Warming between dives?

[jmcgauhey]

Understand what's going on with your wetsuit. On the surface after a dive the nylon on the suit starts evaporating the water - Bingo! You become a living refrigerator! Evaporation is a cooling action. That's why putting on a coat works - even a windbreaker to stop the evaporation, but removing suit, at least the top, is best and a warm jacket works better as it works 2 ways - eliminate evaporation and helps get warm. Dry off and work on getting warm in any way just as if you came in from the snow; all above recommendations work. A skin outside suit - very old school from when I dove in '60's and '70's, actually is warmer because of the lack of nylon. Smooth skin outside neoprene dries quickly. Second issue - some divers worry about changing from wetsuit to dry because they usually have to relieve themselves during the first dive. Essentially, when cold water invades your body works to save core temp by reducing circulation to extremeties - creates excess fluid in midsection and body says "gotta get rid of this excess fluid." You activate your submersible, hydraulic, thermal device and feel this warm glow in your midsection. With a drysuit you don't have that reaction because the cold water is not against your skin, and you are generally warmer. I say generally because dry doesn't mean warm - it's the fleece or undergarment that creates an insulation layer space between you and the water that determines how warm the drysuit is - but yes, dry is most always warmer than wet. And no need for a $400 undergarmet - they do work better, but I've used $25 fleece top and bottom from Walmart when I forgot undergarmet and it works OK; layer 2 sets. Diving dry doesn't eliminate normal body functions from drinking liquids, but does eliminate that pooling in core area. If you want to dive 2 or more regularly, I suggest bucking the trend and switching to dry - you'll be surprised how your buddies will follow your lead. It's more comfortable - and safer. If you are warmer your brain works better and you can focus on the dive and critters instead of being pre-occupied with the cold. (Diving wet - warm water down suit before 2nd dive - absolutely - but pour some on your head also.) Just sayin'.

 

[TMHeimer]

Like other's have said, wetsuit for 40F sounds a bit crazy to me, but if I was to scale it up to "my definition" of cold, which is more on the range of "anything lower than seventy-a-lot"

I've discovered that it may be nice to get out of a cold wet wetsuit but is torture to put on that same wet wetsuit.
I may do it on special occasions, but if it is going to become a routine I will have 2 wetsuits and for the 2nd dive I will put on a dry wetsuit.

Really I've decided that tolerating cold is not for me, but before reaching this decision, I found that a good wind-proof boat coat makes a huge difference, making sure is long (around knee length). If the vessel doesn't have a way to heat something (propane grill/stove,microwave or similar) then TWO thermos, one with strong dark chocolate homemade beverage, not just hot water with some powder, the real thing. The 2nd thermos with fatty broth, made out of whatever creature you like best (chicken-fish-caw-sheep-your/favorite) that broth I'd take it as is, or use it to cook thin noodles, the kind that takes only 3minutes or so.

I no longer eat much carbs, or use a wet suit when temperatures drop, and have a heater in the boat. But I still take thermos with me for the surface intervals if the plan calls for more than one dive.

I've always pointed out that everyone tolerates cold differently when asked "what wetsuit should I wear for ____ temps. in Aruba?" Not at all just beating my chest as a northerner, but what is the coldest air temps. you get down near Miami in January? I am very surprised any dive charter there has a heater of some sort. Have not seen this on the 3 ops I've dived with up on the panhandle, or in Miss. or Texas.

 

[fjpatrum]

A lot of people scoff at this but I always have a "space blanket" for use between dives, whether boat or shore, if the air temp is anything lower than about 80-85 degrees F. (Doesn't matter what the water temps are.)

I use a "reusable" blanket like this:
Amazon.com: Space Brand All Weather Blanket: Sports & Outdoors

Alternatively (and more compact) are the "disposable" ones like this:
Emergency Mylar Thermal Blankets (Pack of 10): Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

(I usually just refold the disposable ones and have been using the same one (with semi-regular use) in my first aid kit for over 10 years.)

 

[Ana]

I've always pointed out that everyone tolerates cold differently when asked "what wetsuit should I wear for ____ temps. in Aruba?" Not at all just beating my chest as a northerner, but what is the coldest air temps. you get down near Miami in January? I am very surprised any dive charter there has a heater of some sort. Have not seen this on the 3 ops I've dived with up on the panhandle, or in Miss. or Texas.

Right, I haven't seen any dive charter around here with a heater either, that was one of several justifications I used to get my own boat.

To me air temps in the 60's require several layers at least one layer with better thermal protection than simple cotton, and closed shoes with socks.
Water below 75 is dry suit and fluffy undergarments.

to answer your question down here, we get maybe 8 days with temps in the 40's not necessarily in a row, maybe 15 days in the 50's and way to many in the 60's brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

 

[farsidefan1]

Recommendations for warming between dives? Wetsuit on/off, warming the wetsuit (solar/water), or your favorite between-dive wear?

Try warm water diving in the tropics. Pretty much solves all the problems

 

[Doc Harry]

Goodness, gracious.


Just get a drysuit and be comfortable and warm.

 

[fran2bo3]

Try the Probe iDry wetsuit, it is dry within 15 minutes after a dive! and made of stretch neoprene, so very easy to don. Probe Wetsuits iDRY "Quick-Dry Technology" Demo - YouTube

 

[Jerry_]

(double posting due to refresh problem)

 

[Jerry_]

If this would be an occasional issue, I would suggest to drink warm chocolate, or suggared tea, while (if you have the possibility to warm up with an external source of heat) to take off the upper part of your wetsuit and wear a warm pullover and coat.

If you drink to much,however, you will get to have a natural problem, and will have to take off almost the whole wetsuit.

If this is going to be a regular issue, get yourself a drysuit, not only for comfort, but also because being freezing cold seriously increases the risk of an accident.

 

[SeahorseDeb]

I haven't seen the issue of efficiency in off-gassing during the surface interval period brought up yet when the diver is that cold. And you know what type of gas I'm referring to, so don't even start going off-topic on me.....