Drysuit travel tips anyone?

[mje113]

Taking my first trip with my new drysuit soon and curious if any more experienced travelers have any advice they'd impart?

I'm planning on following Seaskin's instructions for packing (rolling with zipper open and facing out). My biggest concern is moisture control. I sweat A LOT. It doesn't matter the water temp, I will get wet regardless. I'll be diving fresh so I don't think I need to worry too much about the exterior, just turn it inside out every night and hope it's dry by morning?

And that brings up the undergarment issue... They will be pretty gross from 6 days of training dives. Do most people pack multiple sets? Attempt to hand wash in a sink in my room? Not really sure what's the best strategy.

 

[BoundForElsewhere]

if you are a sweater (as am I) I would highly recommend wool or merino wool undergarments. They dry fast and are naturally anti-microbial (think anti-stink). A little pricey but well worth it.

 

[PR_SMITH]

I have a drysuit hanger, with slots in either side. I toss a golf ball in each built in soft boot and snag the golf ball in the toes, which keeps the suit in the slots. suit hangs upside-down, zip open, gloves off and it dries pretty well inside.

Turning the suit inside out after every dive might age the suit prematurely.

 

[mje113]

if you are a sweater (as am I) I would highly recommend wool or merino wool undergarments. They dry fast and are naturally anti-microbial (think anti-stink). A little pricey but well worth it.

I do have Smartwool long underwear for skiing that will probably work. Not sure if they'll be warm enough on their own though.

 

[mje113]

I have a drysuit hanger, with slots in either side. I toss a golf ball in each built in soft boot and snag the golf ball in the toes, which keeps the suit in the slots. suit hangs upside-down, zip open, gloves off and it dries pretty well inside.

Turning the suit inside out after every dive might age the suit prematurely.

I hadn't really thought about the wear and tear of turning it inside out. Do you have an example of the hanger you have?

 

[PR_SMITH]

I hadn't really thought about the wear and tear of turning it inside out. Do you have an example of the hanger you have?

https://a.co/d/5L6lmiI

These shirts are a great merino wool base layer, been using them for years:

https://www.costco.ca/true-north-men%E2%80%99s-long-sleeve-merino-wool-shirt.product.100857495.html

Also: https://www.costco.ca/true-north-me....product.100857495.html?preselect=colour:grey

 

[Doc Harry]

Don't let anyone handle your drysuit.

I was on a 10-day liveaboard trip ($5,500/pp). A drysuit was necessary. The boat staff was hanging up my drysuit and they poked the hanger hook through the neck gasket of my drysuit. I spent the rest of the trip shivering a rental 7mm wetsuit.

 

[crofrog]

Taking my first trip with my new drysuit soon and curious if any more experienced travelers have any advice they'd impart?

I'm planning on following Seaskin's instructions for packing (rolling with zipper open and facing out). My biggest concern is moisture control. I sweat A LOT. It doesn't matter the water temp, I will get wet regardless. I'll be diving fresh so I don't think I need to worry too much about the exterior, just turn it inside out every night and hope it's dry by morning?

And that brings up the undergarment issue... They will be pretty gross from 6 days of training dives. Do most people pack multiple sets? Attempt to hand wash in a sink in my room? Not really sure what's the best strategy.

I don't pack the suit up between each training dive in a class. I just lay it flat over top of the gear in the back of the car to allow it to dry out some. At night if it's really wet inside you can towel out the inside some and it'll be "good enough" specially if you're down in MX, but for the most part it's just going to be a "damp" suit. I've done C1 and Fundies in the summer in Florida so I get the sweating thing.

As for undergarments same thing hang em up and let them dry out as much as you can. I generally speaking don't really worry about he funk of them.

 

[crofrog]

https://a.co/d/5L6lmiI

These shirts are a great merino wool base layer, been using them for years:

https://www.costco.ca/true-north-men%E2%80%99s-long-sleeve-merino-wool-shirt.product.100857495.html

Also: https://www.costco.ca/true-north-me....product.100857495.html?preselect=colour:grey

if you're going to bring a hanger you might as well bring

https://www.diverightinscuba.com/hangair.html

 

[mje113]

Don't let anyone handle your drysuit.

Oh yeah, no one handles any of my gear but me.

I don't pack the suit up between each training dive in a class. I just lay it flat over top of the gear in the back of the car to allow it to dry out some. At night if it's really wet inside you can towel out the inside some and it'll be "good enough" specially if you're down in MX, but for the most part it's just going to be a "damp" suit. I've done C1 and Fundies in the summer in Florida so I get the sweating thing.

As for undergarments same thing hang em up and let them dry out as much as you can. I generally speaking don't really worry about he funk of them.

I suppose that the funk will be largely contained within the Drysuit so I'd have that going for me. When you were training in the summer in FL (I'll be winter in MX so I know it's different), what did you wear for your undergarments? Other than very warm water pool dives, I have no experience diving dry in relatively warm water, and the Cenotes will be 77.