Semi-dry or thick wet?

[crosing]

I had a Mares Isotherm (semi dry) and dove in 39 - 41 degree water. It was tolerable but not warm.

I switched to a dry suit and that was like night and day, not just tolerable but coforatable and fun!

 

[RJP]

I'm usually right there with you on most of your posts. But this one I think is not exactly correct.

There's two obvious points you're not thinking through completely:

1. My main point was there's a difference between "cold doesn't bother me" and "I am impervious to the physiologic effects of cold"
2. If the OPs wife reads my post she'll let him buy a drysuit; if she reads your reply she wont.

 

[Sas]

With Diving you can not just sit there with arms folded well you could but wouldn't be a good dive.

No, I do this and don't find it impacts on my enjoyment of a dive. I cross my arms when I swim around and make sure that my armpits are pressed against my sides. It keeps me a lot warmer. I also press my thighs together whenever I am stopped as you lose a lot of heat from your groin as well.

I have to do this as these days unless I am swimming I am motionless in the water and I find I get a LOT colder these days, than when I used to need to fin to stay in position, or move my arms.

 

[a22shady]

As I am sure it could be done and your an example of someone that does it and practice's or just does and is used to it. For someone else attempting to do it in order to stay warm in a wetsuit to help endure the dive would be hard and very possibly not safe.

 

[Sas]

As I am sure it could be done and your an example of someone that does it and practice's or just does and is used to it. For someone else attempting to do it in order to stay warm in a wetsuit to help endure the dive would be hard and very possibly not safe. Although groin heat from cute scubagirl could be interesting...

Why would it be unsafe to cross your arms whilst diving?

 

[a22shady]

didn't measn unsafe just to cross your arms. I meant doing as a way to attempt to stay warm to prolong the dive. Not you perticularly but the earlier pst was going back to the marine that sat in the frozen water with his arms frozen and was able to maintain core temp

 

[Sas]

didn't measn unsafe just to cross your arms. I meant doing as a way to attempt to stay warm to prolong the dive. Not you perticularly but the earlier pst was going back to the marine that sat in the frozen water with his arms frozen and was able to maintain core temp

It can keep you warm longer, is my point. And there is a position at sea that one should do if lost at sea to keep warm. It involves crossing your arms with your hands resting on your shoulders, head out of the water, legs pressed together and crossed at the ankles. It's called the HELP position and is meant to delay hypothermia.

I know it is better to dive in exposure protection where you do not have to worry about getting cold. But some of my dives are in excess of two hours, in relatively warm water (20C) and I find I don't get cold if I do these things where if I don't I get colder and have to end my dives. I don't like wearing drysuits when the air temperature is well over 40C and the water is fairly warm.

 

[a22shady]

Lol... Or the O S**t save me

 

[Chris Horn]

Ok ok. You guys talked me into it. Its a rare post indeed when the majority agrees. I'll look into a used dry suit. Seriously though, thank you for your responses, they have been helpful.