DIR- GUE wetsuit -> drysuit transition timing

[KevinNM]

Drysuits are great, but until you get very comfortable diving in them they make everything harder. That picture of the drysuit diver trapped with his feet sticking out of the water unable to turn over? I did that, it’s easy to do until you figure out how to use it and get ahead of buoyancy instead of reacting to problems.

Plus, don’t buy a drysuit from any place that doesn’t sell a lot of drysuits and knows how to measure you. And has good enough connections to the factory to get problems fixed easily.

 

[Nick_Radov]

Drysuits are great, but until you get very comfortable diving in them they make everything harder.

Hmm, not sure I agree with that. When I bought my first drysuit I found it was almost immediately easier. I had been using a farmer John and jacket style 7mm wetsuit before. Those are quite restrictive and undergo major buoyancy changes as you change depth.

That picture of the drysuit diver trapped with his feet sticking out of the water unable to turn over? I did that, it’s easy to do until you figure out how to use it and get ahead of buoyancy instead of reacting to problems.

Yes, recovery from a feet up ascent should be the first skill taught in the swimming pool portion of a drysuit course. The trouble is that some instructors still teach using the drysuit for buoyancy control underwater. So then divers end up with excess gas in the drysuit which can sometimes go into the lower legs. The drysuit should be inflated just enough to take the squeeze off and allow unrestricted movement (can inflate a little extra on long deco stops or at the surface for warmth).

Plus, don’t buy a drysuit from any place that doesn’t sell a lot of drysuits and knows how to measure you. And has good enough connections to the factory to get problems fixed easily.

Absolutely. If you decide to go with DUI, try to use one of their Premier dealers. And unless you're an exact fit for one of the stock sizes it's worth paying a little more for custom sizing. This makes it easier to prevent runaway ascents since there is less excess space for gas.

 

[Zef]

One does not need to dive proficiently in a wetsuit to develop proficiency in a drysuit. Even if one has perfected buoyancy and spatial control in a wetsuit the reality is often that one has to relearn these skills when switching to a drysuit. It takes a few dives to learn how to control the air bubble in the suit and the effects on body position and control.

That being said, if one were to start diving in a drysuit and develop proficiency/control then the transition from a drysuit to a wetsuit will be much easier as their is no air bubble in the wetsuit that one has to consider/control.

Given your approximate location based on the dive operations you mentioned earlier, I would seriously recommend moving to a drysuit sooner than later, it will extend your season and once you get used to diving a drysuit you will be much more comfortable.

Expect it to take 6 to 10 dives, +/-, before you start to feel comfortable from a skills/control perspective....it will feel like you are starting from scratch but it will be worth it.

-Z

 

[stretchthepenn]

If you can't be stable in a wet suit, that won't get easier in a dry suit.

Dunno 'bout that... IMO, stability in a drysuit is easier. Once you can manage the bubble, you can put it anywhere you want extra lift.

 

[crofrog]

Dunno 'bout that... IMO, stability in a drysuit is easier. Once you can manage the bubble, you can put it anywhere you want extra lift.

The key word there is once you can manage the bubble.

 

[Nick_Radov]

Dunno 'bout that... IMO, stability in a drysuit is easier. Once you can manage the bubble, you can put it anywhere you want extra lift.

There shouldn't be a distinct bubble to manage during most of the dive. If you can feel a bubble moving around in your drysuit then it's over inflated. There is no need to get extra lift from the suit.

 

[crofrog]

There shouldn't be a distinct bubble to manage during most of the dive. If you can feel a bubble moving around in your drysuit then it's over inflated. There is no need to get extra lift from the suit.

A lot of people dive overly squeezed though. There is only so much gas you can get out when ascending so you need to get use to at least that much gas

 

[OrcasC205]

A lot of people dive overly squeezed though. There is only so much gas you can get out when ascending so you need to get use to at least that much gas

That makes no sense. If you have put so little gas in your suit that you are squeezed, you would have put gas in your wing instead to be neutrally buoyant. If anything, venting gas out of your wing is easier than getting it out of your suit while ascending.

 

[crofrog]

That makes no sense. If you have put so little gas in your suit that you are squeezed, you would have put gas in your wing instead to be neutrally buoyant. If anything, venting gas out of your wing is easier than getting it out of your suit while ascending.

I don’t think you are understanding what I tried to say.

Many people when learning to dive drysuits, dive them overly squeezed and have problems reaching the valves and just being comfortable in general. It’s not a good way to train because as you’re ascending the gas in your suit will expand and you’ll not be able to get all that air out.

So in training over inflate the suit some to make sure the undergarments are lofted and then dump that extra gas out and don’t do anything silly like pumping your arms and just get use to diving that.

 

[jborg]

That still makes very little sense. If the gas expands enough that it's a problem, you can surely vent it. Getting used to diving with an over-inflated suit in order to have more gas to dump on ascent? That's... innovative.

Edit: I realize this is tagged DIR-GUE and I might be missing something GUE specific here, but if so please educate me, I'm yet to be fundiesified.