Tips for being warm in a drysuit?

[Juls64]

OK, I need a little help.

In a drysuit, when the water is like 39 degrees, I am warm in my drysuit. But I do get the ice cream headache thing while trying to descend. Also, I'm still in wet gloves and the hands kind of go numb by the end of the dive.

Any tips?

Julie

 

[Doc Intrepid]

Julie,

What type of drysuit do you own?

1. In some, such as DUI, there is a double layer of fabric on the torso such that a hood with a cowl, called a 'warm neck' hood, will fit on your head and allow the cowl part to be tucked in between the two layers of fabric.
While the name is rather obvious, this does prevent those trickles of cold water from entering your hood around the neck area. I find it a warmer option than drysuits that do not offer this feature.

2. Regardless of what type of drysuit you own, it is generally possible to have a 'dry hood' installed. Like most choices, these bring their own consequences - including the need for some sort of skullcap between the latex hood and your head. Viking makes one type, there are likely others.

3. A third option is a Henderson Ice Hood beneath your standard hood - bulky, but it covers most of your face and I found it definitely a plus when diving beneath ice. It will stop the ice cream headaches, but can cut down on peripheral vision and hearing. Be careful with this one in your kit if you use KY jelly to ease your wrist seals on, it makes you look like an escapee from Mistress Needra's Dungeon of Pain. Your buddy make give you a look.

4. Take a look at dry gloves. While there are drawbacks, they keep your hands much warmer in 39 degree water. Numb hands at the end of the dive can, under unfortunate circumstances, make it hard to do things that sometimes desperately need to be done. So, dry gloves are an investment in safety as well as comfort.

There are many threads on which dry gloves are better, etc. Basically the ones that fit you best are the best for you! Most importantly, make sure you can manipulate your valves wearing the gloves - some drygloves are thicker than others. Try before you buy. Many women on this board have them, and I'd contact a few of the women to find a set of rings and gloves that will work with your suit and your hands.

Hope this helps.

Doc

 

[Tractor Tom]

OK, I need a little help.

In a drysuit, when the water is like 39 degrees, I am warm in my drysuit. But I do get the ice cream headache thing while trying to descend. Also, I'm still in wet gloves and the hands kind of go numb by the end of the dive.

Any tips?

Julie

Julie,

I wear a Viking drysuit with an attached dryhood that I really like. If I'm careful how I put it on, my head is still dry after the dive, and very warm. If I'm not careful, the water seeps in slowly and I still stay warm. Under the dryhood I wear a cloth 'beenie' that fastens under the chin with some velcro. Very nice. As for the cold hands, I wear the Viking brand drygloves with wool liners. The rings are removable and there are lots of gloves available to wear with them. I sold a set to Mitten Diver at our get together at Gilboa and he seems happy with them. They are affordable, and I'll not go back to diving with wet gloves.

Much easier to enjoy your dive when you are warm and dry!

 

[DA Aquamaster]

There are several glove systems available with rings that install in your existing seals. The LDS I frequent sells a generic version for around $50.00.

I use a neck warmer sewn from 3mm neoprene. It is sized to fit my neck and averages about 2 inches in width but the top edged is shaped to fit the neck and is consequently a little higher in the back and a little lower in the front.

They are inexpensive and easy to make and provide warmth in the area below the hood if you do not have a suit that accomodates a warm neck style hood.

The other advantage is that it also holds the neck seal in place and prevents any leakage on the surface or when bending your neck too far forward.

Hood selection is important as you want the hood to cover any skin exposed above the mask. You could also consider a full face mask to keep your face warmer.

 

[diver_paula]

I switched hoods a few years ago and love it. It's a White's dry suit hood and has extra or thicker layers of neoprene for the ears and around the face. Has made quite a difference and is much warmer.

Paula

 

[DA Aquamaster]

Another thought on the dry suit hood (or any hood for that matter). Some of them don't have the nifty little vent in the top and can get a bad case of "Cone Head" if they trap air. This can then pull the hood up off your forehead a bit and leave some skin exposed. A small cut about 1/4" long in the right place will let any air vent without letting in enough water to make the hood cold.

A good fit is also important as if the hood is too large or too small it will be cold. Too loose a fit is what normally leads to excessive air trapping in the first place.

 

[Tractor Tom]

Another thought on the dry suit hood (or any hood for that matter). Some of them don't have the nifty little vent in the top and can get a bad case of "Cone Head" if they trap air. This can then pull the hood up off your forehead a bit and leave some skin exposed. A small cut about 1/4" long in the right place will let any air vent without letting in enough water to make the hood cold.

A good fit is also important as if the hood is too large or too small it will be cold. Too loose a fit is what normally leads to excessive air trapping in the first place.

My latex attached hood will trap VERY LITTLE air, and does not require a vent of any kind. To add one would allow water into the otherwise dry hood....

 

[Juls64]

My latex attached hood will trap VERY LITTLE air, and does not require a vent of any kind. To add one would allow water into the otherwise dry hood....

I have what I think is a pretty good hood. Its the Henderson Hyperstretch/Gold Core hood. It does have a vent in the top. Its hyperstretch so it fits snuggly all around, but its got gold core along the face and neck openings that help it to seal. I don't think there is much water transfer. It doesn't seem like it covers a lot of the face however. Maybe I should look at some that may cover a little more.

I think I'm just a wimp. :10: Not a big wimp, just a little one!

As for gloves, I'm sure I will go to dry ones. I just got the suit though and am getting used to it. I wanted to try to be as comfortable as possible in the mean time.

Thanks for everyones replys!

Juls

 

[DA Aquamaster]

My latex attached hood will trap VERY LITTLE air, and does not require a vent of any kind. To add one would allow water into the otherwise dry hood....

The advice only applies to neoprene "drysuit hoods" - not latex "dry hoods".

 

[MikeFerrara]

If you're getting an ice cream headache you might just need to make sure that the hood is covering your forhead above your mask. Pull the front of the hood down so that it covers the mask skirt.