How to keep warm in a wetsuit in 40 water

[MN Lakeman]

Planets must have collided here or something. I run into people here in southern Florida who wear drysuits a good part of the year - and then there's people in Nova Scotia and up nawth diving in subgalactic waters in wetsuits.
But 40° water is some serious cold - I remember doing an ice dive as a thrill-crazed teenager in Connecticut in the middle of the winter in 1968 - and I still shudder from the memories of that first shot of water down my back.
There's always the religious argument as well to consider...the line that starts, "Well, if God wanted people to stay warm in coldwater, He/She/Whomever would have invented drysuits."
Uh, He/She whomever did...

Technology has improved even in neoprene since '68. I dive an O'Neill hooded 7/5 wetsuit w/ many features similar to a semi-dry, in Lake Superior down to 40 to 45 degrees, and actually stay amazingly warm. The key (& hasn't been mentioned yet) is your wetsuit's FIT. If are keeping water exchange down to an absolute minimum, you'll stay warm - certainly not as warm as a dry suit. Consider the fact that there are a lot of die hard wet-divers who have tried dry, but stick to the "old school".

 

[Sprinter]

You'll be fine as long as you don't stay down too long I did 3 ice dives mid Feb. by Lake Ontario. The ice was about 14" thick. 7mm farmer john and a shortie, hood with bib, 3 finger mitts, neoprene socks and booties. Air temp was 16F and water was 34F. First 2 dives (15 then 10 miniutes) weren't that bad other than 15 seconds of numbing headache as I descended. But 15 min. of SI just before the third dive was hard. I couldn't get out of the water lest my regs will freeze. Pouring warm water down the neck helped but it didn't reach my toes. They also say warm water opens your pores and makes it worse when cold water comes in.

By this time it shouldn't be too cold so get out of your wetsuit ASAP and you'll warm up fast. Good luck.

 

[jepuskar]

I have a great idea. Put all your thermal protection on, but dont get in the water. That way, you stay warm and the water is still 40 degrees.

I normally try to stick to answering the question, but as someone who barely lasted 20 minutes in 45 degree water in a 7mm/hood/gloves, I just can't support this kind of a dive, let only 3 others.

 

[ScubaTwo]

sorry... i have no useful info. (this will come as a shock to no one)

awwww you always have good advice

 

[Web Monkey]

I will be taking a wreck diving class in 2 weeks in the great lakes.
4 dives over 2 days in 40 degree water. Depth will be shallow no more than 60 feet. I have a 7 mm titanium sem dry ,7 mm boots, dry gloves and will put on my 1 mm under the suit. Any tricks to stay warm besides hot water after the dive ?? and should I put the 1mm on after the first dive?

Don't do it.

(4) 60 foot wreck dives in 40 degree water in a wetsuit is more like a survival test than a class.

Tell the instructor you would like to do the OW dives when the water has warmed up significantly.

A drysuit and drygloves would be just the ticket, except two weeks isn't enough time to get comfortable enough with them to do the wreck OW dives with any level of comfort.

Remember this is recreational diving (for your enjoyment), not a test for masochists (unless you're into that kind of thing, in which case, I hope you enjoy it?)

I was in 36 degree water last week and can tell you that water in that range is beyond cold. It just hurts wherever it touches you..

Also, unless you had the foresight to buy (or rent) cold water regs, I can pretty much guarantee a freeflow before you even make it to the wreck.

Sorry to be a wet blanket, but I'd hate to see you waste what could be very enjoyable dives.

Try it in the summer and you'll like it a lot better. Then this fall you can start working with your drysuit (lots of great deals on used stuff), so by next winter you can do the 40 degree dives and actually enjoy them.

Terry

 

[Sideband]

I just did 2 dives last Sat. in 43 deg. water and can only say, "Thank goodness for dry suits!" I never would have made it past 15 minutes if I was diving wet. No way no how. As it was our faces were so numb from the cold that we were unable to speak actual words for a minute or two after we surfaced. We all wanted to talk about the dive since it was my buddies and my first dry dives. I finally said something along the lines of, "les ge ou o e ater an alk ater." Amazingly, everyone understood or at least had the same thoughts.

