How can I be nice and cozy in my drysuit?

[dimito]

I recently got a trilaminate drysuit and did my first 2 dives in it last 2 weekends. My first dive in it went really well, but the second dive was a bit more difficult. I think it was because the visibility was quite bad and that made it difficult to pay enough attention to my buoyancy. This weekend I'm doing another dive in it and I hope to improve.

What became clear to me after some time in the water is that a drysuit is not a warm suit I wasn't freezing or shivering, but I had this picture in my head that drysuit diving would be really nice and warm, but it wasn't. The water temperature was about 6C (~43F) and we did dive for 30 minutes and 45 minutes. At the end of the 45 minute dive I started to really feel the cold, it was still tolerable and I definitely was warmer then I my wetsuit, but it was not what I expected.

The post dive period was much better then in a wetsuit the moment I got out of the water I started the warm up quickly and it was fun that I wasn't wet when it was freezing out side.

I have a Fourthelement Arctic undersuit and some thin underwear that doesn't provide any warmth but just keeps you dry. To be a bit warmer I tried wearing my sharkskin under the arctic undersuit instead of the underwear. This kept me a bit warmer, but not a lot and I also needed some more lead.

What can I do to stay warm? This weekend I'm going to try a thicker hood that I'm going to loan. I'm also thinking of buying some merino wool underwear from Icebreaker if that helps. Do drygloves make a big difference?

The suit came with a 250gr thinsulate undersuit that I was thinking of putting on over my Arctic but after trying it it became clear that this would be too bulky and would limit my movement too much. Would this Thinsulate suit be warmer then the Arctic undersuit? The Arctic suit is Polartec so it is stretchy and feels warmer then the Thinsulate when I wear it at home.

 

[tbone1004]

what thickness hood are you using, and what kind of socks are you using? Those are the two biggest ones, but if the arctic isn't keeping you warm, you may want to try smartwool or polartec underwear to go under the arctic

 

[Johanan]

It's all about undergarment. I have no experience with Arctic. Whites Thermal Fusion + MK0 base layer is warm enough for me in 6*C water. A radical solution is a heated vest or undersuit.

 

[dimito]

what thickness hood are you using, and what kind of socks are you using? Those are the two biggest ones, but if the arctic isn't keeping you warm, you may want to try smartwool or polartec underwear to go under the arctic

I have a 4mm Titanium hood from Camaro, the titanium is supposed to make it warmer, but I'm not believing that anymore. The one I'm going to try is from Bare and feels much thicker, I think it is 7mm thick.

I have socks from the same type as the undersuit. I didn't have cold feet at all ☺ The Icebreaker underwear is from Merino wool.

How warm do you guys feel when you say you are "warm"?

 

[Gareth J]

Trilaminate suits don't have inherent insulation, unlike neoprene. On the upside the buoyancy characteristics don't change with depth, unlike neoprene.

Drysuit diving is about layering. Wicking materials are best, those that remove the perspiration from the skin are the best. Merino wool or specialised base layers are best. Adding layers until you are comfortable, the layering shouldn't be too tight, the space between the layering helps. In the summer, layers can be removed. Remember, buoyancy changes as the number of layers change.
Concentrate on keeping feet, core and groin warm. Also, remember, heatloss through the head is considerable. So a good hood is sensible investment.

Between dives, if not on a RIB or inflatable, consider taking the suit off. Evaporation is a cooling action, so if the wind is drying the suit, its also chilling you. If not removing your suit, consider a windproof. An advantage of removing suit is it also allows the inside to dryout. In cooler climates, when out of the water, add layers to warmup, gloves, hats, warm drinks etc all help bring your core temperature up, prior to your next dive.
Food before diving can also help, normally an hour or two before diving, like porridge that generate heat.

One last point, be careful about dehydration (and the resultant risk of DCI). Wearing a drysuit, makes people reluctant to take it off, and needing a toilet break means taking the suit off (unless a pee valve is fitted). Remember to still drink fluids, even if you need to occasionally take your suit off!

Hope this helps

Gareth

PS i also use a heated vest - smug look .

 

[decompression]

In 45deg water, I start to chill after 35-45 minutes. I have the whites fusion and undergarment. Head, hands and feet are the places to try to keep warm. If that doesn't work, heated vest.

 

[JohnnyC]

Echoing above, it's all about the undergarment. I wore a Whites Thermal Fusion and Mk0 base layer in Iceland in the middle of winter and was warm.

Your other option is to grab a heated vest. Kick it on towards the end of your dive, you'll be toasty warm for your off-gassing.

 

[Gareth J]

To be honest, heated vests are taking the piss!

We invested in them when we planned a trip to Iceland, but we planned and did hour long dives in 2degrees C water.

I've been diving for years in a drysuit, I've only been using a heated vest for the last two years!

Gareth

 

[Dhboner]

The 4 mm hood is a big part of your problem...you need a 7 mm minimum. There are some really nice options out there with 10 or 12 mm panels. I use a base layer of polartech running underwear (similar to UnderArmour) and a Whites Thermal Fusion undergarment and I am fine in Lake Ontario through the winter. I also have a 10/12 mm Otter Bay hood for longer dives.

 

[Imla]

I echo what Dhboner has said above. The 4mm hood is most likely one of the biggest issues. Get merino wool undergarments under the arctic. Get a minimum of 7mm hood. Waterproof has an amazing hood with the "H1 5/10 Polar Evoluted". Nice fit, and keeps your head warm.