Here's a mad idea.

[El Orans]

How thick was your wetsuit?

7+7mm

How cold was the water?

7C

Don't you think that an actual survival suit might work better than just windbreaker material?

The problem was that I was still wet, and though I wasn't bothered by the wind, I wasn't really warming up.

 

[Penopolypants]

I've tried something similar on a winters day.
Instead of changing into warmer clothes after the dive I put a windproof overall to go to the next divesite.
It did keep the car dry but 20 minutes into the 2nd dive I was already feeling cold.

Huh, that's an interesting use.

The last time I drove to a different dive site, I took off my dry suit and drove there in my undergarment to keep my car dry. I got a few interesting stares myself when stopped to get gas. Even in Seattle you don't see too many women pumping gas in black and lime green puffy one piece zip up thingy.

 

[Diver0001]

7+7mm

7C

Ouch! That's *way* too cold for a wetsuit.

Did you buy a drysuit yet? If you need a buddy to keep an eye on you while you get it "under the knee" let me know.

My experience is the same as Laurans'. A wetsuit doesn't seem to have offer much insulation. I experimented with wearing wetsuit gloves under my drygloves once and it was surprisingly cold.

I would think that this won't keep you warm enough for a whole surface interval. You'd be better off changing out the wetsuit and then pouring a thermos can of hot water over/in it before you put it back on again.

R..

 

[El Orans]

Ouch! That's *way* too cold for a wetsuit.

The first dive wasn't too cold. We had to go up because my buddy (in a drysuit) was feeling cold.

Did you buy a drysuit yet? If you need a buddy to keep an eye on you while you get it "under the knee" let me know.

PM sent.

My experience is the same as Laurens'. A wetsuit doesn't seem to have offer much insulation. I experimented with wearing wetsuit gloves under my drygloves once and it was surprisingly cold.

I would think that this won't keep you warm enough for a whole surface interval. You'd be better off changing out the wetsuit and then pouring a thermos can of hot water over/in it before you put it back on again.

R..

I'll have to give it try next week. Once more, it's time for "GODDelijk Duiken".

Laurens

 

[justleesa]

When it gets windy and chilly here (it does! once you're used to the temps 72 can be chilly!!) I just wear a thick bathrobe. Plastic will keep you wet, The robe will absorb the water. Works well for me...

 

[cummings66]

Around here later in the fall it's not uncommon to dive when the water temps are 7C or 44F. I'm comfortable in that under water in a 7mm wetsuit but as has been noted during the winter it can be colder than that above water and that's where a wetsuit falls down. I think you simply have to get the suit off because even covered you'll still have to heat the cold water up to body temp and that's going to cost you energy. The only think a wind breaker type cover will do is get rid of the evaporation effect which cools you even faster, it won't make you that much warmer.

This weekend for example we'll have an outside low temp of 20 F or -6 C and water temps might be around 7C. I'll use a drysuit because it's warmer on land when I have my liner on and it's dry.

As a new drysuit diver the advantages I see are it solves the problem you're having right now. I don't think a wetsuit is out of line in those temps you have under water, but on land I'll freeze. My solutions to date were mainly to get out of the suit and dry off, nothing else worked for me.

 

[Fish_Whisperer]

What about Dive Parkas?

I've got one and I love it. http://www.diveparka.com/

 

[jonix]

What about Dive Parkas?

I've got one and I love it. http://www.diveparka.com/

this looks to be a better option

 

[shugar]

does it HAVE to be orange???? i understand the safety aspect but do you have to blind everyone on the boat in the process???

Jag

 

[bradshsi]

My personal preference for wetsuit diving in the winter (PNW 50-55 deg F water) is to borrow and idea from the commercial divers and their warm water suits.

For the 2nd dive of the day (if the facility is available) I put my wetsuit on in the (hot) shower. I also fill the suit up with hot water before I close it up.

I've found that this keeps me wonderfully warm and toasty for the 15 to 20 minutes it takes to get our gear sorted out and in the water for a beach dive. Of course you need to have the shower available but at places like Sund Rock it works perfectly.

I'll freely admit it's kind of silly but it works for me.

Now I have got a drysuit I hope to avoid this silliness in future