Excessive sweating in my Fusion drysuit

[sfdiver140]

Hi White I love my fusion except the fact that after I am finally to the water on a shore dive in Monterey Ca, I am so sweaty that I am wet. I do not wear cotton at all. Is there a trick to keeping down the sweat in the suit. I go slow, put on the undergarmets only half way until I start the upper body. I find I am soaking wet when I get out of my suit after a dive. It is not leaking because it happens in my living room when I practice doning the suit. Maybe it is the nature of a dry suit. I use the Mk2 undergaments (I do not use the jacket)and they are very nice. How is it I see instuctors walking around for hours in the suits? Also how tight do the seals need to be? There is a learning curve with a new dry suit for sure. I even have been diving dry with a neo suit and this is different. thank you Steve

 

[RickHeil]

I have a Fusion as well and love it. I think this is a phenomena of all dry suits which by definition don't 'breather' like say GoreTex. Its a plastic bag basically...
I think some mosture, aka sweat, is unavoidable and the best I can do is pace myself whihc it sounds like your doing.
One tip I have found is I bought Fourth Element base layer which is a PHENOMINAL wicking layer that keeps you much warmer by keeping the moisture away from your skin. I highly recommend it.
For example I dove yesterday in a hot spring 30 mins south of Utah Bonneville Salt Flats (Blue Lake), water temp 82 and outside temp 95. Dressing slowly and walking slowly the 400 yrds to the lake I was sweating but felt comfortable. All I wore under the Fusion was the wicking layer (and bathing suit).
I was practicing drills for cave diving which is why I wore the dry suit and doubles... in case your wondering why wear a dry suit in the desert - that and I do love diving dry now! lol

 

[Belmont]

Fourth Element underwear does miracles.
We are not built the same way, I sweat a lot and at the end of the dive I'm damp all over.
I noticed that I sweat more when stressed. Just a new environment, new gear (for you the dry suit) new buddies. After the first dive in the Cenotes last March I was dripping, at the end of the week that was much less of a problem, even with the 85 degree temp.

Don't forget to hydrate properly to compensate for the loss of fluids.

 

[jlovold]

The reason you get wet is probably that moist air condensate on the inside of the suit material.

As neoprene suits is very insulating , you won´t get as much condensation in those as compared to shell suits. But at I feel a lot more moist in them, and prefer shellsuits!

 

[Belmont]

The reason you get wet is probably that moist air condensate on the inside of the suit material.

As neoprene suits is very insulating , you won´t get as much condensation in those as compared to shell suits. But at I feel a lot more moist in them, and prefer shellsuits!

It's not condensation, you have very little air in a drysuit when beginning the dive, the amount of humidity it carries is insignificant, during the dive the air you put in your suit is very dry as it comes from your tank. All the humidity in the suit is self generated via sweat glands, seal or membrane leak or, god forbid, pee :shocked2:.

 

[Rick Inman]

I wear some good wicking Underarmer as a base layer under my fusion, even if I don't need it for insulation.. Then, when it's hot out, as soon as I'm in my suit I will sometimes get wet and cool down the exterior, which is black and heats easily in the sun. The wet suit wicks off heat as it drys.

Also, when I am efficient in kitting up, so I am exerting very little and quickly in the water, I will sweat less, too. Being in shape helps with that as well.

 

[jlovold]

It's not condensation, you have very little air in a drysuit when beginning the dive, the amount of humidity it carries is insignificant, during the dive the air you put in your suit is very dry as it comes from your tank. All the humidity in the suit is self generated via sweat glands, seal or membrane leak or, god forbid, pee :shocked2:.

If you sweat a little bit in your suit, a lot of the sweat will evaporate, and because you are warmer close to your skin, the air will have a lower RELATIVE humidity there than on the inner surface of your suit, as the water cools the suit down, and thereby water starts to condensate there.

So, yes, it is sweat, but even though your undersuit looks very wet on the outside, it may still be quite dry on the inside.

 

[sfdiver140]

Thank you this is why this site is so valuable. You all are right. I am going to get a wicking away base layer that is why I am wet and uncomfortable I have been wearing something that does not wick away the sweat so I am wet and chilly. What exactly is the Fourth Element base layer called? Does it fit snug? Do you use a long sleeve T-shirt and bottems? Fourth Element has a few products all for drysuits. again thank you for your help. I am sure I will be soon diving happily dry.

 

[Belmont]

You mentioned T-shirt: if you have been wearing any cotton no wonder your are having issues.
Cotton is the last thing you want to wear under a dry suit, it will absorb your sweat until it's saturated and act as a wet blanket, you will feel damp and cold.

 

[sfdiver140]

Hi Belmont thank you for the information. I did not use a T-shirt except one time to practice putting it on and wow was I soaked with sweat. I was wet and cold. I am thinking about getting the Fourth Element base layer the review are great. So how tight are the seals supposed to be? They are hard for me to slip my hand through. I am learning. I had a neoprene suit and the Fusion is very different. I thank all the help from other divers. thank you again.