I'm COLD!!!

[SPKelpDiver]

Ok, so I am wearing a Bearskin Semi-dry wetsuit, I love the way the thing fits and looks. Its 7mm in the chest and 5mm in the arms and legs, it has a built in hood and double seals on the wrists and ankles. I was wearing a 6.mm farmer john and it was great to eliminate some neoprene and weight. The owner of Pacific Wilderness told me it looked like it was a custom fit wetsuit. I have talked to a few other people who have worn this thing and they like it, it even got a great review in California Diving News. On top of all that its the wetsuit used by the LAPD port police. I was told it may be TOO MUCH for the warmer months, however I have been cold all 4 times I have had used it. 3 times at marineland I have been cold in 54-57 degree water, and than I use it yesterday at Malaga, the water is only 61 and I am cold after 25 minutes! The reason is water flow, despite the seals on the wrists and ankles, I still feel water flow. The first dive I didn't tuck in the gloves or boots, so I figured the water flow was due to that. So on dives 2 and 3 I tucked it in, it seemed a little better, but by the time we got to the portion of reef I wanted to see I was cold. Yesterday at Malaga, I felt water rushing up my legs to my crotch every time I kicked, it got to where I didn't want to move as to cause more cold water moving around. Its hanging over me now, I don't want to plan any boat/Catalina trips till I know I am going to be warm. I would appreciate some advice, I want to dive through the winter, and this will be my first winter scuba diving. I never got half as cold free diving, and I didn't anticipate this. I am thinking about just biting the bullet and going drysuite.

 

[Beachlover]

Ok, so I am wearing a Bearskin Semi-dry wetsuit, I love the way the thing fits and looks. Its 7mm in the chest and 5mm in the arms and legs, it has a built in hood and double seals on the wrists and ankles. I was wearing a 6.mm farmer john and it was great to eliminate some neoprene and weight. The owner of Pacific Wilderness told me it looked like it was a custom fit wetsuit. I have talked to a few other people who have worn this thing and they like it, it even got a great review in California Diving News. On top of all that its the wetsuit used by the LAPD port police. I was told it may be TOO MUCH for the warmer months, however I have been cold all 4 times I have had used it. 3 times at marineland I have been cold in 54-57 degree water, and than I use it yesterday at Malaga, the water is only 61 and I am cold after 25 minutes! The reason is water flow, despite the seals on the wrists and ankles, I still feel water flow. The first dive I didn't tuck in the gloves or boots, so I figured the water flow was due to that. So on dives 2 and 3 I tucked it in, it seemed a little better, but by the time we got to the portion of reef I wanted to see I was cold. Yesterday at Malaga, I felt water rushing up my legs to my crotch every time I kicked, it got to where I didn't want to move as to cause more cold water moving around. Its hanging over me now, I don't want to plan any boat/Catalina trips till I know I am going to be warm. I would appreciate some advice, I want to dive through the winter, and this will be my first winter scuba diving. I never got half as cold free diving, and I didn't anticipate this. I am thinking about just biting the bullet and going drysuite.

Try taking the suit back to Pac Wilderness and ask Jeff to look at the suit and check out the wrist and ankle seals. Maybe the suit is defective. I personally dive with a 7mm Bare wetsuit and very rarely get cold in it. Good luck!

 

[Noboundaries]

What are you wearing under it next to your skin? If nothing but a bathing suit, consider the following: A lycra skin won't help much with warmth. Get a heavier polyolefin skin (or something similar) that ads 1-1.5mm of warmth without the restriction. It'll add some warmth to your 5mm legs/arm. You can also add a 2-3mm non-hooded vest over the skin. Won't help with the legs/arms, but will with the core.

I'm also wondering if anyone has every tried layering under a skin/wetsuit with the skin tight, high-tech Smartwool Merino thermal underwear. Pinnacle has a Merino-lined wetsuit. Seems like you could add a layer of Merino thermal underwear which keeps you warm even when wet. I've used a looser fitting pair for long-distance motorcycle riding. I stayed toasty warm while layered in sub-30 degree weather and in all day/night rain showers that had me soaked to the skin. Just might have to try experimenting with a tighter fitting set for diving in cold water under my polyolefin skin and 7mm fws.

 

[SPKelpDiver]

What are you wearing under it next to your skin?

Nothing but some boxer briefs to avoid an accidental fruitbowl incident while changing in the parking lot on a busy day.

Try taking the suit back to Pac Wilderness and ask Jeff to look at the suit and check out the wrist and ankle seals. Maybe the suit is defective. I personally dive with a 7mm Bare wetsuit and very rarely get cold in it. Good luck!

I should do that, but I really don't think it is a defective suite, the seals are tight, the seams look ok, but I am sure Jeff could tell better than I could.

 

[SPKelpDiver]

Will adding that extra material under my suit affect my weighting much? I just got it dialed in with this wetsuit which is why I didn't want to go back to a farmer john. Plus I needed so much weight with that thing plus an aluminum tank (that will change soon).

 

[Beachlover]

You could try wearing a thin lycra suit under your wetsuit.They are so thin that it should'nt affect your weighting, but it could help to keep you warmer.

