Pre-warming a wetsuit

[parrothead600]

Last May, my daughter & I completed our OW training. The lake we dove in was cold, so our instuctor had us pour a 2 litre bottle of warm water in our wetuits prior to the dive. I was told by a different dive shop that this can make you colder because tha warm water will open the pores in your skin & allow the cold water that does enter your suit to "penetrate" your skin farther, thereby making you colder after a while.
Any thoughts on this?

 

[Walter]

It's an excellent technique in cold water.

 

[MSilvia]

I was told by a different dive shop that this can make you colder... Any thoughts on this?

Yeah. I think someone's trying to sell you a thicker wetsuit.

Despite the advice you got from the dive shop, warming yourself up does not make you colder.

 

[fdog]

Wet suits are wet. The water outside the suit will eventually make it in, where it will be warmed by your body.

If you did nothing, and hopped into the water, the initial water would be cold, and you will lose body heat.

When you pour in the warm water, it fills the suit, and (assuming you poured in body temp water) your initial water in the suit will cost you no body heat.

Hmm.

Although it is true that a good-fiitting wet suit will reduce the water intrusion, and keep you warmer, I would echo Matt...someone wants to make a sale...

All the best, James

 

[Goose75]

I'm sure the medical folks will chime in with the details but basically warming your skin does allow for more blood flow that gives the opportunity(key word) for more heat transfer. When it is cold, then blood flow in that area and your extremities is decreased while the body focuses on the core to keep your vital temperature constant. The reason some pour warm water in the suit is to prevent the big shock when you jump in. Plus your body didn't have to work as hard to warm the water that is in the suit. I suspect that cold water in the suit is a greater heat loss than starting with warm water, unless your suit fits poorly. If your suit fits well the water won't move through the suit quickly in which case there isn't allot of heat transfer after it reaches a stable temperature.

I'll be interested what the medical folks have to say.

It's not an uncommon practice. A search of forums on cold diving gave this:
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=97124&highlight=cold+water+diving

If you want tips on cold water diving there are a host of others, first cold dives are common questions on the board.

 

[Wayward Son]

We do it all the time, it's great.

 

[bradshsi]

It works really well, especially for 2nd dives when your wetsuit is otherwise cold and wet. It makes no sense to use your precious body heat warming up a large chunk of rubber, when you can get some outside help.

Putting on the wetsuit in a warm shower also works (if there is one available).

 

[melle]

I do it too... it works great.
Put on the suit. Fill up the booties and put them on, and then the suit. Lovely!

I agree about the pores, and stuff... but my suit fits well, so I get into the water much less cold than without the warm water.

But, I do think that the water poored in should not be too warm! Otherwise you will have a cooling down sensation when the water is cooled off to bosy temp.

I have a semi-dry suit, and dive in 40-50F.

Melle

 

[STOGEY]

Sometimes a lttle natural radiator fluid from the body helps a litle as well. It may not last as long as some other techniques, but once your in the water your body will heat itself up.

 

[scubajoh44]

DandyDon showed me how to do it. I thought it was WONDERFUL! And it worked great! I was deffinately NOT colder!