Drysuit Exhaust Position

[grouchyturtle]

I'm sending my Dacor Trilam in to have Turbo Soles installed and have the arms shortened a little. I figure since I'm sending my suit in anyway, I may as well have them fix that problem that many of us dry suit divers apparently suffer from (exhaust valve in a crappy spot).

I've read some of the other posts about this, and it seems most people prefer cuff dumps.

Problems are:

1. My suit has a large valve, about 3"
2. I wear a computer and compass on my left and a slate on my right
3. I'm going to be wearing dry gloves once it gets colder
4. All of the above combined with the fact that, I'm short.

So I was thinking of moving it to my tricep, which seems to be one of the best locations to allow dumping while horizontal. Then I saw UP write that the problem with tricep is, it's hard to dump in any position except horizontal.

So now I'm thinking the best spot, considering all of the above, would be the outside of the arm (right between bicep and tricep) as close to the elbow as possible.

Would this be a good spot to put it? It seems like this would be just as good a location as the cuff.

In this spot:

1. It should be just as easy to get the valve to the highest point
2. Your arm is also closer to the natural position you keep it in while diving, allowing you to still see gauges, and reach both dry suit and wing inflator

Hey, anywhere will be better than that crappy front of the shoulder spot, that most manufacturers seem to put them!

 

[Uncle Pug]

May suggest moving your computer to your right wrist... and not just so you will have room for a forearm dump on the left... but that is a much better place for it. You will be able to view your depth even while using your left hand to vent gas from both your wing and your suit on ascent.

 

[grouchyturtle]

I'll have to try that. Actually, I'd prefer to have it there. Just not sure if it will fit on that side with the slate and the ring from the dry glove. Like I said, I am short.

Guess I'll have to throw it all on tomorrow and fiddle around, but damn that thing is hot, this time of year, when you're out of the water.

Would you recommend moving the valve I have or getting a smaller one?
Also how far down and on what side of the wrist would be best?

 

[JeffG]

I'll have to try that. Actually, I'd prefer to have it there. Just not sure if it will fit on that side with the slate and the ring from the dry glove. Like I said, I am short.

Guess I'll have to throw it all on tomorrow and fiddle around, but damn that thing is hot, this time of year, when you're out of the water.

Would you recommend moving the valve I have or getting a smaller one?
Also how far down and on what side of the wrist would be best?

Are you left handed? Is that why the slate is on the right.

 

[Uncle Pug]

I would do without the slate... but that is me. I have a sitech valve on the forearm of one suit and there is enough room between it and the dryglove cuff-ring for my compass. The dump is on the top of my forearm. I have another suit with the same valve mounted on the outside of the upper arm (between bicep and tricept) and it is OK but I prefer the forearm dump. But that is just me. I understand that Chickdiver and some of the WKPP divers have their dumps on the up right arm because of scootering. I don't have a problem scootering with the dump on the left.

 

[Dryglove]

If you goto my gallery there are a few not so good pictures of when i had my exhaust valve relocated to the forearm on my previous drysuit. This is probably the best picture http://www.scubaboard.com/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/8627/sort/1/cat/500/page/1

My SK7 wrist compass fit perfect between the dryglove ring and the forearm mounted exhaust valve. I am pretty sure i will also go with a forearm mounted exhaust valve on my new suit when i order it. It makes venting your suit a breeze and also vents the drysuit at the same time you vent expanding air from your wing when ascending if you use the oral inflator dump.

 

[Diver0001]

I'm sending my Dacor Trilam in to have Turbo Soles installed and have the arms shortened a little. I figure since I'm sending my suit in anyway, I may as well have them fix that problem that many of us dry suit divers apparently suffer from (exhaust valve in a crappy spot).
....snip....

Just to be clear, were you having trouble with it where it was?

R..

 

[grouchyturtle]

Hell yeah!!!

It's in that annoying front of the upper arm position that most suits seem to come with.

So I have I have to get almost completely vertical in order to dump.

 

[Mverick]

Hell yeah!!!

It's in that annoying front of the upper arm position that most suits seem to come with.

So I have I have to get almost completely vertical in order to dump.

Mine on my Gates Pro VSN 1100 vents great when horizontal. My DUI CF200 I have to raise my shoulder to vent.

The Gates is like it isn't even there. It's an Apeks High profile.

On my Gates 1050's. It doesn't matter where the vent is. I'm wearing 40 to 100lbs of lead. And have someone in a boat pulling me up....LOL My exhausts are all placed where they come from the factory....

I'm spoiled from the Gates suit. I see people with the exhaust on the forearm raising there arm to vent. If I have something in my hands. Like the 8 lb weight I found at Catalina. With the dump on my shoulder. I don't have to worry about having my arm free to raise. Just worry about my BC.

 

[grouchyturtle]

Finally tried it on. I decided to dump the slate and go with the forearm dump.
It's not like I use that slate all that often anyway.

I'm going to have him install pockets while it's there, so I guess I'll just throw some wet notes in one of them.