Too Cold???
- Thread starter dvr4lyf
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
Did you have a hood,gloves boots? you can waste tons of heat thru thease body parts,Farmers all leak thats why a full suit works the best,but I add a 1mm full suit on my 3mm and 7mm suit and this keeps me toasty.
I do dive dry most times but have cool water up my way,
A dive pal dives wet and is warm even as I'm cold hands or face he is ok!
Used suit's do compress that 7mm may be 6mm now,
Dive safe,Have fun
Brad
I do dive dry most times but have cool water up my way,
A dive pal dives wet and is warm even as I'm cold hands or face he is ok!
Used suit's do compress that 7mm may be 6mm now,
Dive safe,Have fun
Brad
The Kraken
He Who Glows in the Dark Waters (ADVISOR)
ScubaBoard Supporter
Scuba Instructor
Divemaster
J75:
J75, you make an excellent point.
The LDS with which I'm affilliated here in the Atlanta area uses a heated pool year round for OW classes. Most of the certification dives are done in springs in north Florida (70 degrees year round) or in the Gulf of Mexico.
That has to be a very strenuous and difficult teaching scenario.
the K
cummings66
Contributor
I think that many dive shops don't consider the students body temps as they've been diving for a while and got used to low temps, so they just think everybody is that way.
I know that I'm comfortable doing a dive in low 40's in a 7mm one piece, but I'm even happier in a drysuit in those same temps. I dive all year round and carry a 7mm with me just in case something happens to the drysuit. A leak will not stop me and I'll dive in the middle of Winter in my 7mm suit if I have to. The cold to me is not that bad. In fact, I don't even know what it's like to dive in warm water and don't know that I ever care to find out.
I do think students should wear at least a 7mm when it's less than 70 degree's for comfort, especially if they show signs of being cold in a pool.
I know that I'm comfortable doing a dive in low 40's in a 7mm one piece, but I'm even happier in a drysuit in those same temps. I dive all year round and carry a 7mm with me just in case something happens to the drysuit. A leak will not stop me and I'll dive in the middle of Winter in my 7mm suit if I have to. The cold to me is not that bad. In fact, I don't even know what it's like to dive in warm water and don't know that I ever care to find out.
I do think students should wear at least a 7mm when it's less than 70 degree's for comfort, especially if they show signs of being cold in a pool.
The Kraken
He Who Glows in the Dark Waters (ADVISOR)
ScubaBoard Supporter
Scuba Instructor
Divemaster
I'm not so sure that it's the fact that the LDS doesn't consider the students' body temperatures as it is a matter of what they can sell the student.
Even in the 80+ degree pool, at the end of 3 to 4 hours, I see the students in their brand new 3 or 4 mil $350 Hendersons shaking like aspen leaves in the fall.
I don't own a dive shop, but I, as a D/M, sorely feel for the students spending that much time in the water and getting cold.
In the confined water sessions of the PADI OW course I wear a 7/5 semi-dry, in those same pool temperatures and have never been uncomfortable.
It's a difficult thing to train in one environment and sell to another.
Just one of those things with which I have personal issues.
the K
Even in the 80+ degree pool, at the end of 3 to 4 hours, I see the students in their brand new 3 or 4 mil $350 Hendersons shaking like aspen leaves in the fall.
I don't own a dive shop, but I, as a D/M, sorely feel for the students spending that much time in the water and getting cold.
In the confined water sessions of the PADI OW course I wear a 7/5 semi-dry, in those same pool temperatures and have never been uncomfortable.
It's a difficult thing to train in one environment and sell to another.
Just one of those things with which I have personal issues.
the K
Amen brother!Xanthro:
The only 4 dives I've done wet in water that was below 76 were my 4 open water dives in the Hood Canal. Water temps were in the upper 40's at the bottom and I was sooooo cold I seriously considered quitting. The very first dive after certification was for the drysuit speciality. I've been dry ever since. I still get cold on occasion when the water temp is around 45 or less, but not so cold that I want to quit diving. If I had to dive wet, I've never dive anywhere on the west coast again.
How about renting a drysuit for a while until you can afford one?
diveborg:
Based on the dry suit rentals prices I've seen it would be cheaper making high interest finance payments than renting. YMMV
Pete
My first move after a 41 degree dive in wetsuit was to get drysuit. I did the 41 degree dive in every pience of neoprene I owned - a 7/5 fullsuit, a 3/2 fullsuit under it and 5/3 hooded vest. I was so cold that I couldn't stop shivering. The drysuit and some fancy underwear and I can do that dive like it is in 80 degree water.
scubadobadoo
Contributor
Good info here. I'll add, on the topic of personal needs, that I am freezing in my dry suit with heavy undies in 47 degree water. My dry suit helps a bit but certainly doesn't solve the cold problem for me. Now AFTER the dive, I warm up much faster because I am dry! That's the best part! I also don't continue to freeze and thus usually feel like doing two dives instead of one. SO, will a dry suit help? You bet. Will it keep you toasty warm? Probably not. JMHO's. I hate when people say that they felt "toasty." That's just not reality most of the time.
Similar threads
