Weezle DrySuit Undergarments...

[Soggy]

My husband has weezle undergarments, and he loves them. I have read some horror stories about them getting caught in the drysuit exhast valve, though - but I don't know how often this actually happens.

I was witness to one of these unfortunate incident as one of my dive buddies popped from 90 ft to the surface in < 1 minute due to the Weezle getting caught in the exhaust valve. It got so wudgled up in there that the nylon shell ripped.

IMO, the problem is the ridiculously light-weight shell that they use....if they'd switch to a more conventional, heavier shell,

Weezle also requires a bunch of loft (read lots of gas in the drysuit) to work...they even advertise that the thing can be crushed down to the size of a football!!!

My advise is leave the Weezle for camping and get a good 400g thinsulate undergarment.

 

[vetdiver]

I've got one and love it. Very warm, even when its a bit wet

I put a tube bandage (the woven ones for your knee or elbow) round my upper arm to avoid the whole sucking out the dump valve thing. Or if I forget that, the ol' trusty duct tape comes out!!!

Si

That's a great idea. I think I'm going to go home and do this to my husband's Weezle.

 

[Tampico_ED]

Just corious....Why did he not dump air from his neck/wrist seal?

Ed

I was witness to one of these unfortunate incident as one of my dive buddies popped from 90 ft to the surface in < 1 minute due to the Weezle getting caught in the exhaust valve. It got so wudgled up in there that the nylon shell ripped.

IMO, the problem is the ridiculously light-weight shell that they use....if they'd switch to a more conventional, heavier shell,

Weezle also requires a bunch of loft (read lots of gas in the drysuit) to work...they even advertise that the thing can be crushed down to the size of a football!!!

My advise is leave the Weezle for camping and get a good 400g thinsulate undergarment.

 

[jonnythan]

vela, have you ever tried to dump from a neck seal with thick gloves and a hood on? It's practically impossible to do.

 

[Soggy]

He tried....unfortunately, that is one of those things that is taught in drysuit classes that just isn't practical. Have you ever tried to get to your neck seal, under a hood, with drygloves on, in 36 degree water? By the time you get to it, you're already at the surface.

Just corious....Why did he not dump air from his neck/wrist seal?

Ed

 

[Tampico_ED]

Actually I trimmed my neck seal to the last line...so it dumps air automatically !
(of course when starting a fast ascend with out me dumping air)

vela, have you ever tried to dump from a neck seal with thick gloves and a hood on? It's practically impossible to do.

 

[Tampico_ED]

Actually I have tried....but I cheated...

I use the short DUI Hood ....not for the warm collar. I assume he had the long HOOD!

Anyway....I have always worry to have another way to dump air besides the shoulder valve.

He tried....unfortunately, that is one of those things that is taught in drysuit classes that just isn't practical. Have you ever tried to get to your neck seal, under a hood, with drygloves on, in 36 degree water? By the time you get to it, you're already at the surface.

 

[diver_paula]

Just corious....Why did he not dump air from his neck/wrist seal?

Ed

I found myself in a similar situation - I started my ascent from a 130' wreck dive and the dump function was gone. Not a happy feeling! The cause of the failure was never 100% determined and it's never happened since. It was one of the first times I was wearing my Weezles Exrememe + undies with the drysuit. It is also drysuit with a wrist only dump - something I'm considering getting retrofitted and will definitely never order again. Although the incindent was 3 Summers ago and I haven't experienced this again.

I was able to dump air from the suit via my wrist seal. However, it was very difficult! The only reason I was able to do this was because I was ascending via a mooring line / buoy. I definitely had a strong grip on the mooring line. & had my buddy help me remove one of my gloves for me given it was hard to do alone while maintaining such a strong grip on the line. We also stopped whenever I wanted / needed to dump air so I could maintain my grip on the line and concentrate on venting air via my wrist seal.

Could I have done it otherwise? Not as easily or as calmly. Reaction time without the mooring line would have been a whole lot less. I know I would have ripped a seal to save my life if necessary - if I possibly could! Not sure I could have. Probably would be easier for me to get a grip on / vent via my neoprene neck seal if necessary. At the time I didn't given I didn't want to get a full Great Lakes shower if unneccessary.

Venting a drysuit via the neck or wrist seal is not something I've ever practiced. Perhaps it's something we should all try. With thick gloves on!

I just know this is definitely not an incident that should be judged. (And I'm not saying you did / are.) Questioned as to what could be done in a similar situation for sure.

Paula

 

[MSilvia]

I still think of that as being a combination of problems... the lightweight shell on it's own won't cause the dump problem, it also takes having a dump valve that can be fouled by one.

 

[mossym]

the fact that it can even happen at all, no matter of the factors is worrying enough for some..me included...