Too Much Air in Drysuit Feet

[lowviz]

You need to exhaust the air from your drysuit before you enter the water. Hydroglove tip # 1 evacuate air from the suit before you enter the water. - YouTube-

In your case, open the valve, cross your arms over your chest, get into a squat position and squeeze the air out of the suit. Close the valve. Stand up and you should feel a similar squeeze as seen in the vid above. Try this before you buy anything.

 

[divad]

+1 for filling up the boots with socks. I started doing this last winter using 2 pairs (one smaller, one larger) of fleece socks with a pair of heavy merino wool hiking socks in between, from EMS. The thick wool "terry"( looped plush) inside stays fluffy and the high, fluffy, ankle worn over the undergarment really filled the air gap @ the ankle. Warm to 44 degrees (for a while). They were fairly cheap on sale. If you don't like them for diving, you can just go take a hike.

 

[Michael Guerrero]

Thanks guys.

Lowviz, I do empty all the air in the suit before I start. It's during the dive that it's a problem.

evad, problem with putting more stuff on my feet inside the boot is it makes the boots very tight and uncomfortable when I'm not in the water.

I don't think the size if the boots is a problem. If anything, they are a little too small. I'll report back when I have the fin keepers and gaiters. Could just be that my technique sucks and that I need to trim a little more head-up with either the suit or wing. Just sucks not being able to go head down to look at stuff or go into things.

I may just end up getting it modified to use those soft attached socks, and wear some converse or something over them.

 

[3D diver]

You need to exhaust the air from your drysuit before you enter the water. Hydroglove tip # 1 evacuate air from the suit before you enter the water. - YouTube-

In your case, open the valve, cross your arms over your chest, get into a squat position and squeeze the air out of the suit. Close the valve. Stand up and you should feel a similar squeeze as seen in the vid above. Try this before you buy anything.

Keep your knees together in a lady-like fashion when you squat---I had to replace my first Viking (under warranty) due to a crotch seam leak 'cause I didn't.

Managing the amount of air in your suit is important, of course. As you work into shallower water at the end of your dive some venting is needed and a little foot poofy-ness will occur. I've experienced this in my Viking too, but never so bad I feared losing a fin. Fortunately we have lots of kelp hereabouts so, during the latter half of my dive, I occasionally stop, grab some kelp, assume a vertical orientation and vent my suit.

 

[divad]

Thanks guys.



evad, problem with putting more stuff on my feet inside the boot is it makes the boots very tight and uncomfortable when I'm not in the water.

Then just use the wool socks. The loop pile is as compressible as it is fluff-able. (sp)

 

[lowviz]

...//... If you want to tell me to improve my technique, manage the bubble better, and not let air in my feet then consider it already said and that there's no need to post it. ...//...

I know that I'm in violation of the OP, but I'm also pretty sure that this is your real problem.

...//... I do empty all the air in the suit before I start. It's during the dive that it's a problem. ...//...

Then you are adding air to the suit. The air will go to your feet when you invert. Gaiters will slow down the process both ways. It will also become hard to dump air from your feet when you need to.

...//... I need to trim a little more head-up with either the suit or wing. ...//...

Use only the wing/BC, it has a rear dump, and try redistributing your weight if possible.

...//... Just sucks not being able to go head down to look at stuff or go into things. ...//...

No reason that you can't, you just have to do this a bit more carefully when using a drysuit. Try venting your suit about 15' above where you want to invert then use only your wing/BC for buoyancy control.

 

[mdb]

There is option:Apollo Sports: Dive Gear: Drysuits: Bio-Pro Drysuit

 

[Michael Guerrero]

Yeah, have to add air to the suit during the dive for the squeeze and insulation.

I dive cold water, and the suit sucks up enough gas just keeping myself warm, so I probably won't dump the gas out of it. If the fin keepers can keep the boots compressed and the gaiters can keep limited air moving to my calves/feet, I'll be happy.

If not, I'll just get the nylon socks put on and get some unexpandable boots.

 

[Michael Guerrero]

Just wanted to thank everyone for the suggestions. The fin keepers and gaiters worked well. But...now the boots have a pin hole in them. I think I'm just going to cut the boots off and put some socks on them. I still plan to wear the gaiters and keepers though.