore "you are making a mistake" statements please.
mike_s
Contributor
ScubaSteve
Wow.....what a DB
Threads morph all the time and that is what I think he has taken exception to. Yes he does not like the answers but it really is that he is receiving advice that he does not like that he did not ask for (no matter how relevant it is) that has upset him so. I believe that is his issue. And it sounds like he measured himself with Mike's (DRIS) direction so assuming he measure correctly, hopefully the suit will fit. If not.....I am fairly certain we will not hear about it here. So, let's let him get back to his "friggin thread question" (to borrow the phrase
).
SeaHorse81
Contributor
Sorry for the miscue. I did indeed offer an unsolicited opinion which did not address your actual question at all. I've been seriously considering the drysuit issue myself for some months now. What I've learned has gotten me quite concerned about spending a pile of money (which I also don't have in excess) and getting it wrong. My apologies for projecting my own concerns. Good luck.
You know, a dry suit doesn't have to fit like a bespoke suit to work okay. The more extra fabric you have, the more you have to manage gas in the suit. Some things are controllable, like using gaiters on legs that are too big. Other things are more troublesome, like having boots that don't fit. The baggier the suit, the more drag it has, as well. But I have seen a lot of people buy cheap or used dry suits and dive them for a while before they decide to put out the money for something more ideal.
If the suit is too small, it can impact your mobility, and sometimes to an unsafe degree. If it's too big, you'll have more buoyancy trouble, but that can be minimized by not using the suit for buoyancy control.
Diving a dry suit is not rocket science, but you CAN get into a great deal of trouble with one. We had an open water class that started in dry suits. The students did quite well, and we had a day of fun diving off a local charter boat at the end of the class. This was the students' 9th lifetime dive. I buddied up with a girl who lost control of her suit at 50 feet and had an uncontrolled ascent, despite me hanging onto her, as negative as I could get. (You cannot dump someone else's dry suit for them!) It reminded me of the one I did from 70 feet, when I was only a little more experienced.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that you should play with the skills people have listed here in a pool, or in pretty shallow water, until you're fairly comfortable with them. And then keep your dives very conservative until you feel as though you're in control and not the suit.
If the suit is too small, it can impact your mobility, and sometimes to an unsafe degree. If it's too big, you'll have more buoyancy trouble, but that can be minimized by not using the suit for buoyancy control.
Diving a dry suit is not rocket science, but you CAN get into a great deal of trouble with one. We had an open water class that started in dry suits. The students did quite well, and we had a day of fun diving off a local charter boat at the end of the class. This was the students' 9th lifetime dive. I buddied up with a girl who lost control of her suit at 50 feet and had an uncontrolled ascent, despite me hanging onto her, as negative as I could get. (You cannot dump someone else's dry suit for them!) It reminded me of the one I did from 70 feet, when I was only a little more experienced.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that you should play with the skills people have listed here in a pool, or in pretty shallow water, until you're fairly comfortable with them. And then keep your dives very conservative until you feel as though you're in control and not the suit.
OP
Or answer questions that weren't asked? I'd like to ask where I wanted to know about the selection of my drysuit. Do you do that, see someone doing something, and walk up and just telling them how it should be done? Thanks for reading the thread and then commenting with your sage advice.
Its things like this that torque me, this guy doesn't know me and then make sweeping statements about me.
Its things like this that torque me, this guy doesn't know me and then make sweeping statements about me.
OP
You are assuming(arrogance??) I haven't asked questions of others, or read threads. Just because I haven't asked the "experts" in a thread which would be subject to as many different answers, doesn't mean I haven't talked to people about fitting and quality of the different suits. Gosh I wonder why I am frustrated?? I realize that some of you are instructors etc and you are used to being THE authority in your area, but sometimes, just sometimes information can be found from other locations.
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OP
And it sounds like he measured himself with Mike's (DRIS) direction so assuming he measure correctly, hopefully the suit will fit. If not.....I am fairly certain we will not hear about it here. So, let's let him get back to his "friggin thread question" (to borrow the phrase
And you have arrived at this assumption how? Why are we dealing with these Asperger Syndrome issues? I don't appreciate that statement and I can honestly tell you, you would not say that to me personally, nor after you knew me. I take honesty and integrity pretty seriously. I intend to do a review and I'll call it like I see it. Wow, the more I read that bold part the more irritated I become. Bless your heart. (It's a southern thang).
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OP
Thanks man, this is a tremendous amount of money for me (I'm a teacher with one in college), and yes I want to make sure I just don't "ready, fire, aim". Believe me this has been something I've stewed over and tried to figure. I guess I need to start a thread on drysuit selection, of course then it will morph to a drysuit skills thread. :blinking:
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