Undergarments ???

[tech3324]

I have been in 38 degree water for 40 mins and only my hands get cold.

Was that in a neoprene drysuit?

 

[Basking Ridge Diver]

Was that in a neoprene drysuit?

No sorry - did not realize it was a neoprene topic - but I would imagine it would be the same since it is a base layer.
I own a D1 Waterproof dry suit.

 

[tech3324]

No sorry - did not realize it was a neoprene topic

No, not a neoprene topic at all.

I was just curious because I'm considering a neoprene for my next suit and wondering if they are inherently warmer than trilam. So I've been asking, that's all. So far the answer seems to be no increased warmth with the thin (2-4mm) neoprene suits.

 

[KevinNM]

Crushed neoprene, very little if any. Regular neoprene suits are supposed to be fairly warm, at least in shallow water. But I've never actually dove either.

 

[Storker]

I'm considering a neoprene for my next suit and wondering if they are inherently warmer than trilam.

Compressed neoprene and regular neoprene is noticeably warmer than trilam, crushed neoprene is not.

 

[KathyIGH]

Hi Mainedvr - this is Kathy Long with DUI. I came across your post. Love the responses. On the Thinsulate insulation question.

We have a post on our website - I swear I didn't pee in my drysuit. It talks about the condensation issue which has been mentioned in the thread. It's up at DOG TRICKS: I swear I didn't pee in my drysuit... - DUI Online - drysuits

You also mention about the bunching up of the Polartec when donning.

DUI's Thinsulate garments have the slick outside shell and are cut much looser (since the Thinsulate does not stretch). Making it easy to put on...and slick to pull your drysuit over.

Divers vary greatly in their activities and thermal insulation needs. A marco photographer in general would need more insulation for diving comfort than say a diver covering a lot of ground. Multiple dives in a day, etc.

Thinsulate will not absorb water/perspiration and lose insulation while diving.

Some divers dive in pretty severe topside weather. The Polartec garments the wind just blows through while garments with a shell are much warmer on the surface.

One last thing to consider - drysuit diving offers options. When diving a wetsuit the option is pretty much to wear it or not. With a drysuit you get to decide what insulation you need for 'each' dive. Having a variety of options/layers allows to meet the your temperature needs.

Have fun with your drysuit!

Kathy

 

[Storker]

I own a D1 Waterproof dry suit.

Waterproof D1, that's the one with the built-in undersuit, isn't it? If so, I take back my strong recommendation of a Thinsulate undersuit unless you're diving in really cold (as in "only a few degrees above freezing") water.

I have a conventional trilam suit, a D7. Conventional trilams have about as much insulation properties as a raincoat, and for those a good, thick, cozy undersuit (preferably Thinsulate) is very nice when the water's cold.

EDIT: And it's time for another of my anecdotes. I still remember one dive not too far from home. We were between half a dozen and a dozen divers at the site that day. A lovely day, BTW. We'd brought sausages and other stuff to barbecue after the dive. Nice warm (~15C and sun) weather, balmy (almost 10C) water. I'd just surfaced and climbed ashore when another buddy pair surfaced. One of those guys was so effing darned cold that he wasn't even able to climb up on land. We had to haul him up on land and also had to help him kitting down since he wasn't able to take off the gear himself. He was blue and shivering, quite hypothermic. Fortunately, we had brought a couple of blankets to sit on while grilling the sausages, so we immediately wrapped him up in them. The blankets, the sun and a few cups of warm beverage that we fed him managed to thaw the poor guy up in half an hour to an hour.

Now, this guy was a n00b, and he was diving a club suit. Quite decent suit, trilam. Problem was, he didn't have a proper undersuit, just normal long underwear. Also, he obviously hadn't taken to heart the slogan about how anyone can call a dive etc., because he told us that he started to get cold pretty early in the dive and was seriously considering lying about his tank pressure (standard SS pressure around here is 50 bar) just to get out of the water faster.

Cold water diving isn't about being a macho Viking. It's only about using the right, i.e. warm enough, undergarments, gloves and hood.

 

[Basking Ridge Diver]

Waterproof D1, that's the one with the built-in undersuit, isn't it? If so, I take back my strong recommendation of a Thinsulate undersuit unless you're diving in really cold (as in "only a few degrees above freezing") water.
I have a conventional trilam suit, a D7. Conventional trilams have about as much insulation properties as a raincoat, and for those a good, thick, cozy undersuit (preferably Thinsulate) is very nice when the water's cold.

Yes - it has a constant volume mesh - I am diving in 38 F (3.3 C) to 40 (4.4 C) degree water right now - only my hands get cold. My dry gloves are fine - I forgot the tube that equalizes the pressure in the gloves and could only stand 40 mins at those temperatures.
I do not add any other layers under my drysuit other than what I described - hot chillys pants and light long sleeve shirt.

 

[Storker]

I forgot the tube that equalizes the pressure in the gloves and could only stand 40 mins at those temperatures.

Next time, just stuff a piece of bungee cord under the wrist seal.

 

[Basking Ridge Diver]

Next time, just stuff a piece of bungee cord under the wrist seal.

I had the tubes in my truck - I literally forgot them... lol
But I will not next time...