Dry suit and sinking feet

RPanick

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• Apr 8, 2007

• #1

Okay, I've got a problem that seems to be the opposite of everyone else. In my dry suit my feet sink if I hover motionless. I'm using fins that have positive buoyancy, and I'm wearing two pairs of heavy socks.

Before going from Diving Concepts attached boots (hated feeling the rocks through the soles) to socks and Rock Boots I didn't have an issue. I can compensate a bit by adding a bit more air to the suit and making my feet the high part of me to put the bubble there, but I can't count on it staying there.

The only thing I can come up with is adding weight on the valve, but I'm concerned that it may not be enough. I've also played with moving my BC on my body and even the tank position, without much affect.

And no I'm not going to put those things you put on kids arm's. I don't have the flexibility to put air in them at depth.

 

TSandM

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Rest in Peace

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• Apr 8, 2007

• #2

How much weight are you carrying? You can move weight from your belt or waist pockets up onto the cambands of your BC by using XS Scuba weight pouches.

 

do it easy

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• Apr 8, 2007

• #3

What kind of tank(s) are you using? You might be able to shift some mass and buoyancy by changing tanks.

 

C

cobaltblue

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• Apr 8, 2007

• #4

You could also try moving the tank up higher on you back.

 

R

Rainer

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• Apr 8, 2007

• #5

Lighter fins?

 

H2Andy

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• Apr 8, 2007

• #6

cobaltblue:

You could also try moving the tank up higher on you back.

Click to expand...

yes...

as everybody else has implied, it may not be your feet ... that's just a symptom

the problem is your trim isn't right ... try moving weight up your body

or

the problem is you are letting air into your booties and not venting them right ... get a little "feet down" every once in a while to let the air come up to your valve and out the suit, especially on the way up

 

C

crlavoie

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• Apr 8, 2007

• #7

I have the same issue but probably not to the same degree. I just use move some of the air in the suit to the feet. Maintaining proper trim in a frog kisk position generally keeps it in place. Also, as mentioned above, I keep a few pounds in my cam bands.

 

robint

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• Apr 9, 2007

• #8

I have known another person with this problem and he resolved it by taking a pair of ankle weights, hooking them together making a necklace, and hanging it around his neck. Very funny to see underwater, but it worked for him. LOL

 

dave4868

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• Apr 9, 2007

• #9

RPanick:

Okay, I've got a problem that seems to be the opposite of everyone else. In my dry suit my feet sink if I hover motionless. I'm using fins that have positive buoyancy, and I'm wearing two pairs of heavy socks.

Before going from Diving Concepts attached boots (hated feeling the rocks through the soles) to socks and Rock Boots I didn't have an issue. I can compensate a bit by adding a bit more air to the suit and making my feet the high part of me to put the bubble there, but I can't count on it staying there.

The only thing I can come up with is adding weight on the valve, but I'm concerned that it may not be enough. I've also played with moving my BC on my body and even the tank position, without much affect.

And no I'm not going to put those things you put on kids arm's. I don't have the flexibility to put air in them at depth.

Click to expand...

One more suggestion, on top of the good ones already given, is to loosen your laces on the rockboots, which will let the socks hold more air. That will increase their buoyancy.

Your feet will be warmer and less prone to cramping, too.

Also, it will help if you keep your bcd empty and use only your drysuit for buoyancy control, and use a bit more weight perhaps. That will let you shift more of the suit air to the legs.

As far as your efforts to keep your feet high to hold the "bubble" of air, as crlavoie mentioned, a bent-knee position will help keep your feet higher than your body, trapping the air.

I'm curious, do you strive to have a minimum amount of air in your drysuit and use the bcd for primary buoyancy control?

Dave C

 

String

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• Apr 9, 2007

• #10

I get same problem in drysuit and in a wetsuit. Very negative feet.

Tank height can only adjust a certain amount of it, too much its into head banging territory.

Trim weights on the cam or tank valve help a bit but not perfect either, especially if you roll forward to look at things.

Chances are the fix maybe a combination of tank height, trim weights and the ratio of air in the BC vs drysuit for you to fix it. Works just about with me anyway.