Question Drysuit temperature and time limits in 13C and 24C water

[BlueTrin]

@Aura yes I know there is a lot of variance, but there is also an average

And as for the vest, the only reason I mentioned it is in case 250g won’t been enough. So I was looking for the next warmest option without increasing the size of the suit

Edit: someone already mentioned that you should NOT use a heated vest while on-gassing.

 

[Underwater Tourist]

Maybe a stupid question, but people who dive super cold water (Plura cave etc). Do they get extra-extra room in their suits?

 

[berndo]

2°C-4°C isn't super cold, it's just cold. You just get a normal fitting drysuit with whatever undersuit you're going to use. People from northern regions have those water temperatures most of the year at depth. It's only the 10 m to 30 m where it gets warmer in many places.
The 13°C degrees in France are still warm water for many people. Whenever I can get away with 3mm gloves for +3 hours I consider it warm water.

 

[Imla]

Maybe a stupid question, but people who dive super cold water (Plura cave etc). Do they get extra-extra room in their suits?

Depends on the standard cut of the suit. Usually we buy our suits and try them on with "maximum" amount of undergarments. Preferably done in wintertime so you can try the suit on in the backyard of the shop.
The fab thing about Plura is that summer temperatures on land ranges from 5-30....
I have dressed up for 3,5hrs decoDPV (iE, very little movement to help with heatgeneration) in 27C for a dive in Plura. Keyword: SLOW is smooth....

 

[Imla]

Remember... Very few people complain about having room for enough clothes. It is a lot easier to dive a drysuit with more room, than it is keeping warm in a drysuit without proper amout of insulation.
If you use your suit for warmth and not for buoyancy (as you should) A bit of extra material in the summer is very little hassle. Call it motion-enabling.

 

[ontdiver]

One of my biggest regrets when purchasing my dry suit was not trying on a heavier (and somewhat more expensive) undergarment when I tried on the display suit prior to ordering. While I was never too cold, I was never as warm as I wanted to be.

 

[berndo]

It would make sense to move this thread to the general gear forum. What the OP is really asking about is Seaskin sizing. Doesn't really have to do with cave diving.

 

[rjack321]

Maybe a stupid question, but people who dive super cold water (Plura cave etc). Do they get extra-extra room in their suits?

Maybe a little bit but not by much. Honestly the only people doing seriously LONG dives in places like Plura are folks who are already adapted to those conditions - the Finns come to mind, but some of the Polish folks are also remarkably adapted to the cold. You can't trek through the jungle in MX one week and expect to tolerate Plura the next.

 

[rob.mwpropane]

2°C-4°C isn't super cold, it's just cold.

I don't know... pretty ******* cold to me!

 

[rjack321]

I don't know... pretty ******* cold to me!

2C is exponentially colder than 10C, especially on multi-hour dives. Anyone who says otherwise is FoS.