I'm just about to make my first dry suit purchase. It's going to be either the Bare ATR Light or the HD. My question is this. How necessary is a pee valve? Is it something I should have installed prior to my purchase? OR is a better investment the optional dry glove ring system? Unfortunatly I have that Italian disease right now; FUNDS-A-LOW. Any opinions on which is a must have before my purchase?
P Valves
- Thread starter taat2d
- Start date
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Dryglove
Contributor
I would say neither one is a must have, but sure are nice.If you arent doing long dives and dont have to goto the bathroom every five minutes get the dry gloves first.You will love dry gloves.I use diving concepts dry gloves and they work great.
I have been diving a p-valve for about 6 mos and still have a hard time urinating through that sucker.I always have this fear of the catheter falling off or the line being kinked and ...well you know...
It also feels weird urinating with the pressure effects and being weightless.I swear they need to put trees underwater so i can at least stand up against it so it seems more natural.... Also dont forget to shave and trim the appropriate areas and route the tubing correctly if you get a p-valve.Uncle pug use to give us directions on that.You might wanna pm him if you are interrested and see if he still has expert advice on p-valve routing and trimming.
Routing and trimming?? I had no idea there was more to that putting the cathetar on and going.. Now as far as the trees......... that would work out nicely.. Now is there a lil end sticking out of the suit for you to jiggle the last few drops? LOL
Now is there a lil end sticking out of the suit for you to jiggle the last few drops? LOL
Dryglove
Contributor
taat2d once bubbled...
Routing and trimming?? I had no idea there was more to that putting the cathetar on and going.. Now as far as the trees......... that would work out nicely..
Now thats funny
It really hurts when certain hairs get caught up in the adhesive of the catheter especially when taking it off....ouch.Gives me the shivers just thinking about it.Thats where a proper shave and trim job come in handy.Kinda like getting lil jimmy caught in a zipper ;-0 ,well not quite that bad but you get the hint...... I drove all the way home with one on cause it just hurt to bad to take off.When i got home i used some scissors to cut it off.....the cather that is...ut:For my money, it would be the P-valve. It lets me have a longer dive in greater comfort. Imagine a 90 minute dive without a p-valve....
OTOH, if I were diving <45F water consistently, I think I'd go with drygloves first...if three-finger mitts didn't work out.
For me, I dive singles exclusively...well, for the forseeable future. And I dive a Steel 100 - and I usually get from 40 - 60 minutes on one - unless I'm lobstering...then its high-O(2)ctane mix in the shallows for days.
I hydrate, and in about 20 drysuit dives to date, I've never had to end a dive early to go.
If you're a deco guy, dive a 127, a gas sipper or have chick blatter, I can see ever needing a PV with a single.
But that's just me. YAMMV
PS: thank you every for sharing the intense details of pre-installation grooming and use. I splatted a diet-pepsi on my screen and out my nose...what a sight! TMI, folks. Wifie came running in...I had to explain. Yeah - that was fun.
:bah:
I hydrate, and in about 20 drysuit dives to date, I've never had to end a dive early to go.
If you're a deco guy, dive a 127, a gas sipper or have chick blatter, I can see ever needing a PV with a single.
But that's just me. YAMMV
PS: thank you every for sharing the intense details of pre-installation grooming and use. I splatted a diet-pepsi on my screen and out my nose...what a sight! TMI, folks. Wifie came running in...I had to explain. Yeah - that was fun.
:bah:
I didn't realize how the cathater stayed on. It makes sense I guess it would probaly slide of otherwise. Right now I'm diving a single tank. I think I'm gonna go with the P valve first.......just in case. With my luck once I hit the water I'll have to pee. Who's that guy? MURPHY?? Me and him don't exactly see eye to eye with certain things.
Dryglove
Contributor
taat2d once bubbled...
I didn't realize how the cathater stayed on. It makes sense I guess it would probaly slide of otherwise. Right now I'm diving a single tank. I think I'm gonna go with the P valve first.......just in case. With my luck once I hit the water I'll have to pee. Who's that guy? MURPHY?? Me and him don't exactly see eye to eye with certain things.
Actually there are catheters without adhesive but i wouldnt trust them to stay on.I tried about 5-6 different brands till i found one i really liked then i bought a hundred of them.Some of them just plain suck.Unfortunate for me they dont make a size XXX-LG
Yea i know dream on ;-0 
Dectek
Guest
Depends...If you do not do the long deco dives and you find that you usually do not have to pee even while diving wet..... Don a pair of depends for just in case. Beats giving a DNA sample after every dive because you might use the valve one out of 20 or 30 dives. Find out what the norm is with your bodily functions before adding the valve.
just my .02
just my .02
Dryglove
Contributor
Whoa dude.I figure i'll be wearing those things when im old.I definitely dont want to start now.Just the thought of wearing a diaper....yuk.
I draw the line at the catheter,no way im wearing adult pampers. Similar threads