Rule number one of being warm: It is easier to stay warm than to get warm.

I wish you a safe dive but you are going to hate that second dive of the day.

Joe

 

[matt_unique]

I will be taking a wreck diving class in 2 weeks in the great lakes.
4 dives over 2 days in 40 degree water. Depth will be shallow no more than 60 feet. I have a 7 mm titanium sem dry ,7 mm boots, dry gloves and will put on my 1 mm under the suit. Any tricks to stay warm besides hot water after the dive ?? and should I put the 1mm on after the first dive?

Not to be a buzz kill but the answer is you can't stay warm in 40 degree water in a wetsuit unless you are one of those rare dudes who never gets cold. I have a buddy who once dove in mid 40's water with me with holes the size of nickels in his gloves and he never complained about being cold. The guy is a maniac. (He accidentally grabbed his old junk gloves for this dive trip).

--Matt

 

[Hoyden]

I have done two really cold wet dives - one in Jan - 41 degrees and one in Mar - 43 degrees. There is no way that I could have stayed down for more than 25 minutes. For the March dive, I had on a 2.5 trilam, a 5/3 hooded vest and a 7mm wetsuit and still froze. I got a dry suit after that.

Jackie

 

[dbg40]

No problem, can be done and I will be doing it soon, very soon also.....I will be diving in my Mares 6.5 semi in 3-4oC and the thing that works for me is to shed the wet suit off (at least off your torso and feet) for the SI. As mentioned drink warm fluids, stay out of the wind and move around - don't sit around.

Other than that it's not a big deal.....you southerners are just wimps!

Agree, not that big of a deal. I do it on a regular basis,when you live up north you have a choice.sit on your rump all of late fall, winter, and early spring, or- spend a fortune on a dry suit ,or -a fortune on constant travel,or- toughen up a little and go diving. 7mm full suit 3mm vest, ice cap,7mm hood,boots gloves. I heat gallons of water and carry them in a warmed cooler for my suit before the jump in, BE HYDRATED also, carbs,I take a lunch, usually turkey on whole wheat it seems to help plus im hungry as all get out after a "cool weather" dive, and carbs fuel the machine. between dives get out of that suit and get dry! get the suit as dry as possible, and warm as well or it will suck the life out of you when you have get back in it. and dont psych yourself into thinking its going to be a horrid experience, its not. As you can see, some of us do it all the time and not only live, but enjoy it too! C'MON ITS NOT THAT BAD!!

 

[matt_unique]

Agree, not that big of a deal. I do it on a regular basis,when you live up north you have a choice.sit on your rump all of late fall, winter, and early spring, or- spend a fortune on a dry suit ,or -a fortune on constant travel,or- toughen up a little and go diving. 7mm full suit 3mm vest, ice cap,7mm hood,boots gloves. I heat gallons of water and carry them in a warmed cooler for my suit before the jump in, BE HYDRATED also, carbs,I take a lunch, usually turkey on whole wheat it seems to help plus im hungry as all get out after a "cool weather" dive, and carbs fuel the machine. between dives get out of that suit and get dry! get the suit as dry as possible, and warm as well or it will suck the life out of you when you have get back in it. and dont psych yourself into thinking its going to be a horrid experience, its not. As you can see, some of us do it all the time and not only live, but enjoy it too! C'MON ITS NOT THAT BAD!!

Ha ha ha - can you survive it? Sure. Is it as comfortable and safe as it could be? Absolutely not. Cold body temp is a significant contributor to DCS. It sounds like you are utilizing all the work arounds to make it doable - warm water - etc. but there is an easier way to go.

I used to dive 39 degree water with a 7mm wetsuit for about 20 minutes. I would surface with freezing cold hands and talk like a mad man with the frozen lips. You can definitely get wet in those temps with a wetsuit but once you go dry - you will wonder why you ever bothered to dive wet (in cold waters). I paid $450 for a wetsuit back in 1999. Now you can buy a good O'Neill neoprene drysuit for $500. You could choose to sell your wetsuit and use the proceeds to offset the cost of a neo drysuit as one option to consider.

--Matt