Hand-warmers and Ice Diving?

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doctorwhodiver

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Didn't really know where to put this...so if this is in the wrong place, mods please move it.

I was wondering if anyone has ever used hand warmers while ice diving or diving in very cold water with your dry suit?

I don't want to purchase a heated under garment for what is likely to be only a few dives. I'm also a person that gets fairly cold fairly easily, but I don't want to let that stop me from trying this cool experience.

Anyhow, I was told by someone that they thing they --may-- explode or something at depth... does anyone know anything about this?

My plan would be to wrap them in fleece (I have fleece hand warmers holders already made for when I take my small pets out on errands). That way it would not get too hot and burn my skin.

Thanks!
 
Hand warmers that use an aerobic chemical reaction to produce heat will get much hotter than normal under the higher PPO2 environment inside a drysuit at depth. At the very least they could become uncomfortable. Not recommended.


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I did it when I did my ice diving course. Shoved one (or two?) in the front pocket of the top of my drysuit undergarments. It was fine. But I'm not sure it really helped, either.

Never occurred to me that there would be a problem, but now that I think about it...
 
If the darn things start leaking or itching or God knows what you're in a bad place.

Try using 2 undergloves: some kind of silky "under-under glove" (sold for XC-skiers use, also a similar product for meatpackers and other workers in very cold conditions), then over the "under-under glove" use a warm underglove of wool/wool mix/qualofill/fleece/other similar and drygloves over everything. If you keep your dives under 30 mins and even 3-finger 8mm wet gloves can be OK => 3-finger gloves are hugely warmer than 5-finger gloves.

Winter dives here all -2 to +3C.
 
Whatever you have in contact with your skin make sure it wicks. Your own sweat will make you just as cold as water will. The object of a dry suit is to stay warm by staying dry, the key is staying dry. If your core is insulated and dry it does not need blood sacrificed from your hands and feet to stay warm, you will be already be ahead of the game. Keeping those hands warm will only take normal insulation.

When I'm cold on land the 1st thing that starts to hurt are my fingers, I post from the same experience you have.
 
Even though it's extremeties like fingers and toes that get cold most easily, what others are saying about keeping your core warm is incredibly true! If your core isn't warm your extremities have no hope of being comfortable.
Be absolutely sure you have nothing next to your skin that retains moisture (I prefer merino wool long johns as the bottom layer) and use a proper undersuit (such as a Weezle suit for example) that wicks moisture out to its outer surface.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

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