Hot water down wetsuit

[SwimJim]

I use warm water for all dives where the water is colder then forty five degrees or so. It works very well for me. I've had dive times over an hour in thirty five degree water. I bring along at least five gallons in an insulted cooler. I use a cheap had pump to get the water into my suit. Dry suit divers who use wet gloves quickly become my friends. Works good for unfreezing froze regulators and freeing frozen dry suit zippers.
Eventully I will spring for a dry suit. I just need to convince the boss that I need to shell out the cash. However when I go ice diving I will still bring warm water along as it has many uses.

Jim=-)

 

[JDostal]

A good way to get the water into your suit is to buy one of those older fire extinguishers that you coule fill up w/ water...they do a really good job.

 

[WJL]

I tried the hot water down the wetsuit trick myself, but after I got in the water, it seemed like it really didn't make much of a difference that I could tell. It doesn't seem like it ought to either. The wet suit keeps you warm by keeping that thin layer of water between your skin and the wetsuit material at close to body temperature. That's why you wear a tight fitting wetsuit, so you're not always flushing cold water in there that your body has to heat up. So if the suit fits right, the water close to your skin should be in the 90s (F) without adding any hot water. The outer side of the neoprene itself is going to get as cold as the ambient water will let it get in a big hurry, regardless of how warm you made before the dive.

 

[dc4bs]

WJL once bubbled...
I tried the hot water down the wetsuit trick myself, but after I got in the water, it seemed like it really didn't make much of a difference that I could tell. It doesn't seem like it ought to either. The wet suit keeps you warm by keeping that thin layer of water between your skin and the wetsuit material at close to body temperature. That's why you wear a tight fitting wetsuit, so you're not always flushing cold water in there that your body has to heat up. So if the suit fits right, the water close to your skin should be in the 90s (F) without adding any hot water. The outer side of the neoprene itself is going to get as cold as the ambient water will let it get in a big hurry, regardless of how warm you made before the dive.

Yah, but the volume of cold water that does not enter the wetsuit at the beginning of the dive due to warm water already being there is significant.

Your body does not have to heat up as much icy water right off the bat. You therefore have more energy reserves to keep warm longer for the rest of the dive. Not to mention the reduction of the 'ice water down the spine' sensation as you first enter the water...

It can greatly increase your 'comfortable' bottom time on a cold water dive in a wetsuit if done right.