I still got cold... any suggestions?

[Web Monkey]

Ok, I did my first dive today with my new DUI TLS 350. Water temp was about 48 degrees. Dive was 42 minutes. I had on a pair ff Under armor cold gear and a used DUI 400gram Thinsulate undergarment from rental. I still got cold. Any suggestions on a different setup or undergarment type?

Use a thicker hood and dry-gloves.

Terry

 

[BrianDiver]

My wife and I are big fans of the Weezle undergarment. Very warm suit. I have the Extreme but she went for the big guns: Extreme Plus and boots. She's very happy --- and warm.

Dry gloves with wool liners, wool socks, polypro base layer, thick wooly hat prior to diving and for an immediate cover up after getting out. I add a heavy fleece vest if I've been cold to add to my core. Also, I've actually added 2 lbs to my system so I can add more air and increase the loft of my undergarment. That alone helped quite a bit.

I have a friend who dived under Antarctica for several seasons and she used heat packs in her gloves, socks, bra, . . . Now she lives in Key West and tries to stay warm!

Also, as others said, that's a pretty respectable time for the dive and temperature.

 

[Izze]

Sweden is always cold so getting a decent setup to keep warm is important if you want longer dives or anything that resembles a proper diving season.

This is what I use:

A thin set of skiing undergarments. Mainly used as a wicking layer and to keep the stuff that is harder to wash from getting that musky smell too soon.

One set of long socks, thinsulate, standard skiing version

A thinsulate vest, 200 g, Santi makes these.

A custom fit Santi BZ 400 (400 g thinsulate). This undergarment is the best thing since sliced bread.

Dry gloves, latex seal and no rings

A pair of thin, long sleeve dry gloves. I have the sleeves of these under the BZ 400, through the latex seals to be able to equalize the gloves and keep my wrists warm. This is enough for 45 - 60 minute dives above 45F.

A slightly thicker pair of gloves, thinsulate version with short sleeve, fingertips cut out. For added warmth in water temperatures around 40F or longer exposures. Allows fairly good manual dexterity combined with good warmth.

A special ice hood for the really cold dives. You pull it over your regular hood and it covers almost the entire face. A small area is kept open for the mask and regulator. Looks like this:
http://stockholmflygfoto.se/tessi/res/default/ishuva.jpg
http://stockholmflygfoto.se/tessi/res/default/ishuvainaction.jpg


My last dive (yesterday in fact) was 82 minutes. Surface water temperature at 48F and bottom temperature (below 15 feet) at 39F. I had a leaking neck seal which had me wet from the front all down to the legs. Poured out about half a gallon of water from the suit at the end with plenty left soaked up in the undergarments. It was unpleasant but not truly cold. The Santi undergarments work very well even when wet.

The thing that makes the biggest difference for me is bulking up on the chest combined with keeping as much of me as possible dry.

 

[String]

Ok, I did my first dive today with my new DUI TLS 350. Water temp was about 48 degrees. Dive was 42 minutes. I had on a pair ff Under armor cold gear and a used DUI 400gram Thinsulate undergarment from rental. I still got cold. Any suggestions on a different setup or undergarment type?

Good tight fitting thick hood and gloves are needed. Hood in particular.

 

[String]

My wife and I are big fans of the Weezle undergarment. Very warm suit. I have the Extreme but she went for the big guns: Extreme Plus and boots. She's very happy --- and warm.

Ive just upgraded to fourth element subxero from Weezle extreme. I get very cold in the weezle if its 10c or colder.

 

[BGF]

Hey everyone thanks for the info. I'm learning here. I'm thinking it might just have been the rental thermals. Probably a bit worn. What's the recommendation on purchasing new thermals?

I'm also pretty new to drysuit diving (TLS350) and have struggled a bit with staying warm. All the guys I dive with wear these Weezle Diving Services Ltd - creator of the Award Winning Weezle Undersuit - Extreme Plus - One Piece
and swear by them. On my last dive (45mins, 48 deg, 60+ fsw) I stayed quite warm by layering my hot chilly's underwear (from skiing), heavy wool socks, a fleece jumpsuit and a 200 weight thinsulate jumpsuit, 7mm hood and gloves. It was a little bulky topside but very comfortable with plenty of range of motion under water. The only issue was underestimating the amount of lead I needed .

 

[tstormdiver]

In the coldest water, I use a Pinnacle Merino Evolution undergarment (650gm) under my TLS350. I did an hour long dive in it in Feb. in 41 degree water & was quite comfy. Actually my buddy called the dive because he was getting cold using a Weezle (what a wus!).

 

[RJP]

I'd echo what everyone else here said about the 400g undergarment being "worn out" but also add that you can do better then UnderArmor's "Cold Gear" for a base layer.

With my TLS 350 I wear a BARE Hi-Loft Polar Extreme jumpsuit (300g I think) with a layer of Patagonia Capilene 3 underneath and find that I'm fine for 50-60min in 42deg water. Hands being the only thing that don't do well. (I don't wear dry gloves.)

The Capilene 3 gives just enough extra thermal insulation, and probably a bit more than the UnderArmor.

 

[AlaskaDiver]

I'd echo what everyone else here said about the 400g undergarment being "worn out" but also add that you can do better then UnderArmor's "Cold Gear" for a base layer.

With my TLS 350 I wear a BARE Hi-Loft Polar Extreme jumpsuit (300g I think) with a layer of Patagonia Capilene 3 underneath and find that I'm fine for 50-60min in 42deg water. Hands being the only thing that don't do well. (I don't wear dry gloves.)

The Capilene 3 gives just enough extra thermal insulation, and probably a bit more than the UnderArmor.

The key message to the OP was not what brand to use - since there are so many non-cotton brands of water wicking material, but that perhaps several layers of one's favorite underwear will work to keep warm longer.

 

[grazie42]

I´ve done the whole deal with craft-underlayer, santi vest and 400g undergarments together with a good hood and drygloves...After an hour in 42F water I came up shivering (and decided that it was unsafe to dive that way)...

I now dive an RB, after an hour in 42F water I still came up cold (but warmer than OC). Finally gave a heated vest a try, stayed down for 90+ mins, had no need to pee and was still comfortably warm when I surfaced...I´ll never do long dives in cold water without electric heating again...

ymmv