So, I've been diving for two and a half years in Puget Sound. When I started, I did some research, and bought an undergarment I thought would work for me. I was cold. I added a vest. I was cold. I put polarfleece under the whole mess, and polypro, and I was cold. I bought a heated vest and a compressed neoprene drysuit, and I wasn't as cold.
I didn't want to replace the undergarment, because what I would move up to was SO expensive, and because of my size, I couldn't find anyone from whom to borrow one in order to find out whether it would be enough of a difference to merit the cost. So I kept piece-mealing the problems, until a friend (who was using the same undergarment I was, with vest) bought himself a DUI 400g jumpsuit and began to crow about it. AND he told me about the page on DUI's website where you can buy the seconds and demo models.
I went and looked, and there was a demo jumpsuit for $100. I wasn't willing to buy a new one, but I was willing to gamble $100 on the possibility that I would be significantly warmer. So I ordered it.
I did my first dive in it today. I was in the water for EIGHTY MINUTES, a good portion of it swimming very slowly, and I was NEVER cold. I had a dryglove leak and my hand was sopping wet (and it was cold) but that was the only part of me that was cold at all. Further, I got out of the water and stood by my car in the 42 degree breeze, with no hat on, and I didn't shiver. This is unprecedented.
I had only a thin polypro shirt and a pair of leggings on under the suit. I didn't increase my weight, and although I didn't get a chance to do the formal weight check I had planned, the behavior of my setup indicated that I was very close to correct. So I didn't pay a huge price in extra weight to get this additional warmth.
I wish I had done this two years ago.
Every time I've broken down and spent the money to upgrade my gear, I've found out it was worth doing. You'd think I'd learn
I didn't want to replace the undergarment, because what I would move up to was SO expensive, and because of my size, I couldn't find anyone from whom to borrow one in order to find out whether it would be enough of a difference to merit the cost. So I kept piece-mealing the problems, until a friend (who was using the same undergarment I was, with vest) bought himself a DUI 400g jumpsuit and began to crow about it. AND he told me about the page on DUI's website where you can buy the seconds and demo models.
I went and looked, and there was a demo jumpsuit for $100. I wasn't willing to buy a new one, but I was willing to gamble $100 on the possibility that I would be significantly warmer. So I ordered it.
I did my first dive in it today. I was in the water for EIGHTY MINUTES, a good portion of it swimming very slowly, and I was NEVER cold. I had a dryglove leak and my hand was sopping wet (and it was cold) but that was the only part of me that was cold at all. Further, I got out of the water and stood by my car in the 42 degree breeze, with no hat on, and I didn't shiver. This is unprecedented.
I had only a thin polypro shirt and a pair of leggings on under the suit. I didn't increase my weight, and although I didn't get a chance to do the formal weight check I had planned, the behavior of my setup indicated that I was very close to correct. So I didn't pay a huge price in extra weight to get this additional warmth.
I wish I had done this two years ago.
Every time I've broken down and spent the money to upgrade my gear, I've found out it was worth doing. You'd think I'd learn
