views on cuff dumps

[Brit Girl]

Hi all!

I am a complete newbie and have only had 3 lessons but I have been looking at some equipment. My local shop is really helpful and one of the membrane suits I fancy has a cuff dump. I have looked this up in my book ( !!!!) and know what this is but what are the benefits or drawbacks of this ??
Also as I am diving in the UK where that water is somewhat cooler than many of you lucky people is it worth me buying an environmentally sealed reg or not? Thanks in advance for all the help you hopefully will give me !

 

[Jonathan]

Hi Brit Girl,

I use a shoulder dump myself but mainly because that came on the only suit that fitted me in the shop clearance sale!! I know some people complain about cuff dumps getting clogged with sleeves off the poloartec (or equivalent) and you will notice that some of them actually have a mesh type thing in the cuff (the under suit that is!!)

As to environmentally sealed regs - I doubt it. Until 4 months ago I did most of my diving in the UK in the likes of sunny Stoney or off the South Coast with my coldest dive this year being 4 degress with ice on the roof - no problems. I personally use scubapro regs all my first stages are Mk20 and second stages R380, G500 & S600 (though the latter was never used in the UK) and they never had any problems. But then neither did any of my friends regs with various other manufacturers

Have fun
Jonathan

 

[Kevin]

I prefer the cuff dump rather than an auto dump on the shoulder. My buddy has had lots of problems with his shoulder dump and has now fitted a cuff dump and has had no problems since. People say that there is sometimes a problem with their undersuit clogging the valve but I have never had this. I like them because I know that I am in control of the air release and not relying on a valve which could malfunction.
As for environmentally sealed regs, I thought that most manufacturers are now moving towards environmentally sealing their regs. I dive in england all the time and I only use Apex regs because they are designed for the cold water environment. I would definitely go for environmentally sealed.

 

[andy2tanx]

I have used auto shoulder dumps for some time and have found them to be VERY convenient, especially when you go down the road of using your drysuit as bouyancy control.

As for the regs, call me old fashioned but I now only use Apeks, and both TX40's at that.

HTH
Andy

 

[Heads Up]

Cuff dumps because I find it easier and Apeks because I had a nasty freeflow in Stoney Cove last May with a Scubapro R380 and Mk20 so went for the environmentally sealed 1st stage. Wouldn't swap it for the world now!!

Now if only I could learn to use my compass!!

 

[bio guy]

Hey Brit Girl

Quite honesty, they both have their place. One of my suits came with an autodump shoulder and the other a cuff dump. The auto-shoulder dump I find is great when I'm going up an anchor line, simply because I don't have to move much to let the air out. On the other hand, when I am swimming along varrying depth terrain, particularly when holding equipment, the cuff dump is handy.

Cheers

 

[buff]

Apeks reg. with Apeks auto shoulder dump......heaven.....

 

[Lost Yooper]

I've only used shoulder dumps and haven't had a problem.

Mike

 

[UKPhil]

theres nothing to stop you having both a shoulder dump and a cuff dump. You can always close off the shoulder dump valve or block off the cuff dump if you decide to use one or the other.

 

[jmsdiver]

I have used both. The cuff dump was harder to controll; the shoulder dump is automatic. The shoulder dump allows me to use the drysuit for bouyancy and dump air as needed. Had a hard time with the cuff dump. While some like to be in control of their dumping (as above), the shoulder dump can be tightened down and utilized as a manual dump as preference dictates.