Ice Diving Dry Suit?????

[over_board]

I will moving to northern NY and i want to get ice diving certified. I am looking around for the perfect dry suit for ice conditions. I would like to know what would be the best? I am new to dry suits as well i only tried a couple on so far the Whites Nexus 3 and there Fusion.

Thank you in advance for you help.

 

[Xaryo]

It can be done with a good wetsuit.

I know some who did and I intend to do it in wet suit to.

 

[JeffG]

It can be done with a good wetsuit.

I know some who did and I intend to do it in wet suit to.

Walking on fire and swallowing swords can be done too, but I don't recommend it for everyone.

Personally, I think ice diving in a wet suit is idiotic. But most ice diver do it once, to say they have "Been there...done that". Fine, but its not a real comfortable way of doing it.

I am looking around for the perfect dry suit for ice conditions. I would like to know what would be the best? I am new to dry suits as well i only tried a couple on so far the Whites Nexus 3 and there Fusion.

Its not the drysuit that matters. Its the undergarment. Either of those drysuits are fine. (with the right undergarments)

 

[dadediver]

Walking on fire and swallowing swords can be done too, but I don't recommend it for everyone.

Personally, I think ice diving in a wet suit is idiotic. But most ice diver do it once, to say they have "Been there...done that". Fine, but its not a real comfortable way of doing it.

Its not the drysuit that matters. Its the undergarment. Either of those drysuits are fine. (with the right undergarments)

Everybody has opinions. Diving wet is done quite a bit. Quite a few ice classes are taught in wet suits. Just because you dont agree with it, does not make a ice diver diving wet an idiot.

 

[over_board]

Its not the drysuit that matters. Its the undergarment. Either of those drysuits are fine. (with the right undergarments)

I do want comfort. i don't know if i could handle ice diving in a wetsuit. What kind of undergarment would you reccomend.
I was also looking at the Bares XCD2 i heard some things about using them for ice diving but the flexibility is not as good as the Fusion. But i am use to a wetsuit 7mm and there is not much flex is those either.

 

[JeffG]

Just because you dont agree with it, does not make a ice diver diving wet an idiot.

No, but it is a step in the right direction. But there were the key words "I think"...meaning it was my opinion and I stand by that.

 

[JeffG]

I do want comfort. i don't know if i could handle ice diving in a wetsuit. What kind of undergarment would you reccomend.
I was also looking at the Bares XCD2 i heard some things about using them for ice diving but the flexibility is not as good as the Fusion. But i am use to a wetsuit 7mm and there is not much flex is those either.

Weezle Extreme +
DUI 400gm

any of the other 400gm Thinsulate undergarments. Viking has one. There are others.

 

[over_board]

Weezle Extreme +
DUI 400gm

any of the other 400gm Thinsulate undergarments. Viking has one. There are others.

OK... so any dry suit with a thick undergarment (400gm) would do fine.
Would you recommend dry suit gloves with the locking wrist rings or a 7mil gauntlet?
Also what about hoods haven't looked much into them what would be the best for those extreme conditions?

 

[LGH]

Like JeffG said, pretty much any drysuit will do just fine as long as you have the proper undergarment. I use a 200gm Ursuit but when diving when it's really cold (as you will do when ice diving) I add a thin good full body "super" undergarment. I'd go for the 400gm undergarment if I had to do it all again.

Regarding gloves, I must say this: Go dry! At least to me they make wonders. I used 7mm gloves until quite recently when I got myself a set of Viking bayonet rings and both latex and vinyl gloves. The former are much more resistant to tear and wear but were a bit long for my short fingers, so I picked up a pair of blue vinyl "fisherman's gloves" at the local hardware store and fitted them instead. They work really well and provide better tactile sense that the thicker latex gloves. You can use double lining gloves if you're really cold or use very thin ones for summer diving in cool waters. And you can also dive with wet gloves or no gloves at all with the rings fitted since you still have the latex seal. There is a long thread somewhere in this forum section on the Viking bayonet rings if you want to read more.

An ice hood (commonly referred to as "gimp mask", for obvious reasons) is a great addition too. It can really help keeping your body temperature up, and it will limit the facial numbness you experience because of the chilling water. It is often a very inexpensive addition to your gear bag.

Oh, and one more thing on dry gloves. You seldom hear people using this as an argument, but when it's below freezing in between dives it really helps to have dry hands! Dry hands get warm quickly (just stuff them in your pockets or armpits) while wet hands take ages until they are even usable.

 

[Roko]

I used my Fusion for Ice diving.. Once nice thing about the fusion, is you can pack a lot of insulation, or very little insulation into it, and still fit in both cases.. For ice diving, I wore several layers of fleece (Haven't invested in a once piece suit yet) and was warm. In the summer, sometimes I just wear a fleece vest over long johns for diving when it's a tad cool for my 3/2mm wetsuit (I hate being cold). Other suits, depending on fit, it may become difficult to pack in a lot of extra insulation....