Drysuit in warm water...

[tstormdiver]

Interesting.

What would be better, form fitting under armour, or loose under armour?



There are so many choices for undergarments, any recommendations?
Both for cold and warm diving. I'm typically diving 37-55F water, however I'll be diving in warmer this July-November as I'll be abroad.

Also, what do you wear inside of your rock boots? Would some merino wool socks suffice for cold water, or would something warmer be needed?

I use the form fitting Under Armor, less stuff to wrinkle, pinch & bind. When I wear shorts, I tend to get sores from the squeeze & the movement of the wrinkled material over my skin behind my knees.

For the 37- 55 degree waters you'll probably want 400gm or more undies, depending on your cold tolerance..
I have the socks on my drysuit & wear rock boots over them. Inside the socks, I wear 1 pair of 3mm neoprene socks for warm water 68- on up & 2 pairs for cold water. Feet never get cold, however, you do need to take them off fromm time to time to let your feet breathe.

 

[DwayneJ]

Interesting.

What would be better, form fitting under armour, or loose under armor?

Not too loose - Not too tight. Basically want to be able to stretch without it riding up.

I wear my Fusion Drysuit all year round -

- In summer I wear synthetic undies, shorts and t-shirt - 65F+
- In winter I wear is a layer of REI thermal pants and long sleeve top over shorts and a long sleeve top - 50-65F

I have the fancy drysuit underwear but prefer layering - seems like better freedom of movement.

Dwayne

 

[gconner]

I am a huge fan of layering. Base layer and in warm water the only layer is REI Polar Tech fleece. Light weight for 75+ and heavy weight for anything below 75. The REI top and bottom are almost identical to 4th Element Exotherm. Once the water temp drops to the point I'm starting to get cold I have heavy weigh polar tech fleece pants and jack I add on top the base layer. I've been in water in the low 40's and been toasty warm.

As for socks, I wear Merino wool heavy weigh socks from Bass Pro Shops. Comfortable, warm, and easy to care for. I also have a set of 200gm thinsulate booties I can add over the socks but have never needed them.

 

[Scuba.com]

I've told people many times that if I were ever to move back to the Caribbean I'd buy a nice shell or warm water drysuit. Keep in mind that if you are there all the time your body is going to get acclimated to the temps where you are. When I first arrived in Cayman I felt like I was diving in a spa. By the time I left I dreaded getting into that "cold" water in the winter.

Even at 85 degrees, you have to keep in mind that it's around 13 degrees cooler than your body temp. With water conducting heat away from your body as fast as it does, a person used to it can still get quite chilled.

 

[boat sju]

Colin,

Do you really want to be dragging your drysuit around while you're studying abroad? You'll have plenty of other things to worry about and plenty of other things to pack. Somebody else suggested taking a cheap 5 mil. I'd agree with that.

 

[knotical]

Lot of good responses so far. I'll only add two thoughts:

Considering the cost of wear and tear on a (presumably) more expensive dry suit, it might make sense to buy a warm water wetsuit and trade off, depending on temperature.

If the warm water wetsuit is fleece, it can double as dry-suit underwear.

 

[TSandM]

I use cheap Lands End fleece sweats under my drysuit in warm water. What's really important is that, whatever it is, it wicks well. You DON'T want a layer of damp fabric sitting between your skin and the dry suit. In warm weather, I just wear a fluffy fleece sock; in cold water, I add another sock layer under the fleece.

In cold water, it's a different story. I am a complete believer in purpose-made dry suit undergarments. It's not whether you can keep warm when you're dry; it's whether you will be warm enough to abort a dive safely when you get wet (note the "when", not an "if"). Having had a suit seriously flood when I was a 30 minute swim from shore in water in the high 40's, I know from whence I speak.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I was on a boat in Bonaire a couple years back with some folks diving in drysuits. Turns out they were a family ... and own a company called DUI ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[ColinCB]

Getting a cheaper wetsuit is probably the best idea. Not to mention finding service for the suit would be a huge PITA. Guess I'll go look for a good 5/3 suit...

 

[boat sju]

Colin,

You asked about socks earlier too. I wear a couple of pairs of Smartwool sweatsocks. You will probably need to experiment with thicknesses here also.

FWIW, some of the more expensive specialized drysuit undergarments seem to me like they could trap air. I like fleece because I can cover my face with it and breathe through it. If the material doesn't meet that test it makes me nervous.