Confessions of a Newb Dry Suit Diver

[passeparici]

My neoprene dry suit has socks. I put neoprene water shoes over them so as not to damage them when I walk. Socks are nice as you can put your suit inside out to dry. Also with water shoes it doesn't allow air to go in the socks. It still can go around your calves and ankles and then raise your legs and feet as most dry suits are very baggy there. To cure that I wear some gaiters : problem solved, I never have air in the lower part of the suit !

 

[Forbin's Descent]

My neoprene dry suit has socks. I put neoprene water shoes over them so as not to damage them when I walk. Socks are nice as you can put your suit inside out to dry. Also with water shoes it doesn't allow air to go in the socks. It still can go around your calves and ankles and then raise your legs and feet as most dry suits are very baggy there. To cure that I wear some gaiters : problem solved, I never have air in the lower part of the suit !

I actually put some thick Neoprene socks and sock liners on for dive yesterday to fill the boots and it worked like a dream so I can skip spending money on swapping out the boots for now. Definitely still got air in the legs but it was much better.I whitewater kayaked for years and wore drysuits with socks and just put water shoes over the socks.

 

[whynot]

My plan was never to cold water dive but just get through a winter of diving and gaining experience. In addition to the suit he threw in the certification for free as in he just gave me the card with suit. As far as training I was able to tag along with one of his OW classes to the pool and figure out how to use a diving dry suit on my own. Again, being a whitewater kayaker I am very comfortable in the water and doing these drills on my own were not issues for me.

If I am reading this right (please lmk if I am not):
You received a Drysuit certification by purchasing the suit without having to undergo the actual training. Further, you believe that your aquatic comfort level enables you to learn the necessary drysuit-related skills by doing drills on your own.

**(I say again if I am reading this right…)**: This whole shebang indicates flawed judgment on your end and fundamental negligence by the instructor/person who gave you the C-card.

Take an actual drysuit class, or at least find and spend time with an experienced drysuit diving mentor who can teach you the basics.

 

[Forbin's Descent]

If I am reading this right (please lmk if I am not):
You received a Drysuit certification by purchasing the suit without having to undergo the actual training. Further, you believe that your aquatic comfort level enables you to learn the necessary drysuit-related skills by doing drills on your own.

**(I say again if I am reading this right…)**: This whole shebang indicates flawed judgment on your end and fundamental negligence by the instructor/person who gave you the C-card.

Take an actual drysuit class, or at least find and spend time with an experienced drysuit diving mentor who can teach you the basics.

Yes this is absolutely how it went down and you are 100% correct. This was several years ago and I have been mentored by some experienced drysuit divers since and realize this could have caused my death. Unfortunately learning to make good judgement calls sometimes comes from bad ones and I have taken this lesson to understand I shouldn’t take my charge it attitude from whitewater kayaking into cave diving.

 

[whynot]

Sh*t, my bad - my reading comprehension clearly needs some work.

 

[BlueTrin]

Like you said, if you don’t get your drysuit too full of air, it’s a lot easier to manage not having your feet going too floaty.