Valve Drill- When to do it?

[RiverRat]

River Rat, exposure protection can seriously get in the way of reaching valves. I could reach mine in the pool in a wetsuit without any problems, but in either of my dry suits, it was a thrash, and I had to learn a whole set of pre-dive behaviors to ensure that I had worked as much fabric of the suit up around my chest and shoulders as possible, in order to reach the valves at all.

Then I got a Fusion dry suit, and presto! We were back in wetsuit territory in terms of ease of reaching them. I think people massively underestimate the amount that their exposure protection is getting in their way.

Yeah I dove the drysuit in the pool to be as close to real world as I could for testing and was able to reach. I'm thinking suit pinch / squeeze "tightens" or "shortens" the suit a bit causing somewhat restricted movement. Just a theory at this point. Boy there sure are lots of dynamics going on when switching to doubles Getting used to diving them is just part of the switchover. The thread has seemed to go a little off track here but I think it's chock full of great info. Anyway back on topic.....

 

[GDI]

I agree. I think its a bit part of my current issues. I'm working on how to adjust my fabric of my suit. Also loosened the harness considerably.

The harness is also a good point. I have seen where some have it so tight I am surprised they can move their arms at all. My harness is loose enough that I can actually slide into and out of it during a dive. In fact I have sliped out of it and just let the cylinders rest on my back as I have moved along and then slipped back into it, Ya gotta have some fun you know

 

[TSandM]

Really, Rick? I've found that I have to have my harness with doubles significantly snugger than with a single tank, because if it's loose, the tanks sometimes go one way when I go another, and it's really unpleasant!

 

[texdiveguy]

Really, Rick? I've found that I have to have my harness with doubles significantly snugger than with a single tank, because if it's loose, the tanks sometimes go one way when I go another, and it's really unpleasant!

This is one of those personnel choice things....I to tend to keep my rig a bit on the tighter side--not real tight though.... as this is the most comfy to me.

 

[Rick Inman]

My kit is loose enough to shrug around a bit, too. With my new, thick MK3 undies, it really helps when reaching the valves to shrug it up a little.

 

[GDI]

Really, Rick? I've found that I have to have my harness with doubles significantly snugger than with a single tank, because if it's loose, the tanks sometimes go one way when I go another, and it's really unpleasant!

I have had it tight before and even had difficulty getting out of it sometimes stressing the drysuit in the process. I'm not the smallest of guys in the back and chest. I can flip about as I need to with the straps snug but still loose enough to slide in and out of.