Wetsuits?

[SoCalAngel]

Oh - hopefully it will arrive very soon!!
The water temps here in the spring....until early June are in the low 50's then it starts to warm up and gets into the high 70's / low 80's AND no thermocline in the big diving area near here! That is a nice treat!
My weights are all messed up as I only did my OW and AOW last May & June so was overweighted for those and spent the summer dumping more and more weight from my BC (on shore of course) then dove in San Diego at the end of August and the guys there had me take off even more weight (even being salt water) and so my boyancy really got a work out last summer and I am down to very little weight. I was in a 50 ft deep pool last Friday and had no suit (88 degrees) - just my BC and fins! I used no weights and it was a really awesome experience to be just me and my tank.
This spring I will have to re-assess my weights as I will be starting back to 2 pce 7mm each as my log book shows weights with far less boyancy control. I closed off last year with 20 lbs in salt water and the same in fresh water but the last dives of the year were at a flooded lock with a 2 knot current so we needed to be weighted a little negative for those dives. I will start the spring out this year looking at 18 lbs and maybe dropping to 16lbs - I weight 120 lbs.

Cheryl

How does it get so warm that far north? Does the gulf stream really bring the warm water to you all the way up there? wow! :11:

When my current suit was new, I used 18lbs. As it has compressed, I have taken more and more weight off. I currently use only 12, and am still a little heavy. but, that is only in a 6 5 4 wetsuit. I lovve it each time I take weight off. That is the downside to a new suit...more weight ugh!

Ya gotta luv those San diego boys...they are weight watching DIRs! But, it is a great workout! Next time you're out here, we gotta dive!

L

 

[clownfishing]

Have you looked into Hunter Gates dry suites? Absolutely fabulous. I'm from Ontario Canada and dive all year round...yes..even the cold months when we do ice dives and since I've purchased my Hunter Gates...I haven't been happier.

We dive all year round...even do ice dives...without ever complaining about the temps even tho they get down to 30 below....that's the best time to explore the depts...even wreck diving in Lake Superiror...and never complain about being cold when you're in a Hunter Gates Dry Suit.... may cost a few extra dollars...but worth every penny in the long run...

If you want more info...please reply and I'll do my best to help out....
also ...if you're ever interested in exploring the depths of Lake Superior...let me know

 

[SoCalAngel]

Have you looked into Hunter Gates dry suites? Absolutely fabulous. I'm from Ontario Canada and dive all year round...yes..even the cold months when we do ice dives and since I've purchased my Hunter Gates...I haven't been happier.

We dive all year round...even do ice dives...without ever complaining about the temps even tho they get down to 30 below....that's the best time to explore the depts...even wreck diving in Lake Superiror...and never complain about being cold when you're in a Hunter Gates Dry Suit.... may cost a few extra dollars...but worth every penny in the long run...

If you want more info...please reply and I'll do my best to help out....
also ...if you're ever interested in exploring the depths of Lake Superior...let me know

I soooo want to dive Lake Superior and all her glorious wrecks! I even have a drysuit. I just have to lose ten lbs to fit in it again! :bawling:

It isn't so much the drysuit as it is the undergarments, though, right? Especially for those ice dives :ice: One (of many) aspirations I have in the diving world is to dive in Antarctica. The water there is warmer than the outside temps at a toasty 29.8F. The water at Lake Superior isn't -30F below...the outside temp is what you were referring to? Although I am sure o matter the temp, it is able to make even female gonads pull up inside and shrivel! :lol2:

 

[Brown Mermaid]

I find the Tilos superstrech Titanium lined, semi-dry works fine for me. They are warm And they are sturdy. I mail order mine. Send me an email and I'll tell you where I go to find them. Reasonably priced.

Semi dry because it has to do with the seals, less bouyant so less weight.

Hey all,

This is my first time in this forum. Glad there is a place for this. I have been diving for a little over four years now. I have been diving in a 6 5 4 seaquest wetsuit, which I LOVE. :07: However, I have already gone through 4 of them. They fit perfectly, but compress within 50 dives and by the time I get to 100 or so in it, I am freezing after only 15-20 minutes. It's too esxpensive for my diving style.

