Freediving in a drysuit?

[g2]

Hi All.

A few years ago I bought a drysuit and spent some time adjusting the seals and snorkeling in it -- no diving, just paddling around on the surface -- before taking it out scuba diving. That was fun and somewhat educational.

But it posed the question: can you freedive in a drysuit?

(For some reason I feel like a smart-aleck asking this, but I can't quite put my finger on why.) Anyway, if you freedive dry, or know someone who does, do tell!

I can immediately see a few problems with the idea. For one, the suit compression and squeeze would be tremendous, assuming you were weighted enough to get down in the first place. But perhaps there's a workable solution, like using a pony bottle connected to the drysuit inflator. And then there's the potential of having some embarrassing uncontrolled ascents in an inverted position... Hmmm.

If this topic has been covered in a previous thread you can redirect me to it, but my searches didn't turn up anything.

glenn

 

[Amphibious]

short answer?

NO.

 

[ZAquaman]

I've done quite a bit of freediving in a drysuit. After a lot of experimentation my conclusion was that it really isn't a good idea. This is why:

1st, it's dangerous because you don't have fine control of buoyancy. Getting properly weighted is tricky at best. I found that diving with the suit nearly empty of air was best. Even with that, buoyancy changed DRAMATICALLY during dives. I found myself VERY heavy at depths greater than 40 feet. If you do this don't forget to ditch your weight if you get in trouble. Being able to orally inflate suit (I used a tube under the wrist seal/ dui has an oral valve on the left arm of their military dry suits) would help fine buoyancy control, but even that doesn't solve the buoyance issue.

2nd, it hurts! Suit pinch or squeeze is a serious issue. The pinching can/will begin once you pass 10-15 feet or so. It feels like you have major crabs in your suit pinching the dickens out of you... are you familiar with the term "purple nurple"?

3rd, it's a drag! There is so much more drag in a dry suit than a proper wetsuit. Every dive is a major effort. It feels like you're pulling a fat chick up a hill in a little red wagon when compared to diving in a wetsuit.

So, can you do it? Of course you can! But if you want to freedive do yourself a favor and get yourself an apnea suit. A custom suit is around $200.00 and will keep yout toasty warm for hours in 50 degree water.

 

[g2]

Hee-hee! Good answer, thanks.

Yeah, the heavy-at-depth problem. I thought that might be the case. Hadn't considered the drag issue, but then I rarely move fast anyway. Even so, it's good to know that it's at least possible, if ill-advised.

I can't imagine trying to orally inflate a drysuit at depth while freediving. Urk. I'm not clear on what good that would do, other than eliminate a bit of suit squeeze. The air has to come from your lungs, so it wouldn't change your buoyancy. Ah, but then maybe you could "breathe" from your suit like a rebreather counterlung! (Ha, just kidding. I know, bad idea.) :05:

glenn

 

[ZAquaman]

Trying to orally inflate a drysuit at depth while freediving would not change boyancy at all and would most likely lead to drowning. The oral inflation helps fine tune boyancy on the surface prior to the dive.

I don't think I'd want to breath stale drysuit air anyway

 

[airsix]

When I was a teenager our scout troop used to take a yearly trip deep into Yellowstone's Shoshone Lake. It's in a wilderness section of the park - no motorized vehicles. It took a good two days to cannoe across Lewis Lake, up the Lewis River, and around to the opposite shore of Shoshone Lake. I believe the elevation is between 7,000 and 8,000ft ASL. The water temp was high 30's F. and crystal clear. The West shorline is gravel with a steep drop-off. We could clearly see that bottom where the drop-off cut sharply into a gentle slope. At the transition from steep gravel bar to gentle slope we could clearly see dozens of unopened beverage six-packs. It was obvious that other campers had placed drinks in the gravel at the water's edge to keep drinks cool and had them wash out into the lake. The second year I brought my mask, fins, snorkle, weightbelt, capilary depth guage, and my Viking drysuit. Freediving to 35ft I was able to clean up the littered bottom near our campsite, and our troop enjoyed all-you-can-drink sodas for the whole week.

My surface support was a friend in a canoe. At 35-40ft suit squeeze was felt, but not seriously uncomfortable. Boyancy adjustment were made at the surface by orally inflating through a wrist seal or venting through the shoulder valve. It was NOT a problem and I had a lot of fun. I got to dive a location it would have been impractical to get a tank into, and was only practical with a drysuit.

-Ben

 

[John C. Ratliff]

One more hazard not touched upon here, and that is ear squeeze if you have a latex hood. The hood itself can form an air-tight seal around the ear, and cause a squeese where the ear drum ruptures outward. If you have a neck seal, and a neoprene hood, this isn't so much of a problem.

SeaRat

 

[Bob3]

Neoprene drysuit, yes; shell not such a good idea for the reasons outlined above.
The neoprene suits are way better form fitting, will have less drag & trapped air.
As long as you're not going to extreme depths suit compression mischief should be minimal.

 

[Snowbear]

I've done it, but don't find it much fun. For the reasons mentioned above, as well as that I'm not able to hold my breath for very long, especially when swimming against the drag of a drysuit, I don't do it deeper than about 25'.

If it wasn't for the drysuit, I would not freedive (or scuba dive for that matter) up here at all :11:

 

[John C. Ratliff]

You know, it's really hard to beat a good, custom-fitted wet suit for this application. In the old days, we used a "skin-in" wet suit which positively sealed against the water. For extremely cold water, there were two ways to go.

First, we used a Farmer John bottoms with a hooded jacket (with the beaver tail top) and a reversed zipper. That was really nice, and you did not get water down the neck.

The other way is to use a Farmer John bottom, regular top (now they product the step-in top that zips diagonally down to the thigh) with a hooded vest. Both ways work well, and will keep you warm even in freezing water. I used a three-finger mitt, which is better than the current five-finger gloves.

We used it "skin-in" and used powder (corn starch is best) to aid entry. Because it is a skin on one side, the sewn seams do not go all the way through, and are therefore waterproof. Some suits now still are waterproof, but you have to be very careful. We also used these suits with only one zipper, the one on the jacket. We did not use zippers in the arms or legs, as they allowed water to come in. I'm pretty particular about my booties, and want ones that are waterproof (no leaking in the seams or zipper if it has one). When putting on the boots, they need to be under the wet suit legs.

Because you are active, swimming in the water, a wet suit will work in waters for snorkel diving that it would not work in for scuba diving. You are much more active, and generate more heat.

Oh yes, and get one that is custom fit. My last custom wet suit was a Harvey's skin-in suit, which they now call Kobalt ProFlex. I still use it too (see the photo below). They do still make a custom suit too. With a really good wet suit, you can break it up for warmer water too, as I did below.

SeaRat