Question Yet another BP/W purchasing question

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30lbs is more than enough for a drysuit, hell in a drysuit you need a smaller wing than in a wetsuit. A buoyancy compensation device primary task is to compensate for changes in buoyancy. That change in buoyancy is the mass of the gas in the tank that would cause a buoyancy shift, about 6lbs in the case of an AL80 up to about 10lbs for the larger steel tanks, and in the case of a wetsuit the compression at depth. A 3mm we say typically has about 6lbs of positive buoyancy, 7mm about 14, and a farmer john around 20lbs and it will lose about half that once you hit ~30ft, and will lose about 3/4 of it by the time you hit ~100ft due to compression of the closed cell gas pockets in the rubber. With a drysuit, we consider them to be constant buoyancy devices since you would be adding gas to compensate for that compression so the only thing the BCD has to do during a normal dive is compensate for the gas in the tank. Since that is relatively small many agencies/instructors advocate that you only use your drysuit for buoyancy control when diving with single tanks. Another can of worms not worth opening here as there are tons of threads about it on this forum.
The other things the BCD has to do is comfortably float your head at the surface, this is a point of contention with those that like 20lb and smaller wings, but I sink like a brick so I don't dive anything smaller than 30lbs so I can get my head out of the water. The only other thing is that it has to be able to float the rig at the surface without you in it, so if you use a weighted STA, attach weight pockets, etc. it has to be able to float all of that at the surface. If you use a weight belt then the lift is not an issue you have to worry about and even with a weighted STA a 30lb wing will handle that just fine.
40lb wings are excessive IMO and while you see them in the PNW area of the US with guys that dive in frigid water in wetsuits, if you're in a drysuit it is certainly excessive.
I have a question since in the future I plan on diving dry. Basically, how much weight do you need when using heavy undergarments? Also, with SS plate, a steel tank and the weight needed to sink the drysuit on the rig, is 30lbs of lift sufficient to float it?
 
I have a question since in the future I plan on diving dry. Basically, how much weight do you need when using heavy undergarments? Also, with SS plate, a steel tank and the weight needed to sink the drysuit on the rig, is 30lbs of lift sufficient to float it?

Only you will know how much weight you need when you do your weight checks….yes 30 lb wings are absolutely enough.
 
Only you will know how much weight you need when you do your weight checks….yes 30 lb wings are absolutely enough.
I am trying to get an idea of what a drysuit with heavy undergarments and as much of the air out as possible to get down. Wetsuits have estimates so was hoping to get an idea.
 
I have a question since in the future I plan on diving dry. Basically, how much weight do you need when using heavy undergarments? Also, with SS plate, a steel tank and the weight needed to sink the drysuit on the rig, is 30lbs of lift sufficient to float it?

I am trying to get an idea of what a drysuit with heavy undergarments and as much of the air out as possible to get down. Wetsuits have estimates so was hoping to get an idea.

working backwards, the "as much air out to get down" bit is more from wetsuit diving where you are weighted right on the bitter edge of being slightly too positive and you have to get down to have suit compression take over. This should never be an issue with a drysuit as they are considered constant buoyancy devices so you would let a bit of gas out to initiate the descent but not trying to bleed it dry.

It is generally recommended to not put all of that weight on the BCD when diving dry and to utilize other methods of attaching ballast. Using something like the Halcyon weighted STA to put an extra ~8lbs *2lbs STA, 6lbs weight* is certainly fine, using a big steel tank instead of al80 is fine, but after that I would put the remaining ballast on a weight belt or harness.
If I'm diving really cold water I tend to just dive doubles which lets me use a 60lb wing quite easily and also gives me a lot more ballast on my back between the second tank, bands, manifold, etc. I don't love doing really cold diving in single tanks, it feels funny to me, very unstable in roll because of the lift from the drysuit.
 
working backwards, the "as much air out to get down" bit is more from wetsuit diving where you are weighted right on the bitter edge of being slightly too positive and you have to get down to have suit compression take over. This should never be an issue with a drysuit as they are considered constant buoyancy devices so you would let a bit of gas out to initiate the descent but not trying to bleed it dry.

It is generally recommended to not put all of that weight on the BCD when diving dry and to utilize other methods of attaching ballast. Using something like the Halcyon weighted STA to put an extra ~8lbs *2lbs STA, 6lbs weight* is certainly fine, using a big steel tank instead of al80 is fine, but after that I would put the remaining ballast on a weight belt or harness.
If I'm diving really cold water I tend to just dive doubles which lets me use a 60lb wing quite easily and also gives me a lot more ballast on my back between the second tank, bands, manifold, etc. I don't love doing really cold diving in single tanks, it feels funny to me, very unstable in roll because of the lift from the drysuit.
 
I am trying to get an idea of what a drysuit with heavy undergarments and as much of the air out as possible to get down. Wetsuits have estimates so was hoping to get an idea.

There’s a lot of factors…you’ll figure all that out when you take your Drysuit course and start experimenting with your equipment. The weight I use changes all the time depending on my set up…
 
Thanks. I was recalling before I new any better I was using a steel tank with a wetsuit. With the stainless steel plate, STA, steel tank, light etc. and the weight needed to get down it was bumping up to the 30lb lift so the 40lb wing was recommended.

I guess if in double HP100s a 40lb evolve wing would be sufficient in a drysuit if moving some weight to a belt?
 
There’s a lot of factors…you’ll figure all that out when you take your Drysuit course and start experimenting with your equipment. The weight I use changes all the time depending on my set up…
Haha, I try to keep talking myself out of taking the course because if I take it I will end up purchasing a drysuit. This sport isn't inexpensive...lol
 
Tell me if I'm understanding this right... wing lift for a drysuit can be lower because if functioning properly, the drysuit is a supplemental buoyancy device. And if the drysuit floods, it'll have less buoyancy than a wetsuit? What about the flooded drysuit scenario.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

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