Full Face Mask

[Nwcid]

The wife and I just finished up our PSD course a short while back which included FFM. So instead of just doing the "class and getting the card" with ~30 min of using them we decided to do a few dives with them.

We borrowed a pair of Guardians from one of our instructors for our west side trip this weekend. We did 3 dives at Alki (Seattle, WA) on Saturday with the FFM on. Normally I wear a Weezle under my drysuit but with the temp I decided just to do my 100G thinsulate undergarment. Water temp was 52* and we pulled 3 dives lasting 50 - 60 min each with roughly 45-60 min surface between. I did not feel cold at any point, maybe just a little cool, but overall a very nice day.

This morning we dove Alki again but using our standard mask and regs. Dressed the same, same time of day, same water temperature, same profile, ect. At 18 min I was feeling quite chilled. At 30 min I was thinking I wished I had put my Weezle on, and at just over 35 min I was ready to call the dive. My buddy was having some gear issues so we called the dive anyhow. Most of where I felt cold was in my chest and upper body.

I know FFM are "warmer", but I can not believe they are that much warmer. Any thoughts or ideas on our experience?

 

[Reku]

If your face is warm then your body can spend more time pumping warm blood elsewhere. Also if your feet are warm - the rest of you will be warm too. That's my guess!


Warning: "Reku Science" is not an exact science - take this lunatics posts with a grain of salt.

 

[Nwcid]

That totally makes sense. It just seemed like a drastic difference in warmth it provided.

I figured it would take a little longer to get chilled and of course no face freeze. Staying warm in half the undergarments seemed lie a lot.