Drysuit!
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dbulmer
Contributor
Craborn,
I'm going to state the blindingly obvious but forgive me - make sure it fits right!
You don't want it too loose or with too much surplus material as I have found to my cost. Buoyancy control in the last 20 feet or so was almost impossible for me because my suit was too big - floaty feet wasn't a problem but too much air expansion. BTW I use the BC for buoyancy control and found air was hiding in the surplus material and was expanding unpredictably on ascent.
This brings me on to the next point - your dump valve - go for the shoulder dump and choose either an APEKS high profile or Sitech valve. My old suit used an Apeks low profile and although it leaked slightly which I could live with - what I did not like was how slow it dumped air - remember me saying earlier that at 20 feet I was not always able to hold a stop, well, just imagine that you know you have air trapped in your suit and you wiggle around performing numerous contortions and the bugger still does not dump. The High profile dumps seem to have a better reputation in their dumping ability.
Buy ky jelly for getting into your suit - it's easier than using talc. BTW if you do get floaty feet buy some ScubaPro JetFins or Turtles - you'll solve the problem and have a great all round fin which means no ankle weights coz the fins act as ankle weights anyway
I'm going to state the blindingly obvious but forgive me - make sure it fits right!
You don't want it too loose or with too much surplus material as I have found to my cost. Buoyancy control in the last 20 feet or so was almost impossible for me because my suit was too big - floaty feet wasn't a problem but too much air expansion. BTW I use the BC for buoyancy control and found air was hiding in the surplus material and was expanding unpredictably on ascent.
This brings me on to the next point - your dump valve - go for the shoulder dump and choose either an APEKS high profile or Sitech valve. My old suit used an Apeks low profile and although it leaked slightly which I could live with - what I did not like was how slow it dumped air - remember me saying earlier that at 20 feet I was not always able to hold a stop, well, just imagine that you know you have air trapped in your suit and you wiggle around performing numerous contortions and the bugger still does not dump. The High profile dumps seem to have a better reputation in their dumping ability.
Buy ky jelly for getting into your suit - it's easier than using talc. BTW if you do get floaty feet buy some ScubaPro JetFins or Turtles - you'll solve the problem and have a great all round fin which means no ankle weights coz the fins act as ankle weights anyway
ChrisCrash:
Chris,
If you have any questions regarding a Whites suit let me know as I can answer any questions you should have. I have been diving a Whites Catalyst suit for 6 years and have been bone dry every dive. I am now on my second suit with over 300+ dives on it, which I just replaced my wrist and neck seal which is great given the type of work and abuse I put my suit through both have held up fantastic.
Cheers,
"There is only two ways to dive DRY or NAKED"
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