Anyway, I ventured into the road of adventure and want to try a different brand. I tried a BARE and was hopeful that the variety of sizes would = a good fit. When I tried the one that corresponded to my measurements, it was way too big in the chest (which is shocking and surprising!).

Any advice for different brands of wetsuit? :06:

 

[deepbluegirlca]

I don't know how the water warms up as it is fresh water and the gulf stream stays in the ocean - from what I understand. Must just be geothermic heat from the waming of the earth + the heat from the sun. Sure is nice though!!

I'd love to hook up with you and add you to my "dance card" - or should I say "dive card" on my next trip down. I was going to pop down in March but have been talked out of it......weather etc........so, will likely repeat last year's success and fly down at the end of August. I have a little trip contact list of my dive buddies in San Diego - perhaps you could email me your email address so we can stay in touch when the time comes.......lmk
Cheryl

How does it get so warm that far north? Does the gulf stream really bring the warm water to you all the way up there? wow! :11:

When my current suit was new, I used 18lbs. As it has compressed, I have taken more and more weight off. I currently use only 12, and am still a little heavy. but, that is only in a 6 5 4 wetsuit. I lovve it each time I take weight off. That is the downside to a new suit...more weight ugh!

Ya gotta luv those San diego boys...they are weight watching DIRs! But, it is a great workout! Next time you're out here, we gotta dive!

L

 

[heater]

Hi there!
I dive up here in good ol' Canada myself, put in a couple of ice dives a year.....nothing like it. I use an Oceaner two piece jacket/Jane. Only parts of my body that get cold are my hands, feet (booties aren't warm enough) and face. I like the Oceaner because I am very curvy and they fit....they make a double fat for women and they do custom as well. Good thing is it's a Canadian company so it will be cheaper for you. They are located in Richmond/Vancouver. One of these days I will win the lottery and get myself a dry suit...! Ice diving beats the crap out of the kidneys when you first submerge.

 

[deepbluegirlca]

Atlan is also a Canadian company and they do custom also. They're here in Quebec I believe. The Bare had a better fit for me and it was off-the rack so there was no point in going custom. It also has better seals.

Yes, lotteries and diving do go well together!!!

Hi there!
I dive up here in good ol' Canada myself, put in a couple of ice dives a year.....nothing like it. I use an Oceaner two piece jacket/Jane. Only parts of my body that get cold are my hands, feet (booties aren't warm enough) and face. I like the Oceaner because I am very curvy and they fit....they make a double fat for women and they do custom as well. Good thing is it's a Canadian company so it will be cheaper for you. They are located in Richmond/Vancouver. One of these days I will win the lottery and get myself a dry suit...! Ice diving beats the crap out of the kidneys when you first submerge.

 

[heater]

Atlan is also a Canadian company and they do custom also. They're here in Quebec I believe. The Bare had a better fit for me and it was off-the rack so there was no point in going custom. It also has better seals.

Yes, lotteries and diving do go well together!!!

Atlan huh?
What's the largest size that it goes up to? That's part of my problem, there's lots of me, so Oceaner so far has been the only one that has a double fat off the rack. They just started doing them in the last couple of years. I just recently purchased a Bare male, 3/2 full suit, nice and stretchy, just not the greatest fitting. But it works for warm water diving.

 

[SoCalAngel]

Well, I picked up my new BARE suit yesterday...now I need conditions to improve beyod 3 ft of vis and less than 6' waves :yikes: I also got a new hooded vest. This are both more form fitting than my last set. Now to figure out how much weight...

I was told by the LDS to *not* wear my skin underneath, as the hooded vest will stick to my skin to keep the h2o out. I have dove with a skin underneath fot the last several years, mostly becuase it really helps the wetsuit to go on. Any thoughts? :06:

 

[deepbluegirlca]

when you say "skin" are you talking about another "layer"? I wear my two 7mm Bare right over my bathing suit.

Well, I picked up my new BARE suit yesterday...now I need conditions to improve beyod 3 ft of vis and less than 6' waves :yikes: I also got a new hooded vest. This are both more form fitting than my last set. Now to figure out how much weight...

I was told by the LDS to *not* wear my skin underneath, as the hooded vest will stick to my skin to keep the h2o out. I have dove with a skin underneath fot the last several years, mostly becuase it really helps the wetsuit to go on. Any thoughts? :06: