Dry Suit Diving Tips

[otter-cat]

If you have latex neck or wrist seals, use talc, not baby powder. Although similar, baby powder often contains scents and other chemicals which can degrade your latex.

Rinse your drysuit after each dive w/ fresh water. Wax the zipper. Keep the vent free of dirt/crud.

Store dry, in such a way as the zipper is not "kinked" or bent.

 

[H2Andy]

this is a learning experience

thanks for the tips everyone

 

[cuberoot3i]

p-valve, p-valve,p-valve. did i mention getting a p-valve. if you got big feet like i do, suck it up and wear gaters.

 

[ScubaMarc]

1) Don't be a sissy and wear gaiters or ankle weghts.

Why not, in my first suit I never need ankle weights, my second suit I could not keep my feet down. I added ankle weights and my floaty feet were fixed.

 

[H2Andy]

thankfully, i don't ahve the floaty feet issue with this suit. i did have a bit of
a "head up" trim, but moving the tank fixed that real nice.

as to the p-valve, i do have one set up... but... i am sort of hesitant to
use it... i haven't even asked anyone how the thing works, if you can
believe that


also, for women, obviously they can't use a p-valve... so i guess they wear depends?

 

[matt_unique]

Why not, in my first suit I never need ankle weights, my second suit I could not keep my feet down. I added ankle weights and my floaty feet were fixed.

There is no valid reason not to use them. Most people here think it's a bad thing because others tell them so. They quote reasons like inertial energy, drag, etc., etc., etc. all of which, in the context of ankle weights, offer no measurable differences in air consumption or anything relevant.

Ha ha ha - imagine if all of us who use ankle weights discovered we can't keep up with our non-ankle weight wearing buddies (due to the drag) while we emptied our tanks (due to the supposed increase in air consumption)? Some people think the same about reels and stage bottles and everything else we use which while technically increasing drag and energy required, etc. is so slight it's not relevant in the way most portray it.

--Matt

 

[kalvyn]

There is no valid reason not to use them. Most people here think it's a bad thing because others tell them so. They quote reasons like inertial energy, drag, etc., etc., etc. all of which, in the context of ankle weights, offer no measurable differences in air consumption or anything relevant.

Ha ha ha - imagine if all of us who use ankle weights discovered we can't keep up with our non-ankle weight wearing buddies (due to the drag) while we emptied our tanks (due to the supposed increase in air consumption)? Some people think the same about reels and stage bottles and everything else we use which while technically increasing drag and energy required, etc. is so slight it's not relevant in the way most portray it.

Actually, the reason I don't use them is because I don't want to kick around that extra weight. Think about it; any weight you add to your legs has to be moved by those legs, every time you kick. It's like adding weights to your legs when you jog or excersize, but I don't dive to excersize. Even an extra # per leg is more work your legs have to do. There's a reason the shoes I wear when I ride my bike weigh almost nothing, and it's the same reason I don't add excess weight to my feet when I dive.

Jimmie

 

[H2O lover]

Where can I find talc to use on my seals?

Thanks,
H2O

 

[Dryglove]

Where can I find talc to use on my seals?

Thanks,
H2O

This is where i have purchased my last 2 lots from http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQfsooZ2QQfsopZ2QQsassZdave4868QQsojsZ0

 

[Green_Manelishi]

There is no valid reason not to use them. Most people here think it's a bad thing because others tell them so. They quote reasons like inertial energy, drag, etc., etc., etc. all of which, in the context of ankle weights, offer no measurable differences in air consumption or anything relevant.

Ha ha ha - imagine if all of us who use ankle weights discovered we can't keep up with our non-ankle weight wearing buddies (due to the drag) while we emptied our tanks (due to the supposed increase in air consumption)? Some people think the same about reels and stage bottles and everything else we use which while technically increasing drag and energy required, etc. is so slight it's not relevant in the way most portray it.

--Matt

Having dove with Matt, who dives "all wrong" (neoprene drysuit, aluminum tanks, and I think he even uses ankle weights) I can state that all that has zippo to do with drag and/or air consumption; the man uses hardly any air at all, even when he is being harrassed by a huge honkin' seal !!! :dazzler1: