Horizontal trim with drysuit--suggestions?

[TSandM]

I think it's true that minimizing the gas in the suit, when you first get it, makes managing the bubble and your buoyancy easier . . . to a point. The point is that, if you are running the suit really tight because you have absolutely minimized your weight, then at the end of the dive, you can really struggle to get every bit of air out of the suit so that you can control the last parts of your ascent.

I did the "20 foot squeeze" thing during and after Fundies. It DID make life easier. It also made it colder. Over time, I added a bit of weight and a bit of gas to the suit, but it wasn't until I did some training with Andrew Georgitsis that I threw caution to the winds and just plain used the suit for all the buoyancy it would reasonably give me. I found I was warmer, much more mobile and comfortable, and venting the suit was trivial. Trim DOES become important if you are going to do that, as does experience with a dry suit, so you can anticipate buoyancy changes.

As far as being feet-light, you have two options -- drop your feet and move gas out of them, or move some weight to counteract the light feet. That can be changing to negative fins, like Jets, or putting weight on a belt, or in your pockets. Or ankle weights, despite how much they are despised; there is no significant difference between a set of positive fins with ankle weights and a set of Jets with springstraps, except it's harder to lose the Jets.

 

[ERP]

I've always used the feel of the air in my legs/feet as an indicator when to vent.

Lots of things can impact how difficult a drysuit is to dive, most obviously fit, but I just swapped undergarments to a Weasel Extreme and as much as I like the warmth of the suit, it's a tight fit inside my suit and the air in it doesn't migrate very quickly, so you have to stay on top of it.
I'm going to add a couple of pounds on my next dive, and keep a little more air in the suit, to see if it's easier to move the air around when it's time to vent.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I have used gaiters for a number of years not only to minimize air flow to the feet but also to aid in streamlining. The drysuit I had fit well just about everywhere except my calfs. It was a bit loose and adding the gaiters helped manage that and the air issue. As well as give my calf muscles additional support.

Also I never wanted to use the suit for buoyancy but as I got my weighting dialed in more and more over time I found that the amount of air needed to offset the squeeze, especially at depth, was enough to also adjust my buoyancy. I still consider the wing as my primary device but once I went to doubles and around the same time heavier undies it sees less and less use. And one other thing is how does the suit fit you? Really? It does need to allow you to move but if there is material that is excessive in places like my legs were, it can cause significant issues as well.

I just sold that suit and am waiting on my new HOG Predator to arrive. So I may be looking at a bit of a learning curve with it since I dove the old one for nearly 5 years. But the dam thing shrunk around the middle! ( MY STORY and I'M STICKING TO IT!) Funny thing though when "it shrunk" I seemed to need less gas in it and trim was easy.

 

[SandyRobinson]

I had some trim issues after I changed undergarments. I used gaitors for a few dives and was able to take them off after the "feel" came back. I also lowered my tank placement on my BP for a few dives which put a little more weight toward my feet. I have since moved the tanks to the original location.

 

[Tigerman]

Often not a good option depending on environment and bottom composition. (eg doing valve drills 12" above a silty bottom.)

Also, most new drysuit and/or tech divers have trouble "recognizing" when they are horizontal. We're not used to moving around "laying down" so when new divers think they are horizontal, they are usually about 20-30deg off the mark. When they get horizontal the sensational is "oh crap, my feet are getting away from me!" Your suggestion would cause most of them to drop their knees even lower.

Im not talking about a lot here. In a perfect world just a millimeter lower than your waist is still "lower" but not "downwards".
And yes, more or less any way you put your body will in some cases be bad, but were talking about a "newbie" drysuit user here.

I do actually dive in this "L-shape" quite a bit locally since I live right next to a big lake thats been damed and as a result has got pretty much a meter of fine, black silt on the bottomn. Its actually a VERY good way to keep your body in these conditions since it allows me to be level with the botomn, yet keep my fïns a good foot above the silt rather than just a few inches above. If it was a narrow overhead enviroment however it could pose different problems..