Neoprene Dry Suit question

[jepuskar]

I appreciate the points being brought up.

The dive before my 50 footer, I ended with about 900psi. I performed a check on the surface and felt I need a few pounds, so I added them. Maybe, being a new DS diver, I didnt have all the air out of my suit....I won't rule that out.

DA, you obviously have me on experience on this one, so I can't say much, but I am surprised that you can get away with only using your suit. I am going back on Saturday, as this has bugged me all week, and will perform another buoyancy check on the surface, as well as practice other things. I'm sure in a few months, I'll look back on this thread and laugh..hopefully I'll be able to provide some input to newer neoprene DS divers.

In my wetsuit, I couldnt get in the quarry till June last year...I'm a couple months ahead of the game this year and learning something new...so in the end, all is NICE.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

DA, you obviously have me on experience on this one, so I can't say much, but I am surprised that you can get away with only using your suit.

I am probably a little more cold tolerant thatn most, but my normal underwear this time of year (35-40 degree water temps) is a set of sweat pants and a polypropolene fleece sweat shirt. When the water warms a bit more, I'll switch to a t-shirt and light weight cotton sweat pants. When that gets too warm, I'll move to a 7mm semi-dry.

 

[jepuskar]

Sorry, I meant for buoyancy control....

Just curious, what kind of neoprene suit do you use and with a Aluminum 80, how much lead do you need?

J

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I have an XL sized 7mm O'Neil.

With double 72's, I use a total of 20 lbs counting the bands and backplate. (plus an extra regulator that adds another pound or so of weight.)

With a single 72, counting the back plate and STA, I dive with a total of 28 lbs of weight.

For a single AL 80, I need 4 more lbs of weight for a total of 32 pounds.

Double AL 80's require 28 lbs of weight counting the bands and backplate. (and again a pound or so from the extra reg.)

With a trilam I dove with 28 to 32 lbs with a single 72, depending on the underwear and how warm I wanted to be, so in my case the weight requirements are comparable with either style dry suit. In the past I saw divers with older neoprene suits with chest mounted exhaust valves that required over 40 lbs of weight due to the large amount of air that would remain trapped in the shoulder and back area as it was effectively above the exhaust valve. This was I suspect where neoprene suits got the reputation for being excessively bouyant, even though it was a function of poor valve placement

In comparison, with a 7mm one piece semi-dry I dive with about 14 lbs. with double 72's counting the BP and bands.

 

[jepuskar]

Thanks DA.

I know its on a individual basis, but I am coming in at around 34lbs, and thats with hood/gloves, and a pretty decent undergarment with a single 80.

Tomorrow, I don't think I am going to be able to shave much off of that, but I'll try. I'll try and get to some depth where I can play with this and pay more attention to how things go.

Look for an exciting trip report..LOL

 

[matt_unique]

.....but I am surprised that you can get away with only using your suit. I am going back on Saturday, as this has bugged me all week, and will perform another buoyancy check on the surface, as well as practice other things.....QUOTE]

You can use your suit only for buoyancy but with greater depths it is not practical. I used to do 90' dives using suit only but it was silly to have so much air in my suit. No sense in stressing the seams with that much air and it was easy to burp the air out. I now add only air to my suit so that I am comfortable and primarily manage my buoyancy with my wing or BC. My drysuit would become my primary buoyancy device should my wing fail (for the duration of the dive of course).

With neoprene you will always be heavy at depth. It's the nature of the beast but easily managed. That's why you need to concentrate on the weight required for you to be able to descend from the surface of course, and stop and ascend slowly from 20' to the surface. At depth you will just need more buoyancy from your devices to manage the weight.

--Matt

 

[ScubaFreak]

First of all, I don't know that anyone said they did.

Umm...ok...firstly, chill out. Secondly, the reason I made that point was for comparisons sake. A BC will lift you and control your buoyancy far better than a drysuit will.

If you want to add to the debate concerning dry suit vs BC for bouyancy control there are several other threads that follow that path.

I know, chances are I probably started them.

With neoprene dry suits you don't add air to stay ahead of the squeeze.You only need to add air to neoprene suits in an amount sufficient to fluff your thermals and trap a little air in them.

You obviously haven't dived in a CNX 2ml Compressed neoprene suit. Plenty of squeeze there my friend, but maybe you have, I can't tell from your detailed profile.

 

[jepuskar]

Matt,

I am hearing both sides to that argument and going with the BC seems like the way to go.

The other thing I have been looking into, is my BC only has 25lbs of lift, my wing..which I havent used yet with the drysuit has 28lbs... I am wearing about 34 lbs and my tank is 1.8lbs negative when full...so I am diving with 36lbs max with a BC with 25lbs of lift.

I bought the BC for a class I am taking, and getting a drysuit wasnt even an option at the time so I wasn't concerned with lift capacity. All is fine, unless I get a full flood and then it looks like I'll be trying to swim up my rig or ditch weight. I suppose I should look into getting a higher lift capacity BC and the 36# wing...IT NEVER ENDS!

 

[NauticalbutNice]

Ok I think I'm the only person on the board, and I prepare myself for a toasty flaming every time I do this, but I DO use my suit for buoyancy.

I've been down around 100+ feet (30ish metres) without any problems. I've only had air escaping from the neck seal with a stuck inflator hose, when my suit was over filled with air.

I think you must have been majorly overweighted, and I must admit I've never had a similar problem.

Whether or not you use your suit for buoyancy is up to you, and your preferences. But remember correct weighting is the KEY to diving, dry or otherwise.

Good luck and happy diving

Nauticalbutnice :fruit:

 

[jepuskar]

I added two lbs from the dive before and that was because after doing a check at the surface with 900psi, I was too positive.... That dive before at 25 feet, no issues, added minimal amounts of air to suit and this made me nuetral.

Adding two pounds can't make me extremely overweighted unless I was to begin with, which I would have know from the previous dives.

Whatever the cause, I will pay close attention and report my findings.