Running My Drysuit Tight

Michael Guerrero · Nov 23, 2013

Lol, maybe too tight. This is with a decent thickness fleece layer underneath (good into the 50s).

Surprisingly, it didn't feel bad. The neck seal also doesn't feel too tight and has already been trimmed for surface comfort.

Nonetheless, marks all over my chest, armpits, and neck.

PfcAJ · Nov 23, 2013

I really dont get why some folks run their suit so tight. Looks miserable.

Instructor_Tom · Nov 23, 2013

Running tight when in a head down entry to prevent floaty feet is understandable but once you get horizontal there is no reason to run that tight. And tight enough to leave marks is way too tight.

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Jared0425 · Nov 24, 2013

I get those marks but worse looking than this when I wear my drysuit. What causes this effect?

Phil_C · Nov 24, 2013

Jared0425:
I get those marks but worse looking than this when I wear my drysuit. What causes this effect?

My guess would be that if you are diving a laminate dry suit which is a little generous in proportions the symptoms you are experiencing are caused when the air in the suit compresses and you get ridges formed where the material puckers. Particularly where these form near your joints, or where you have equipment over the top, they tend to press in on your skin and cause pressure marks and they will also dig in if you do not put enough air in the suit to compensate for the squeeze.

Undergarments will reduce it to a certain degree, as will putting air in the suit to offset the squeeze as you descend. You can also get a similar effect in a neoprene drysuit, but it is nowhere near as common as neoprene suits tend to fit a bit more closely and not have so much bag.

Phil.

divad · Nov 24, 2013

.....................................................

TracyN · Nov 25, 2013

Ah drysuit hickies!

I remember getting a few of those during my early drysuit dives.

Pullmyfinger · Nov 25, 2013

I run a bit of gas in my suit. It's a dry suit...not a Food Saver.
Put enough gas in, to allow the undergarment to loft.

Jared0425 · Nov 25, 2013

That's the thing, I do not let it squeeze me that much. I always put air in it and I have thick garments for deco here on the lakes. It's a DUI Bare and I've had it for almost 7 years.

3D diver · Nov 25, 2013

I used to get those all the time in my original undies, basically a set of poly long johns and a fleece/shell suit from Viking. I recently bought a reeeeel thick set of Bare undies and have yet to get a drysuit hickey. I believe it's a matter of the formation of creases in the undies leading to a local squeeze condition.

Running My Drysuit Tight

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Michael Guerrero

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divad

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