How to properly use exhaust valve on drysuit

[rob.mwpropane]

This:



as well as a tight squeeze to an undesirable location below.... can be quite uncomfortable (to me anyway)....

YMMV

Understood 100%. I'm not going to say I'm perfect at it because I'm not, but for the most part when I go vertical there's not much air left in the suit to burp out the neck. Sometimes, but not usually. I try to keep that shoulder up so it's letting out enough on the ascent.

Of course, heavier undergarments mean more weight / more air, so harder to achieve.

 

[rhwestfall]

There are times in really cold water (34-36 degrees is not uncommon below the thermocline in the Great Lakes or in the spring just after ice out) where you put a lot of air in the suit. On the surface it can become debilitating with it up in the chest burping your neck seal and your legs hanging below are being squeezed....

 

[rob.mwpropane]

There are times in really cold water (34-36 degrees is not uncommon below the thermocline in the Great Lakes or in the spring just after ice out) where you put a lot of air in the suit. On the surface it can become debilitating with it up in the chest and your legs hanging below are being squeezed....

Well Sir, you have me beat! The coldest I've been is 42...

So do you just stay horizontal on the surface until time to get out?

 

[rhwestfall]

I really like to emulate the otter resting on the surface....

 

[rhwestfall]

As I said, I do open the valve well leaving my safety stop or last deco to let it vent on the way up, and a uniform squeegee can be tolerated (but staying horizontal if at all possible)...

 

[Seville]

Was the pool session before or after you broke your back para gliding? Just curious.

I have been practicing in my pool holding a 13 cf bottle. I still have a broken back but being in the water without a cylinder has deff helped. Now i know why all the old people like water aerobics lol.

 

[Seville]

so you are recommending I open the valve all the way to practice and do you always swim with your shoulder up or only when you want to vent?

 

[Marie13]

so you are recommending I open the valve all the way to practice and do you always swim with your shoulder up or only when you want to vent?

You only lift your arm/roll left shoulder up when you want to vent.

 

[Wibble]

Open the valve fully on the surface before jumping in (i.e. when kitting up).

I leave it like that (fully open) throughout the entire dive. Would recommend you do too.

When you're underwater, you'll be flat and the air in the drysuit distributes around you, mainly behind you. To dump you just lift your left-hand shoulder up a bit and the air dumps out, drop the shoulder to stop it dumping.

Air will escape from the drysuit when you jump in the water as the dump is at the top and the air will come out as the dump is effectively at the top of the 'balloon'/suit.

Tightening the dump isn't really a good idea as it could make dumping more difficult. The absolute last thing you want is an uncontrolled ascent because you can't dump the ever-expanding air from your suit as you ascend faster.

In short, the suit looks after itself.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

This. ^
I leave mine wide open no matter what the water temperature.