Dry Suit Diving Tips

[simbrooks]

Diving Concepts Thinsulate Extreme

Mind if i ask what thickness/weight? Just wondering if Rick made fun with his hardly any undies DS diving.

 

[H2Andy]

ah... it's the "thickest" of their line, called the Extreme. the thing says it's 200 gram,
but that seems awful low to be their most insulation.

rick thought the undergarment was good

it's the third one down:

http://www.divingconcepts.com/tpspage2.htm

got it on Ebay for a nice price, new

it felt extremely comfortable in 72 degree water (but i am a cold wus)

 

[simbrooks]

ah... it's the "thickest" of their line, called the Extreme. the thing says it's 200 gram,
but that seems awful low to be their most insulation.

rick thought the undergarment was good

it's the third one down:

http://www.divingconcepts.com/tpspage2.htm

got it on Ebay for a nice price, new

it felt extremely comfortable in 72 degree water (but i am a cold wus)

It appears to be a composite of fleece lined thinsulate, interesting. I wear 200g fleece, seems to work all day in the water at the springs, which is good enough for me. I would roast in anything warmer - but you dont have my extra insulation!

Rick hardly seems to wear thicker undies, the bare minimum, laughed when i said i was going in with 200g fleece, but its definately cozy at 72F for a good few hours on end

BTW you have diving in the morning, time for bed, or at least that is where i am going!

 

[H2Andy]

nope... i have diving NEXT saturday

 

[GDI]

let's just say that my instructor (GDI) has something of a malevolent streak
in him

Andy my wife agrees with you

 

[GDI]

hey rick (GDI), thanks for a great class, man

i now remember you did cover the subject

here's a question (i'm asking in the forums so others can benefit):

when you store a dry suit, do you store it zipped up?

NO leave the zipper open Simon explained the reasons well. Also hang the suit upside down to have any condensation drain out. Your suit can be easily turned inside out (be careful of stressing the zipper) to assist in drying

Did you listen to any of the information?

 

[vodolaz]

There is no valid reason not to use them.

On the contrary, not needing them in the first place is valid enough. I used them for awhile, but discovered they weren't doing anything for me other than dragging my fins down unnecessarily.

Anyone need a pair of neon green ankle weights?

 

[H2Andy]

Did you listen to any of the information?

lol... hey, i'm a slow learner. i learn through repetition

i did listen to that part where you said you'd give me free lessons for life
on any technical diving subject i wanted, though

also, since there seem to be at least two oppinions on anything regarding
diving, i'd figure i'd start the ball rolling on this subject for my benefit
and for others who may have similar questions

 

[sharkmasterbc]

When I started and took the drysuit course I used to use only my suit for buoyency...as it was a bag suit and my instructor took at least 1 hour insuring I was properly weighted I figured this was a good way to dive...until I started to use it only to eliminate the squeeze...wow now ascending was o so much easier and there was no dynamically unstable bubble on my back, there. Here's a few things I learned about drysuits...
1. Don't leave it rolled up behind the car in the parking lot after a night dive
2. Always store it with the zipper open, otherwise the smell that will eminate from it may actually be seen as a green haze comming from the seals and smell bad enough to have your buddy write "your suit really stinks" on his wetnotes while hanging out on deco stops.
3. Wash the seals (if they are latex) with a mild solution of grease cutting soap, this gets all the oils of off the seals which come from your skin.
4. Do not fill your suit to max capacity on the deck of the boat and then jump in the water, it is almost impossible to get back onboard and probably bad for the seals.
5. Do not cliff jump in your drysuit, unless you have squeezed every last bit of air from it.
6. Keep the zipper waxed and take a toothbrush to the teeth of the zipper once every 20 dives to remove the old dirty wax.
7. Do not store it under fluro lights...they give off lots of UV and breakdown the latex seals.

 

[mrobinson]

5. Do not cliff jump in your drysuit, unless you have squeezed every last bit of air from it.

Love those surface intervals!