I still got cold... any suggestions?

[scubadiver888]

Okay - I certainly agree with trucker girl's comment about your duration of time in the water - very respectable. So now I bet you want to remain warmer longer? Who doesn’t?! Here’s some of my ideas to make your stay underwater a bit warmer. Be smart about your clothing choices and take into consideration your time above water and the conditions of the topside weather.

I. Be smart about what you wear.
Your DUI suit is a trilam shell providing very little warmth. I dress in layers made of warmth retaining, water wicking material. Absolutely no cotton. That’s for the ride home in the car. Wool socks (2 pair) are essential on every dive. Those fancy booties provided with the drysuit are best used around the house. Too bulky. Here's how I do it under a cordura suit both with a rock boot set up and in another drysuit where the feet are attached. Wet suit for the warmer climates.

31F-45F degree water: I wear a Thinsulate garment with two lycra suits on under it and silk long underwear next to my skin. 7mm hood. Dry gloves mandatory.

45F-55F degree water: I wear a Thinsulate garment with two lycra suits (one is next to my skin). 5-6 mm hood. Dry gloves mandatory.

55F-65F degree water: I wear either one of the following 3 set-ups: a 4th Element set of poly pro or two piece REI/EMS Poly Pro or the two lycra suits -- with the silk long underwear next to my skin. 5-6 mm hood. Dry gloves or wet gloves (7mm).

65F-79F degree water: Same as 55F-65F but without the silk long underwear. 5-6mm hood. Dry gloves or wet gloves or bare handed.

79F-81F degree water: 3-4-5 wet suit. 3mm hood. Rock gloves or bare handed.

81F-85F degree water: 2-3mm wet suit or stinger suit. Rock gloves or bare handed.

II. You are breathing cold air.
You are below water with a metal cylinder holding the gas that you breathe. You are inhaling the air almost at the temperature of the water. Your body will continue to chill no mater how many layers of clothing you are wearing. Marathon diving is not the smartest thing to do. Take a longer surface interval to thoroughly warm your core temp up during a dive day. You get to do more dives and socialize a bit.

I haven't started diving in cold water yet but this thread is very interesting for me (I'm going to start this summer; first time in anything less than 75F). A lot of the advice you are giving here is similar to dressing for bicycling in the winter. I used to bicycle in 12F (sometimes as cold as -8F). I'd wear silk from head to toe (silk pants, shirt, balaclava and socks) then on top of that something to wick the sweat from my body and something to cut the wind. Never wear cotton was also a good rule. Obviously the layer to cut the wind is not a diving concern but I would suspect any bicycle team that bikes in the winter would have some good equipment for this sort of thing.

Darrell

 

[scubadiver888]

Fourth: In very cold water, SWIM. I have learned that it takes only a little activity to stay much warmer, but dives like drift dives, where I'm doing nothing, result in getting cold very fast.

This is a really good tip. When I first started diving I was one of those guys who kept swimming with his hands and moving all over the place. I could dive the Caribbean with no exposure suit. Wearing a 2/3mm shorty would make me warm.

Now I just go with the current and keep my arms tucked in. I was thinking I got REALLY cold because I lost a little weight but I think the not swimming is more likely the cause. I now have to wear a full 3mm in 80F water and I still get cold.

 

[mfalco]

I think this thread inadvertantly points out the benifit of neoprene drysuits. I dove mine the other day with a 100 weight fleece suit, 100 weight fleece vest, 5mm gloves, and a 7mm hood. Water was 45 degrees for 40 minutes, and I was toasty warm.

 

[PerroneFord]

I think this thread inadvertantly points out the benifit of neoprene drysuits. I dove mine the other day with a 100 weight fleece suit, 100 weight fleece vest, 5mm gloves, and a 7mm hood. Water was 45 degrees for 40 minutes, and I was toasty warm.

No, not really. Because sometimes people like to dive dry in water that is warmer.

A shell suit allows you to dive in water of any temperature and modify the undergarments to provide the warmth. Suppose you wanted to do an technical ocean dive off the gulf coast of Florida in September when the water was 80F?

I view the drysuit's job as keeping the diver dry. I view the undergarment's job as keeping the diver warm.

 

[mfalco]

No, not really. Because sometimes people like to dive dry in water that is warmer.

A shell suit allows you to dive in water of any temperature and modify the undergarments to provide the warmth. Suppose you wanted to do an technical ocean dive off the gulf coast of Florida in September when the water was 80F?

I view the drysuit's job as keeping the diver dry. I view the undergarment's job as keeping the diver warm.

Good answer!!

It is a benefit if you are in cold water, but apparently a disadvantage in warm water. For me the latter doesn't matter, because when the water is warmer I dive wet.

In the situation the OP mentioned it would be an advantage because he was in cold water, but that doesn't really matter, because I doubt he is looking into changing suits.

 

[PerroneFord]

Good answer!!
...because when the water is warmer I dive wet.

Which is why I mentioned the technical diving scenario. When diving with steel tanks, and facing deco, I choose to dive dry, as does everyone I know. With the shell suit, this is an option. With the neoprene, not so much.

I feel the shell suit gives more options in more conditions, but it does sacrifice warmth at the coldest extreme.

 

[AlaskaDiver]

I haven't started diving in cold water yet but this thread is very interesting for me (I'm going to start this summer; first time in anything less than 75F). A lot of the advice you are giving here is similar to dressing for bicycling in the winter. I used to bicycle in 12F (sometimes as cold as -8F). I'd wear silk from head to toe (silk pants, shirt, balaclava and socks) then on top of that something to wick the sweat from my body and something to cut the wind. Never wear cotton was also a good rule. Obviously the layer to cut the wind is not a diving concern but I would suspect any bicycle team that bikes in the winter would have some good equipment for this sort of thing.

Darrell

Great minds think alike!
I used a similar layering system when I would cross-country ski or skijor with my dog in Alaska. Now that I am in Rhode Island, I can run my neighborhood year round. Wind whips around the ocean here too. Layering system remains in place, with fewer clothes in spring & summer.

 

[scubadiver888]

Great minds think alike!
I used a similar layering system when I would cross-country ski or skijor with my dog in Alaska. Now that I am in Rhode Island, I can run my neighborhood year round. Wind whips around the ocean here too. Layering system remains in place, with fewer clothes in spring & summer.

This is a good tip too. We have hundreds of stores that specialize in running. I bet they would have some good gear for keeping you warm as well.

I always like to have more than one place to shop. Now I have three (bicycle, running and scuba) for thermal protection clothing.

 

[bane51031]

I dive here in Iowa, we get an hour of bottom time in 36-40 degree water and I really have not gotten cold since I went to the Whites undergarments.The DUI's our dive team uses I was chilled on the second dive but, since buying my own I have not had a problem,bought them off Ebay from White's they were demos good price I thought. I also pitched my booties and wear 2 pairs of wool socks and the dry gloves keep my hands warm.

Welcome to the cold, I will say I much prefered diving last month in Florida. Went from diving in Iowa on Tuesday 40 degree water in a drysuit to diving in Florida on Saturday in a T shirt and shorts...........

 

[TeddyDiver]

With the shell suit, this is an option. With the neoprene, not so much.

Which is very personal matter after all. I'm the worst www around. Last saturday had some student in a pool sessession and I was completely comfortable with my 5mm neoprene dry suit in +26C water.