Cold while diving

[Frackingawesome]

Hey guys, I wanted to get you opinion on something i heard an instructor say at a resent OW class i was sitting in on...

The instructor said you should never be cold while diving. This struck me as odd as i regularly dive in the north east where the water temp is REARLY above 50f at depth, last dive was 45f at 35 feet, and i am never what i would call warm. By the end of most dives i am cold. hands, ears, feet are all cold.

This has never effected my dive and never kept me from diving but i am definitely not warm. I would say i am more on the cold side by the end.

I dive Dry with either a Weezle i think it is a medium weight one, but i am not sure. I hate it as i find it too bulky and i need more weight when using it. Or i dive with a whites fleece top and bottoms.

Dry gloves and either a 5mm (i like) or a 7mm (i hate) hood.

What are your opinions. Should you get cold on a dive or am i doing something wrong.

 

[lowwall]

Cold is not ideal, but it is acceptable. Hypothermia is what you need to avoid. When the cold starts to affect your physical and mental abilities, it's time to abort. Shivering is an obvious indicator of the first stage of hypothermia and tells you it's time to go now.

 

[lexvil]

Since you don’t like the Weezle because you need extra weight you may not have enough weight, add 4 lbs and see how it feels. Use the suit for buoyancy so you have to add air and see if you feel a difference.

 

[Esprise Me]

There's a level of cold where I'm aware of the temperature but not suffering from it. I figure that's OK, but once it becomes distracting it's time to end the dive.

 

[Frackingawesome]

Since you don’t like the Weezle because you need extra weight you may not have enough weight, add 4 lbs and see how it feels. Use the suit for buoyancy so you have to add air and see if you feel a difference.

it is not just the weight... it is also the extra bulk

 

[Frackingawesome]

There's a level of cold where I'm aware of the temperature but not suffering from it. I figure that's OK, but once it becomes distracting it's time to end the dive.

it is not that bad, it is just not what i would call warm.

 

[lexvil]

it is not just the weight... it is also the extra bulk

I was only addressing the cold issue and how you could get around it with what you have, weezle is very bulky but if it doesn’t loft you’ll be cold, you can squeeze the insulate right out of it.

 

[Valyngar]

it is not that bad, it is just not what i would call warm.

There is always possibility to go heated suits/vests for additional (and expensive) warmth.

 

[grantctobin]

How long are your dives? Are you wearing a wicking later? Go buy a K01 or a WaterProof 10mm hood to start.

 

[TMHeimer]

Cold is not ideal, but it is acceptable. Hypothermia is what you need to avoid. When the cold starts to affect your physical and mental abilities, it's time to abort. Shivering is an obvious indicator of the first stage of hypothermia and tells you it's time to go now.

Exactly what I was going to say. I dive wet all winter. But limit it to one dive in a day and not much longer than 20 minutes. Temperatures below 40F are definately doable. I do use lobster claw mitts of course. For many winters we "snowbirded" 2-3 months, thus the reason I've never invested in a drysuit. I guess if you have the money and get one and wear all sorts of clothes underneath-- may be the reason the instructor said you should never be cold diving.
It has been a rarity for me to actually experience shivering in the water (maybe a little after the dive if the air is like 25F). But I knew to immediately end the dive those very few times.