Give me your dry suit wisdom

[elgoog]

Is it possible to get silicone seals on neck and latex on sleeves, so that the neck feels better without sacrificing durability all around?

This is exactly how I have mine set up. There's a slight cost advantage to doing this as discomfort at the wrists is not as noticeable as around the neck but the main reason is that many aftermarket drysuit ring systems don't work with silicone seals. I have the pullover dry gloves system from DRIS and it specifically requires latex seals.

 

[Doby45]

Not entirely necessary. I live in DS country, so everyone, from the freshly minted OWD to serious tech folks dive dry. I know exactly one (1) diver who dives wet around here, and I've probably met between 50 and 100 fellow divers. I can count on one hand - with a comfortable margin - the number of pee valve equipped DSs I've seen. If your bottom time is less than about an hour, you should be able to hold it without too much discomfort. Especially if you make it a routine to go just before zipping up. And after an hour or so in 4-6C water, it's not having to take a leak that's your main motivation for getting the heck out and topside.

And on a strictly personal note, glueing a condom to my junk - and afterwards taking the job to peel it off - is not my first idea of having a good time...

It may be a regional thing then. I could count on one hand the number of dry suits I have seen in North Florida without a p valve.

 

[Doby45]

I have the pullover dry gloves system from DRIS and it specifically requires latex seals.

That's odd, my dive buddy this past weekend used my pull over dry gloves from DRIS on the Si Tech permanent rings and he has silicone seals. Worked like a champ. It was actually so dry that I think if you were brave you could use the pull over dry gloves on the permanent rings with no seals. Not that I would.

 

[Marie13]

I have the Si Tech permanent rings and could use them with the pullover gloves, as well. DRIS actually says this is an option on one of their videos. I just went with the Quick Glove system as I wanted something I didn't have to depend on someone to put on me.

 

[elgoog]

That's odd, my dive buddy this past weekend used my pull over dry gloves from DRIS on the Si Tech permanent rings and he has silicone seals. Worked like a champ. It was actually so dry that I think if you were brave you could use the pull over dry gloves on the permanent rings with no seals. Not that I would.

I think I read somewhere that the ring install needed latex seals. If you already have rings, then it doesn't matter what type of seal it is as the pullover gloves and seal are independent of each other.

I just went with the Quick Glove system as I wanted something I didn't have to depend on someone to put on me.

It's possible to use the pullover systems on your own - not as clean looking as someone else doing it but it's doable with a little practice. I've done it a couple of times and was totally dry. But, FWIW, I still ask my buddy to do it ...
My main reason for going with the pullover system was cost.

 

[Doby45]

Nah, you can use latex or silicone on the Si Tech permanent rings. I love the pull over gloves and like you said, they are cheap. My buddy was joking as we left the quarry saying how he was going to go to the grocery store and get some dish gloves. I told him that he should definitely give them a try as they would be sexy..

 

[BRT]

It may be a regional thing then. I could count on one hand the number of dry suits I have seen in North Florida without a p valve.

Probably anyone using a dry suit in Florida is staying underwater longer than their bladder capacity. In the PNW an hour is often long enough even with a dry suit.

 

[Doby45]

Probably anyone using a dry suit in Florida is staying underwater longer than their bladder capacity. In the PNW an hour is often long enough even with a dry suit.

Well then there ya go!! It is regional. I will make sure I don't make such a blanketing statement next time. If you are in the SE, get a P valve, money well spent.

 

[Lorenzoid]

With respect to the need for a p-valve, it definitely depends on one's circumstances. In some circumstances, even if one pees before donning the suit, by the time you're fully geared up, done with your pre-dive check procedures, in the water, etc., it can be maybe 30 more minutes. And after surfacing we may debrief or relax in the water before exiting. A dive time of 60 minutes can end up being well over 90 minutes between drysuit don and doff. With all the water I drink to stay hydrated, I couldn't manage without my p-valve.

 

[Storker]

With respect to the need for a p-valve, it definitely depends on one's circumstances. In some circumstances, even if one pees before donning the suit, by the time you're fully geared up, done with your pre-dive check procedures, in the water, etc., it can be maybe 30 more minutes. And after surfacing we may debrief or relax in the water before exiting. A dive time of 60 minutes can end up being well over 90 minutes between drysuit don and doff. With all the water I drink to stay hydrated, I couldn't manage without my p-valve.

I suffer from immersion diuresis; I can hardly spend an hour in the water in a wetsuit before having to let go. So peeing while wearing a drysuit should perhaps have been an issue for me, too. But it isn't.

With the temps we have where I do my local diving, dehydration is pretty close to the bottom of the list of things I worry about when diving, so I don't feel much need for excessive hydration. Couple that with the fact that I don't experience much immersion diuresis when I'm in my drysuit, I have to drink a lot of coffee pre-dive to have an issue with holding it for between an hour and an hour and a half. Assemble gear, don suit, take a leak, zip up, don gear, buddy check, splash, dive. After some three quarters to an hour in 4-10C water, I'm quite happy to get out and don't feel much of an urge to float around and chat before climbing up and out of the water. Even if I'm wearing drygloves with good, warm wool glove liners, my fingers are quite cold enough already.

Regional (and personal) differences.