I need coldwater diving tips

[Corigan]

Good tips FatCat. I dive with a pinnacle 7mm semi-dry in the mid 40's 2 times a month or so. I stay warm everywhere but my feet. My feet get cold after about 30 minutes in the water. I am going to try the 3mm neoprene sock under my 7mm booties and also try a neoprene t-shirt/skin under the suit and see how this will work for me.

Matt

 

[Greg D.]

Once you go dry you never go back you can get a dry suit for just a little more than a wetsuit anyway, of course you wont get a top of the line DUI for that much but you can step into a new BARE for just over 600 bucks. and there is just something kewl about being in th3 water for and hour and coming out DRY!!

 

[eponym]

If you're really not considering a drysuit, what about a 5-over-5 farmer john and jacket combo? That gives you ten mil on the torso. I encountered these when diving with rental gear in Sydney (Australia) in the winter, and ended up buying one. Of course, as with any wetsuit, a snug fit is important to minimize water exchange.

And I agree with the suggestion to carb up--you'll be burning lots of fuel to stay warm. The single biggest difference I noticed when I went to drysuit was how much less fatigued I was at the end of a dive day.

-Bryan

PS We had checkout dives for our Jan. open water class this past weekend, in water of exactly that temperature.

 

[vjongene]

I need tips for staying warm in a wetsuit in 5 degree Celsius water.

OK, you have already received a lot of good advice. I learned to dive in 5C water, in a wet suit. It can get quite uncomfortable... Here is a summary of things to think of (including some already mentioned here):

- Make sure that you have eaten well before you go out diving. Slow starches and fats will help keep your metabolism up. Have a copious breakfast with bread & butter, Nutella, hot chocolate, etc, just before you go out. Have pasta the night before.

- Stay warm until you get into your wet suit. Wear a hat and gloves. Wear a warm overcoat.

- Keep the wet suit in a heated place (e.g. your car) until you are ready to put it on.

- Get out of the wet suit as soon as you can after exiting the water (in any case, before the outer layer of water starts freezing!)

- While diving, keep moving, but don't fin too hard. It is very easy to get into a hyperventilation situation when you are diving in cold water.

- Have a thermos with a hot drink ready for when you get out of the water. I am partial to a hot grog, as long as you don't plan a second dive.

HTH,

Victor

 

[FatCat]

If you're really not considering a drysuit, what about a 5-over-5 farmer john and jacket combo? That gives you ten mil on the torso. I encountered these when diving with rental gear in Sydney (Australia) in the winter, and ended up buying one. Of course, as with any wetsuit, a snug fit is important to minimize water exchange.

I'd say 5/5 is not enough for those temperatures. I wouldn't choose a longjohn/jacket combo either. Consider this:

The braces on a longjohn leave your armpits free. This is an area where a lot of the heat exchange in your body takes place. Due to the cut of the suit, you'll only have a 5 or 7 mm layer of neoprene over your skin. Furthermore, due to the thickness of the farmer john undersuit, you'll get a lot of moving water over a heat-sensitive area of your body.

With a full suit combined with a jacket, you'll not only minimize water circulation, you'll also get a better isolation of your torso. The one piece suit can also be used in summer, something you can't do with a longjohn. In areas where you need a double wetsuit in winter, you'll need a full single wetsuit in summer. By buying a real two-piece suit as opposed to the farmer john/jacket, you'll be saving money as well as saving heat.

 

[Diver0001]

I need tips for staying warm in a wetsuit in 5 degree Celsius water.

You can't stay warm in a wetsuit in 5C water. The only thing you can do is make a short dive.

R..

 

[chrisch]

Pouring warm water over yourself after a dive increases the risk of DCI. It is not to undertaken lightly. Probably OK if following a SHORT SHALLOW dive.

We dive 8-10C water a lot in the lakes here. Below 6C is too cold for me with 5mm neoprene DRYSUIT, thinsulate and thermal underwear.

Hands are the first thing to go. Drygloves will help.

Please take care and do not overdo the "hot water" thing.

Chris

 

[Daryl Morse]

If you're really not considering a drysuit, what about a 5-over-5 farmer john and jacket combo? That gives you ten mil on the torso. I encountered these when diving with rental gear in Sydney (Australia) in the winter, and ended up buying one.

I dove in a 5/5 combo like that in Sydney as well. I thought it was just right for 16-18C water. LOL

 

[ArthurGerla]

The most important thing to do: Keep out of the wind before and especially after the dive. Many are the times when the sensation in my feet only returned after the three hour drive home. On the other hand: On a recent ice diving weekend in the french Jura I spent 45 minutes on the ice after my dive watching the proceedings in my wetsuit. No problem at all, because the sun was shining and there wasn't even the hint of a breeze.

 

[SeanQ]

Pouring warm water over yourself after a dive increases the risk of DCI. It is not to undertaken lightly. Probably OK if following a SHORT SHALLOW dive.

We dive 8-10C water a lot in the lakes here. Below 6C is too cold for me with 5mm neoprene DRYSUIT, thinsulate and thermal underwear.

Hands are the first thing to go. Drygloves will help.

Please take care and do not overdo the "hot water" thing.

Chris

You bring up a good point that I had forgotten. In cold water, you tend to exert yourself more to stay warm. Plan your dive on the conservative side to minimize the risk of DCI. Although most of your dives are limited by cold rather than NDL, be aware of the risks.