Question about weighting in a thick suit

[TexasKaren68]

I'm seriously thinking of returning my hooded vest. It feels VERY uncomfortable on, and I think I almost died of heat stroke trying my new wetsuit and vest on at home where it's 75 degrees. Heaven only knows what danger lies ahead putting that stuff on outside where it's 90 degrees. I don't think I'll be able to get in the water fast enough to avoid dying of the heat on the lakeshore

I guess the good part about that is I'll need less weight if I go buy a hood at my LDS tomorrow, and forget about the hooded vest. Probably overkill anyway.

 

[James R]

I personally find that a hooded vest is far more comfortable and warmer in the water which is where it matters most. I do not like just a hood unless it's a drysuit hood, which to me anyway, fit differently than hoods made to go with a wetsuit. Hard to say how your situation will play out b/c until you get in the water with it all on it's all a guess. Did you put the hooded vest under or over your full suit? I prefer it to be under but some people like them over. Try it both ways maybe.

Remember you can easily put your gear together then put on your exposure protection, get in the water for a minute to cool off/get water in your suit/etc then go back and get your gear - if your instructor is being cool anyway - so you don't stand around in full gear waiting & roasting.

 

[spectrum]

I'm seriously thinking of returning my hooded vest. It feels VERY uncomfortable on, and I think I almost died of heat stroke trying my new wetsuit and vest on at home where it's 75 degrees. Heaven only knows what danger lies ahead putting that stuff on outside where it's 90 degrees. I don't think I'll be able to get in the water fast enough to avoid dying of the heat on the lakeshore

I guess the good part about that is I'll need less weight if I go buy a hood at my LDS tomorrow, and forget about the hooded vest. Probably overkill anyway.

Karen, speaking from experience don't let your out of the water experience discourage you. A suit that serves you well in cold water will be hot in the house. Been there, tried that.

Bring some bottles of tap water with you. When I start getting warm, either before or after donning my BC I will pour a liter of ambient water down my collar. This forms a magnificent heat sink. It also charges your suit with relatively warm water which discourages the inevitable entry of cold water. My wife and I dive similar suits frequently with surface temperatures in the 80's. Not a problem even with a significant walk to the water.

Your hood can stay back until you're ready to do gloves & mask at the last minute.

Once in the water the suit will settle into place even better and you shouldn't even know it's there.

Pete

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

Why is that silly?

...

It wasn't that hard of a question.

Your right; lost track of the question!

but what do y'all think would be a good starting weight to try?

 

[Frosty]

hey folks howsabout a betting pool on how much weight karen's gonna need ??

I can't do pounds but by my figuring in fresh with a good fitting 7mm she's gonna need 10kg

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

hey folks howsabout a betting pool on how much weight karen's gonna need ??

I can't do pounds but by my figuring in fresh with a good fitting 7mm she's gonna need 10kg

1 KG = 2.2Lbs.
So, 10 KG = 22 Lbs.

I say 11 KG = 24.2 Lbs.

 

[TexasKaren68]

hey folks howsabout a betting pool on how much weight karen's gonna need ??

I can't do pounds but by my figuring in fresh with a good fitting 7mm she's gonna need 10kg

Sorry to have to change things, but my 7mm and hooded vest just didn't fit as well as I want them to, so they're being returned and I'm ordering a different size (needs to be taller for some strange reason). If the new ones arrive this week, I should be able to get out for another lake dive the weekend after next.

After a trip to my LDS to pick up tanks, weights, and discuss my wetsuit options we decided that I'll rent a hooded vest (hate it, but it fits) to wear under my 3mm full and 3mm shorty. So, I'm going for the crazy layered look tomorrow with 9mm at my core, and 3mm for my lower legs and arms. I shouldn't be down in the really really cold water for more than a few minutes - just long enough to do a math problem or whatever my instructor has me do for the deep dive skills. After that I should be in warmer water (70+) for the other dives.

I hate the hooded vest with a passion and I haven't even been diving in it yet, but it was so hard to get off. My nose got smooshed.

 

[Blue Sparkle]

I've recently bought a hooded vest and I'm thinking of modifying it slightly.

First of all, I rented one last year that was easy to take on and off, but that's because it was only 1mm and was also a bit large on me. The new one is 2mm body/5mm hood.

I've tried a few on in stores that basically fit, but yeah, what a pain to get on and off! Add in grippy hair and it's just worse.

But then.... I saw one out in a store that had a zipper up one side, basically from the bottom hem to the armpit. That one didn't fit me but I could tell the zipper would make it a LOT easier to get on and off. Yeah, the neck hole would still be small (and I would not want to break that "seal" by having the zipper go there), but I still think that without that whole bottom tightness bit, it would be much more pleasant to don and doff.

If wearing under a full suit, then the slight "leakage" of a zipper should be tolerable, I would think.

I used to make my own wetsuits for kayaking (back before you could buy thin ones), and we just glued regular YKK type plastic zippers in with neoprene cement. Worst case scenario, I will take the zipper out and just butt glue the vest back together.

I haven't done this yet, mind you, but I'm thinking it will get serious consideration as an upcoming project. I have just a hood with neck flap as a fallback.

Just a thought.

Blue Sparkle

 

[TexasKaren68]

Hope this works - see attachment (if you dare)

 

[xyrandomyx]

I'm seriously thinking of returning my hooded vest. It feels VERY uncomfortable on, and I think I almost died of heat stroke trying my new wetsuit and vest on at home where it's 75 degrees. Heaven only knows what danger lies ahead putting that stuff on outside where it's 90 degrees. I don't think I'll be able to get in the water fast enough to avoid dying of the heat on the lakeshore

I guess the good part about that is I'll need less weight if I go buy a hood at my LDS tomorrow, and forget about the hooded vest. Probably overkill anyway.

Make sure you take something to drink. It's not unusual here (in summer) to have air temperatures of 95 degrees and bottom temperatures of 45 degrees. It makes wet suits very uncomfortable and I think dehydration's a pretty real risk (especially for shore dives with a long, gear-loaded trudge from the parking lot to the entry point). On the upside, the cold rush as you hit the water is more of a relief than a shock to the system.