Peeing in a dry suit

[grf88]

Some years ago I heard the suggestion to stuff a Huggies down the front of your underwear as an alternative to adult diapers. I have done this for long cold water dives but have never had to use it, however it does provide some sense of security.

 

[Zef]

Assuming that your tanks are 232 bar, methinks that you've got to be diving rather shallow. Or that you have gills.

I just downloaded the dives from computer to my laptop to see what my stats are. It looks like my average depth across a recent range of dives is between 16-18 meters with max depth averaging between 25meters and 30meters.

I am diving a steel 12L cylinder with +/- 200 bar. Subsurface is indicating my SAC is averaging between 9 and 11 liters/min.

-Z

 

[Zef]

I just downloaded the dives from computer to my laptop to see what my stats are. It looks like my average depth across a recent range of dives is between 16-18 meters with max depth averaging between 25meters and 30meters.

I am diving a steel 12L cylinder with +/- 200 bar. Subsurface is indicating my SAC is averaging between 9 and 11 liters/min.

-Z

It would be interesting to know how much of my air consumption is related to the air I use in my drysuit. Perhaps I could throw an LP inflator hose on the reg I use on my pony bottle and use that for drysuit inflation for a few dives and see the difference in my sac rate.

-Z

 

[reddiver970]

Well, if you have decent undergarments, there's a fair chance that immersion diuresis is a lot less of an issue if you dive dry.

No matter what I do, when I dive wet I get some serious issues holding it when I get close to an hour run time. If I'm diving dry (which I usually do), I really have to mess up my limit-the-amount-of-coffee-and-and-make-sure-I-take-a-leak-before-zipping-up routine to have issues as long as my run time doesn't seriously exceed one hour.

Immersion diuresis has more to do with pressure changes and the kidneys than undergarments. Unless you can put a sweater on your kidneys, I will just stick with the simplicity that is a p-valve especially since I will do much longer dives than an hour. If it works for you though that's all that matters!

 

[broncobowsher]

Just because I have a pee valve doesn't mean I use it every time. But when I want it, you can't beat it. Could I survive without it, yes. But I am way more comfortable with it.

 

[laikabear]

I have a pee valve and I don't use it for just one dive. I can do a shore dive without it (even a long shore dive). But on a boat where we're going to be out all day and have 3 dives, I prefer the pee valve over trying to take the drysuit off between dives and use the head on the boat. It is a pain getting in and out of it, and it's really a difficult trying not to let the sleeves of the drysuit (or undergarment - mine is 1 piece) touch the floor in the head. I guess I could completely take off the drysuit between dives and also take off the undergarment and go in the head, then re-gear up, but it is warmer for me to just keep the drysuit zipped, inflate it with some air, and hang out on the surface interval without taking anything off.

With the She P I don't have to use the head all day, and at the end of the day I can choose whether to take it off or just wear it til I get home and take it off there. (It's kind of messy, can be done in the boat head but I prefer not to if it's not a super long day).

I guess guys can more easily use the head and so it's not an issue to take the drysuit half down at every surface interval. But then again I'm sure my wrist and neck seals are better off being put on and taken off once per day rather than 3 times.

Even for women (I'd argue the She P is a bit more intense than what the guys have to deal with) I think the effort is well worth it.

 

[helodriver87]

I can't get by without a P-valve. For stuff in the 2.5-3 hour range, it's an absolute necessity. But I still use it for shorter dives. It's gotten to the point that as soon as I zip into my drysuit, my body knows it's time to pee. Kinda like getting closer to your toilet when you get home.

 

[lexvil]

The pee valve is one of the best enhancements in my diving. The drysuit is a big step up from wet in the Monterey area I most often dive, the next best thing was dry gloves (actually the next best thing was getting rid of the antaries system and going with the Virgo) next in line is the freedom plate and perhaps the greatest move of all was the pee valve, drinking my normal amount of coffee is wonderful, staying completely hydrated through the day has pretty much eliminated leg cramps. Before the “valve” in an hour or so I would hit my RBT (remaining bladder time) and ending the dive became all encompassing to the point it was pretty much all I could think of, now I can easily do 1.5 + hour dives. It’s an adventure working out the bugs and finding the right catheter, Rochester wide band is where I ended up, order 10 of which ever you think will work and try them throughly before giving up and trying something else.

 

[admikar]

Gross, just Gross.

I've been diving in drysuits for almost 20 years and have yet to soil myself, nor met anyone who did. Unless you have an actual medical condition it's not going to be a problem. Just follow a few basic tips: 1) Stay hydrated but stop taking on fluid an hour before diving. 2) Visit the bathroom before zipping up the drysuit 3) Feel free to call the dive early due to Yellow Alert

Why would you soil yourself if you have a p-valve?
Re. n°3- no calling early if you have physical or virtual overhead.

Subsurface is indicating my SAC is averaging between 9 and 11 liters/min.

Congrats, you just made it to my s**t list!

Mods, can we add a poll on size statistic from members? Probably will be worthless one, but nevertheless.

 

[ScubaSam]

I live in the northeast and recently I have been thinking about a drysuit. I know that having one would definitely expand my diving opportunities. I started reading up on them and ran into several articles having to do with the valve/(ahem) condom connection. It sounds like it is uncomfortable, at best (especially the removal part, but a squeeze there is a possibility, too....ouch). Does anybody just drysuit dive wearing Depends? I know that I can't make it through any dive without peeing.

Thoughts?

Late to the thread so haven't read all the comments on this thread. I started my diving in the northeast when I lived in NYC and dove in a 7mm wetsuit. After the first season, I decided to get a drysuit so I could expand my local dive season, and my instructor (who knew I wanted to eventually get into technical diving and cave diving) told me get a P-valve put on my suit when I was ordering my suit. He said I'd need it to stay hydrated for the dives I would be doing.

The P-Valve (plus my She-P for the women divers) were the best investment to my diving after my drysuit purchase. I always have the P-valve connected when I'm diving dry regardless of how long or short the dive may be. With the exception of one buddy who prefers to wear diapers, all my drysuit buddies have a P-valve in their drysuit for the same reasons I do. I have a balanced P-valve so I don't get the squeeze you mentioned.

I enjoy the comfort of knowing I can stay hydrated and not worry about getting out of my gear and drysuit fast enough to hit the bathroom in time. Added benefit when I was diving an off the beaten path Mexican caves where there are no toilets in the wood/jungle. Also great for boat diving so I'm not being knocked around while I'm using "the head" on a boat.

Safe diving, everyone!