Dry suits...Pee valves or Depends

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Sure, I can hold it if I have to. I just like not having to.

Interesting that you don't see a lot of posts that say, "I used to have a pee valve, but after using it for a while, I decided I didn't like it."

Most of the negatives come from people who have never used it. And for those who fit that category, I say, "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh......................." :D
 
Being an adult and armed with the knowledge that you are able to hold your pee for more than an hour after using the facilities should make a pee valve a little silly unless you're planning a ludicrously long ranged deco dive. Just pee before you go and save your drysuit from an unnecessary hole.

Your opinion, unfortunately, flies in the face of bioloical reality.

Most of the time, I have no problem holding it for well more than an hour. There are times, however, when I have not had anything to drink in several hours when much more than 15 minutes between potty breaks is stretching it. Just depends on whether I'm collecting or dumping fluids that day. If it is a heavy dump day (maybe once every 6-12 months or so), I can expect at least one 2 hour period when I will hit the bathroom 4-6 times with an extremely full bladder. In college (30 years ago) I can remember walking out of a class three times in one 50 minute class period because each time I just couldn't hold it any longer. Yesterday was another one of those days . . . good thing I was just sitting at home with nothing else to do. (And no, I don't have an underlying medical problem like diabetes.)

TS&M - how likely is it that the salt trick would turn off a dump day that had already started? (I'm not much for salt loading before every dive as a precaution - but as a once in a blue moon measure of symptom control it might be worth it.)
 
When I got my dry suit, the valve was high on the "want it" list.
You don't have to use it but it certainly proves useful on the longer dives and you don't have to worry about the mad dash to dump equipment and take the suit off after the dive. Instead, you can take your time and get ready for the next dive.
 
This thread has helped me add another reason I only want to dive in warm water. I am OK if the dedicated coldies wanna call me a wimp. I dive for pleasure and generally, words like frigid, cold, diaper and catheter are not in my pleasure vocabulary.
 
This thread has helped me add another reason I only want to dive in warm water. I am OK if the dedicated coldies wanna call me a wimp. I dive for pleasure and generally, words like frigid, cold, diaper and catheter are not in my pleasure vocabulary.


:rofl3:
THANK YOU!
I couldn't have said it better myself!
 
I am on my second dry suit, and now am using a prevalve. Although I like it on long dives the catheter slips off (not becuase of sizing). I have had the pee value for 1 year and still am not sure if its worth it!
 
So far, I have managed without a diaper or pee valve. I am female so the p-valve thing just isn't convenient (or so I am told, i have never tried the female version). I will always go to the washroom before a dive, and every time, regardless of how much I have had to drink, I have to pee about 20 minutes in, sometimes sooner. By the end of the dive, I am usually feeling rather desperate. I don't like the idea of diapers, but I may start wearing them soon simply for comfort's sake. I should get off my high horse and give them a try. I may prefer it to holding my full bladder to the point of it being painful.

My boyfriend, however, just installed a pee valve a month or so ago and he does not have enough good things to say about it!
 
Hi! ok time to get flamed. One from the newb. I have not been down in my drysuit yet, very shortly though. Last week at the LDS meeting I humbly put out the pee question. All the techs screamed 'nappies'. I will not say why as the flames will roast me. But one of the more seasoned mixers came up to me and said kev I'm a SWAT member when we are in WAIT mode we cant move for any reason, we wear nappies in that case. So I said why not just hold it, he said sometimes its cold and you just gotsta go. He gave all sorts of pros and cons for the valve and all sorts of pro and cons for the nappies. For me right now seems cost wins. He has peed maybe 5 times in 200+ dives, many long dives. Maybe his constitution is strong, whatever that means. So he said why not dive a few times, see how you do in regards to elimination issues. O ya I said how do you feel when you go in one. He laughed-try it at home. I guess thats along the lines of clearing your nasal passage with saline.
My decision is to dive a few times with the nappy see how it is. They all have said it does not leak into the underwear. Another new adventured in diving.:D kevin
 
Being an adult and armed with the knowledge that you are able to hold your pee for more than an hour after using the facilities should make a pee valve a little silly unless you're planning a ludicrously long ranged deco dive. Just pee before you go and save your drysuit from an unnecessary hole.

If you lack the mental fortitude to hold your pee for more than a couple hours, perhaps you're in the wrong leisure activity or need to toughen up a little?

Hydration issues should be dealt with 12-24 hours before your dive, not in a cram session an hour before you're getting wet. Those who feel they need to chug 3 gallons of water an hour before a dive are probably making up for a long night's drinking and perhaps shouldn't be diving at all... or simply overdoing it.

Just my opinion...

My son used to brag to me about how he never peed in his wetsuit. He was young and drank in moderation. I pee like I vote, early and often, it comes with age.

Funny thing it, once he stopped being a hoover and starting diving long dives (or multiple dives on a boat w/o a head), he came over to the dark side and stopped worring and lets it fly as needed.

There are lots of important things in diving, holding your bladder is not one of them. I drink more water then I need to (a quart every dive), but then I have been dehydrated once after a dive, I learned my lesson, not going to repeat it.
 
I guess it all depends on what you consider a "necessity." A lot of people think it's not necessary for recreational diving, and strictly speaking, that may very well be true. However, those who have them seem to love them, and the convenience (rather than necessity) of relieving oneself in the water and not having to "hold it" until the end of a dive seems to outweigh the various hassles associated with installing and preparing the valve.

I say, why not use whatever makes the dive more relaxing and enjoyable?
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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