 

[SPKelpDiver]

Ok I will try that. So with those ankle and wrist seals am I supposed to be tucking in my gloves and boots? When I was first cold it started in my hands and moved up my arms, so I figured it might be my gloves. I have 3mm gloves, which is something else I am going to upgrade soon and I am sure it will help some, but it probably won't solve the problem considering that I was cold yesterday due to water flow in my legs and crotch. I have 7mm boots so its not like I am getting cold first in the feet which is eventually causing my legs to get cold. it is strictly to much water flowing. Really frusterating, it literally is ruining my dives.

 

[mikeguerrero]

SPkelpdiver,

Let me try to give you some advice based on my experience. I've been diving just one year and have 49 dives to my belt all Monterey between 48-58 degrees...

I dive Pinnacles and the suit I dive is a three piece combo and I think that is what you need. Let me explain:

I put on a 3mm hooded vest that gives my chest 3mm of warmth and with my hood attaching giving me 7mm. Then I slip into a very thin 3mm heated torso which adds warmth to my chest and my groin. Then I put on my jumpsuit which is 7mm all over from legs to hands.

I match that with a 6mm boot and a 4mm glove; the suit is layered with Merino linning a natural type of wool...

Since the suit is very stretchy it's the elastiprene material I don't feel restricted at all...

I get super cold normally I'm a cold type of person that doesn't enjoy cold dives; the Pinnacles can give me one full one hour dive super warm from entry to very end, in fact I end dives steamming at the head when I remove my hood. I can do a second dive comfortable not cold just a slighty chill towards the end of the dive. Dive number three I'm cold at the end of the dive for sure.

I am now a owner of the DUI CLX450 drysuit but I'm happy I learned how to dive while under a wetsuit the learning in my opinion is much easier. Remember that the key to any wetsuit is water movement if it moves around you get what you are experiencing. My three piece suit is stellar in this equation.

Anyway back to your suit; I think if you add a heated torso heater at 3mm it will stop the leakage from moving in your body while not costing you any more bulk vs the farmer john types of suits.

Go to this website:

Pinnacle Aquatics

Take a look and read how it works, it's cheap and will get the job down, trust me I know, I've dove it and it's not expensive to add to your setup. It will work under any type of wetsuit that is not Pinnacles.

Best of luck to you...

MG

 

[Beachlover]

Ok I will try that. So with those ankle and wrist seals am I supposed to be tucking in my gloves and boots? When I was first cold it started in my hands and moved up my arms, so I figured it might be my gloves. I have 3mm gloves, which is something else I am going to upgrade soon and I am sure it will help some, but it probably won't solve the problem considering that I was cold yesterday due to water flow in my legs and crotch. I have 7mm boots so its not like I am getting cold first in the feet which is eventually causing my legs to get cold. it is strictly to much water flowing. Really frusterating, it literally is ruining my dives.

I wear my gloves over my wetsuit wrists and my wetsuit legs pulled over my boots.This works for me and it seems to be how most other divers wear their gear. Is your suit a back or front zipper? Could you possibly have a small tear/hole somewhere in your suit that is letting the water in? Maybe your zipper is'nt closing all the way.

 

[SPKelpDiver]

SPkelpdiver,

Let me try to give you some advice based on my experience. I've been diving just one year and have 49 dives to my belt all Monterey between 48-58 degrees...

I dive Pinnacles and the suit I dive is a three piece combo and I think that is what you need. Let me explain:

I put on a 3mm hooded vest that gives my chest 3mm of warmth and with my hood attaching giving me 7mm. Then I slip into a very thin 3mm heated torso which adds warmth to my chest and my groin. Then I put on my jumpsuit which is 7mm all over from legs to hands.

I match that with a 6mm boot and a 4mm glove; the suit is layered with Merino linning a natural type of wool...

Since the suit is very stretchy it's the elastiprene material I don't feel restricted at all...

I get super cold normally I'm a cold type of person that doesn't enjoy cold dives; the Pinnacles can give me one full one hour dive super warm from entry to very end, in fact I end dives steamming at the head when I remove my hood. I can do a second dive comfortable not cold just a slighty chill towards the end of the dive. Dive number three I'm cold at the end of the dive for sure.

I am now a owner of the DUI CLX450 drysuit but I'm happy I learned how to dive while under a wetsuit the learning in my opinion is much easier. Remember that the key to any wetsuit is water movement if it moves around you get what you are experiencing. My three piece suit is stellar in this equation.

Anyway back to your suit; I think if you add a heated torso heater at 3mm it will stop the leakage from moving in your body while not costing you any more bulk vs the farmer john types of suits.

Go to this website:

Pinnacle Aquatics

Take a look and read how it works, it's cheap and will get the job down, trust me I know, I've dove it and it's not expensive to add to your setup. It will work under any type of wetsuit that is not Pinnacles.

Best of luck to you...

MG

I appreciate the advice Mike, I actually was strongly considering a Pinnacle as my next suite, I think it was the kodiak I was interested in. 8mm in body 6mm in arms and legs. But I am going to try your advice out before I go that route.

I wear my gloves over my wetsuit wrists and my wetsuit legs pulled over my boots.This works for me and it seems to be how most other divers wear their gear. Is your suit a back or front zipper? Could you possibly have a small tear/hole somewhere in your suit that is letting the water in? Maybe your zipper is'nt closing all the way.

I think you may be onto something, the times I have been colder I did not use any powder to help me slip into the suit and make sure it is fully on and up. it may have been that there was a gap between my body and the suite in the crotch area, which pulled the whole suit down and caused water flow.The zipper is across the chest.