What to wear under the drysuit

[nwdiver2]

Don't wear cotton for any reason; the shop that sold you that suit should have explained the options and reasons why, when you got the suit. When cotton gets damp even from sweat you will get cold and could become hypothermic summer or winter at your temps.

Synthetic is the main option. Some people use wool I find it does not work as well as fleece. As said above a poly inside layer to pull moisture away from the body and an out layer for warmth and to hold the moisture, inside the suit underwater it’s not going anywhere. Some garments with multi layers built in and do this very well. I use a Bare 200 one piece that works summer and winter here in BC.

In summer be careful not to suit up too early and fill your underlay with sweat.

 

[nwdiver2]

I just realized you are from Canada. MEC 200 weight fleece top, bottom and socks work great. They make a 200 weight sweater with a high V neck that works great as a top. Be careful about garments with high collars that may ride up and wick water in through the neck seal on your suit.

 

[Firediver]

Yes.. I have the MEC V neck light weight sweater and the Light weight longsleeve underwear shirt for moisture wicking. Unfortunaltley with my suit the LDS owner suggest I wear a higher colar to keep my neck warm since I am going with a latex neck seal. <Fits female necks better>. Socks I have MEC 3mm neoprene socks and going to wear woolies on top. Pants were the big concern for me.. what to get. I have foind some 200g Fleece pants by KOMBI for $29.99 of a canadian sports website. Thank you everyone for your help.

 

[IndigoBlue]

Hello, I just ordered my first drysuit. Abyss Explorer. I have it custom fit.... I don't have the money to by a uni fleece undergarment.. What could I wear instead?? Wool Sweater any good if it's snug?? Also would Flanel pants with long underwear <also quite snug> be good? Water temp here in the summer gets to be about 10-11 degrees and in the winter about 2 degrees.

A single piece fleece undergarment would keep you the warmest. You can add thinsulate long underwear to that, for even more warmth if needed. And wool sox.

If you cannot afford the fleece (~$500) then any type of layering, such as you would ordinarily do for cross country skiing, with wool, wool sox, and the thinsulate long underwear might do. You may want to tuck the pant legs into the sox so that they do not creep up the drysuit when you put it on.