What drysuit undergarments for new drysuit diver in SoCal?

[asha]

I wear the Halo 3D year-round. If I happen to be shore diving (i.e., working harder/sweating) on an extremely hot day in the summer, I *might* wear something lighter, but not usually. In the winter, ski thermals under; in the summer, shorts. I've dove wet in California exactly three times: Once because an opportunity to dive arose, so I grabbed boat rental gear, once because a photographer wanted me to "look more like a girl" for his shoot, and once because my neck seal tore and I desperately wanted to try out some new camera stuff. I froze all three times.

I'm taking dry gloves on their maiden voyage tomorrow and ordering the 12mm hood as soon as I get around to measuring my head.

In my experience, there's no such thing as "too warm" in CA waters, but I can see how my insulation strategy might prove infeasible for someone who runs warmer or is prone to sweating.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Tracy, does that company have a website?

SoftWear for the Scuba Diver

 

[tracydr]

Here you go:SoftWear for the Scuba Diver
I was amazed at how quickly she made my undergarment and got them to me. It took less than a week from when I ordered them!

 

[geoff w]

If you're on a budget, look for user rondel101bjrr on the big online auction site. He has decent drysuit underwear at great prices, is extremely responsive and very customer oriented. If you don't see what you want listed, contact him directly and he probably has it

 

[diverrex]

I wear the Halo 3D year-round. If I happen to be shore diving (i.e., working harder/sweating) on an extremely hot day in the summer, I *might* wear something lighter, but not usually. In the winter, ski thermals under; in the summer, shorts. I've dove wet in California exactly three times: Once because an opportunity to dive arose, so I grabbed boat rental gear, once because a photographer wanted me to "look more like a girl" for his shoot, and once because my neck seal tore and I desperately wanted to try out some new camera stuff. I froze all three times.

I'm taking dry gloves on their maiden voyage tomorrow and ordering the 12mm hood as soon as I get around to measuring my head.

In my experience, there's no such thing as "too warm" in CA waters, but I can see how my insulation strategy might prove infeasible for someone who runs warmer or is prone to sweating.

Is most of your California diving in San Diego? It tends to be colder down there versus the Channel Islands.

 

[Spg01]

If you're on a budget, look for user rondel101bjrr on the big online auction site. He has decent drysuit underwear at great prices, is extremely responsive and very customer oriented. If you don't see what you want listed, contact him directly and he probably has it

+1

He made me a custom size undergarment and I have been very happy with it. I would have to check, but I think I got the 200g with 2 layers. Not sure, but I might have got the polartec??
Now all I need to do is get dry gloves.

 

[geoff w]

... but it wasn't until I switched to dry gloves that the cold stopped bothering me. My hands get cold first. During the last dive I made using neoprene gloves, my fingers were so numb that I couldn't push the shutter on my camera.

I tried dry gloves for the first time Saturday at the DUI demo at Casino Point, and what a difference! I felt like a total spaz, and can't imagine how you use a camera with them. Which dry gloves do you use, and any tricks to improve dexterity? Soooo much warmer

 

[MaxBottomtime]

I use Cold Comfort PVC Gloves with Diving Concepts rings. I don't have any dexterity problems with them. I don't use wrist seals, so there is never a squeeze issue.

 

[fnfalman]

Jesus, you people make it out like SoCal diving as though it's arctic diving.

 

[geoff w]

I use Cold Comfort PVC Gloves with Diving Concepts rings. I don't have any dexterity problems with them. I don't use wrist seals, so there is never a squeeze issue.

Thanks! Why do these look just like the DUI Dry Gloves, just at 10% of the cost (but no zip seals)? And also no extra small for my wife too?

---------- Post added March 18th, 2013 at 08:39 AM ----------

Jesus, you people make it out like SoCal diving as though it's arctic diving.

Just wait until you're our age!

Actually, I won't dive off the beach in my dry suit, only off boats and Casino Point where I don't worry (much) about sand in the zipper. For one dive, even when the water is coldest, I'll dive wet (like for the Avalon cleanup last month). But for three or four dives in a day, with surface intervals (with wind or shade), dry suits are sooo much nicer! And I can stay awake to drive home a lot easier if I'm warmer when diving (not to mention consuming less air). Lots of my dive buddies dive wet for all dives here, dry suits are a lot harder to dive with in an inflatable, and dry suits are definitely more of a production for diving, but for boat diving, and especially colder dives like the Yukon, being less cold is really nice.