What is the value of a drysuit class?

[60plus]

I just did a few minutes practice with a couple of club members (who are instructors). I think too much is made of the "feet up ascent" risk. If you do end up feet up then you have two choices, either get yourself right way up again quickly or swim down a bit until your buoyancy is slightly negative and then swim in a gentle arc until you are level again.
Slightly off topic - I see quite a few holiday divers in hire gear / wetsuits have uncontrolled ascents, desperately trying to vent their shoulder dump without success. After the dive I suggest if they feel it happening again they tip face down and use finning to counteract the excess positive buoyancy and then use the dump on their right buttock.

 

[Barefoot_Lawyer]

I just got done with my pool dive for PADI drysuit. OW dives are tomorrow in a brisk lake - Ice just came out last week. Here is what I can say- PADI trains you to only use your DS for buoyancy and not your BC. A big bubble was causing my tank to flip to one side or another on my back and causing me to list. I vented my DS down to a reasonable level and used my BC and was 99.99% dialed in after that.

The course was mildly helpful so far. The written part of the course is about 75% sales pitch (like all PADI courses). I already own my DS and was allowed to purchase it without a cert from a different shop than I am taking the class from (training shop didn’t have my size).

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

I just got done with my pool dive for PADI drysuit. OW dives are tomorrow in a brisk lake - Ice just came out last week. Here is what I can say- PADI trains you to only use your DS for buoyancy and not your BC. A big bubble was causing my tank to flip to one side or another on my back and causing me to list. I vented my DS down to a reasonable level and used my BC and was 99.99% dialed in after that.

The course was mildly helpful so far. The written part of the course is about 75% sales pitch (like all PADI courses). I already own my DS and was allowed to purchase it without a cert from a different shop than I am taking the class from (training shop didn’t have my size).

Please try the exercises I described earlier.
Also, nothing is more important than a properly fitting dry suit. When I taught through a shop, I had far too many cases of students struggling due to poorly fitting ones. Not their fault. It is a setup for failure.

 

[Wibble]

I just got done with my pool dive for PADI drysuit. OW dives are tomorrow in a brisk lake - Ice just came out last week. Here is what I can say- PADI trains you to only use your DS for buoyancy and not your BC. A big bubble was causing my tank to flip to one side or another on my back and causing me to list. I vented my DS down to a reasonable level and used my BC and was 99.99% dialed in after that.

The course was mildly helpful so far. The written part of the course is about 75% sales pitch (like all PADI courses). I already own my DS and was allowed to purchase it without a cert from a different shop than I am taking the class from (training shop didn’t have my size).

Some instructors do talk dogmatic crap.

How you use your TWO buoyancy devices is entirely up to you. Techniques vary depending on your kit configuration, diving circumstances and personal preference.

There’s two camps regarding drysuit buoyancy:

• The simplistic drysuit only technique which can result in surplus gas in the drysuit with all the instability issues you describe
• The balanced approach where both the BCD and drysuit are used which is far more comfortable especially in cold water. You inject sufficient gas into the drysuit to relieve the squeeze and adjust the buoyancy with the Buoyancy Control Device— the clue!s in the name

 

[Edward3c]

I just got done with my pool dive for PADI drysuit. OW dives are tomorrow in a brisk lake - Ice just came out last week. Here is what I can say- PADI trains you to only use your DS for buoyancy and not your BC. A big bubble was causing my tank to flip to one side or another on my back and causing me to list. I vented my DS down to a reasonable level and used my BC and was 99.99% dialed in after that.

The course was mildly helpful so far. The written part of the course is about 75% sales pitch (like all PADI courses). I already own my DS and was allowed to purchase it without a cert from a different shop than I am taking the class from (training shop didn’t have my size).

If you’ve got a big bubble that you’re likely to be overweighted. Remember every Lt of gas in the suit is giving you 1kg of lift.

 

[crcobb]

other than just learning to dive the dry suit you will learn about how dress and undress and provide care for the suit and zipper. You get that wrong and one seal replacement will be a big part of the cost of the class. A zipper replacement will cost even more.

In the water it is always helpful to have some work with you on the skills to recover if you get feet up. Practice will start to develop some muscle memory for if / when it happens on a dive. As well as the venting and flooding skills. These are things you are not as likely to try if you learn on your own.

 

[pasley]

I was wondering about getting into drysuit diving, and I was wondering if the drysuit classes offered by most agencies were mandatory for safety or more intended to make the transition to a new piece of gear easier. Your thoughts?

The value of the class is covering the "you don't know what you don't know" gap. it is IMHO for safety first and second to make the transition easier. A new drysuit diver is like a new Basic Open Water diver in terms of buoyancy control. Arguably they will get it quicker because they understand the process better. But you are still starting at day 1 on weighting and how to control your buoyancy. You need to learn about the different schools of thought on how you control buoyancy, and then decide which one is right for you with the type of diving you are doing. You also need to know emergency procedures unique to dry suits. last but not least, it is a short course, but it does cover some very important points.

 

[Wibble]

Have recently changed my membrane drysuit from one respected manufacturer to another. They are pretty identical in specification.

The new drysuit behaves completely differently from the trusty old drysuit. I really hat the way it dumps: slowly and needs you to virtually turn vertical before it dumps.

Currently going through some buyer's remorse as it’s far harder to control than the old drysuit.

Just need more time to re-learn how it works.

 

[TrimixToo]

Have recently changed my membrane drysuit from one respected manufacturer to another. They are pretty identical in specification.

The new drysuit behaves completely differently from the trusty old drysuit. I really hat the way it dumps: slowly and needs you to virtually turn vertical before it dumps.

Currently going through some buyer's remorse as it’s far harder to control than the old drysuit.

Just need more time to re-learn how it works.

The exhaust valve is replaceable. Sounds like that might be in order? Maybe even under warranty.

 

[Wibble]

The exhaust valve is replaceable. Sounds like that might be in order? Maybe even under warranty.

Have changed from a Sci-tech to an Apeks dump. Always seems to need a huge effort to get the Apeks to dump — always dive with the dump fully open. The Sci-tech seemed to be really sensitive and easy to use.