Learning to Dive Dry
- Thread starter Litefoot
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happy-diver
Skindiver Just feelin it
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Or take your time and be smart about it
My first set of undergarments were tights, tops, tracksuit, from the womens section of the supermarket for $20
Still got em still good still fit about to go back to to drysuit diving with a new suit and start wearing them again
My first set of undergarments were tights, tops, tracksuit, from the womens section of the supermarket for $20
Still got em still good still fit about to go back to to drysuit diving with a new suit and start wearing them again
Looks like Fourth Element is updating its Arctic line. You should be able to score decent pricing for the "now old" garments. Expect ~300USD per outfit. If you don't have two undersuits, you'll have to plan washing/drying.
Here is a hack - if you want high quality European undersuits, buy them from Europe to avoid the insane US markup. I regularly buy from Divelife.co.uk (I am not affiliated).
$300 - one piece undergarment: Fourth Element Mens Arctic One Piece Suit
Poke around the site and find separates at fairly decent prices.
Here is a hack - if you want high quality European undersuits, buy them from Europe to avoid the insane US markup. I regularly buy from Divelife.co.uk (I am not affiliated).
$300 - one piece undergarment: Fourth Element Mens Arctic One Piece Suit
Poke around the site and find separates at fairly decent prices.
XXXL, obviously. Same as everyone else.
Oh, you mean for undergarments... That's a good deal and I'm in the market for new undies. I'll need to see how I size up on 4E size charts!
Or as your wife told me a lot bigger than you
is there any place you could go to stay proficient besides the lake?
You're off to a good start getting made to measure suit. I struggled some with a used suit.. a M2M made a huge difference as it just dives better all around.
I don't use prep pads, never needed them. I know some swear by them... but @Boarderguy is probably just dirtier then the rest of us!
Jk.
I think you'll need 20 dives to really get into a groove with the ds. It just takes experience with all of it, p valve, catheter, the suit. Take it easy, don't force anything and you'll get there.
Good luck! Shame you're not closer.. I am near a quarry that's perfect for this sort of gear maintenance / practice diving.
When my drysuit came in, it was a few months into the pandemic, around May or June 2020. My little pandemic pod included my shore diving buddy, but it did not include any instructors. So, I taught myself how to dive in the drysuit. It's really not rocket science, just takes some planning and some getting used to.
As to the original question. My thinking about the P-valve at the time was maybe similar to yours, @Litefoot. I thought it would add complexity, and frankly I just didn't trust the thing. After a couple dives without it, felt comfortable enough to give it a shot. It turns out that the only hard part is figuring out how to route it so that the hose won't kink, and figuring out how to hook up to it without committing felony indecent exposure in the parking lot. Both of those can be figured out at home, and you've gotten some good advice in this thread already.
I did use the drygloves on my first dry dives, and it was fine. They really don't add any complexity to the dive, it's just another bit to put on before you splash. I would personally recommend diving without backup wrist seals, because they do add some complication, and really aren't needed for no-deco diving. Some dryglove systems make it easy to remove this seal, other ones are a PITA. The seal can be opened by wedging a piece of string in there after donning the suit. Doesn't take much, you just need it to no longer be airtight.
IMHO, it is not too complex to try either one of these on day 1. It's more a matter of feeling confident in the drysuit system as a whole. And, if you're not feeling confident in all the new moving parts, cutting out the P-valve, drygloves, or both might take the edge off. Pretty soon, you'll be comfortable with all of it, and will probably use it all on every dive. Best of luck.
As to the original question. My thinking about the P-valve at the time was maybe similar to yours, @Litefoot. I thought it would add complexity, and frankly I just didn't trust the thing. After a couple dives without it, felt comfortable enough to give it a shot. It turns out that the only hard part is figuring out how to route it so that the hose won't kink, and figuring out how to hook up to it without committing felony indecent exposure in the parking lot. Both of those can be figured out at home, and you've gotten some good advice in this thread already.
I did use the drygloves on my first dry dives, and it was fine. They really don't add any complexity to the dive, it's just another bit to put on before you splash. I would personally recommend diving without backup wrist seals, because they do add some complication, and really aren't needed for no-deco diving. Some dryglove systems make it easy to remove this seal, other ones are a PITA. The seal can be opened by wedging a piece of string in there after donning the suit. Doesn't take much, you just need it to no longer be airtight.
IMHO, it is not too complex to try either one of these on day 1. It's more a matter of feeling confident in the drysuit system as a whole. And, if you're not feeling confident in all the new moving parts, cutting out the P-valve, drygloves, or both might take the edge off. Pretty soon, you'll be comfortable with all of it, and will probably use it all on every dive. Best of luck.
Turning the topic back to gloves....
I don't dive really gold water--usually no more than the upper 50s (with an exception described below). Some years ago I ordered a dry glove system, and when it arrived, I looked at it and decided I didn't feel like installing it that day. That's the last time I looked at it. I have completed quite a few dives in the high 50s with everyday wetsuit gloves and not felt an issue with the hands.
I did dive in the Puget Sound at 46° F, wearing Whites MK3 undergarments (long time ago). I wore 5mm wetsuit gloves. At the end of a 60 minute night dive, I was sweating.
That undergarment is hanging in my closet right now--unused since then, in case you are interested. I still have the dryglove system in the box, too.
I don't dive really gold water--usually no more than the upper 50s (with an exception described below). Some years ago I ordered a dry glove system, and when it arrived, I looked at it and decided I didn't feel like installing it that day. That's the last time I looked at it. I have completed quite a few dives in the high 50s with everyday wetsuit gloves and not felt an issue with the hands.
I did dive in the Puget Sound at 46° F, wearing Whites MK3 undergarments (long time ago). I wore 5mm wetsuit gloves. At the end of a 60 minute night dive, I was sweating.
That undergarment is hanging in my closet right now--unused since then, in case you are interested. I still have the dryglove system in the box, too.
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