Chasing Richard
In reading the replies to your question you have been given some really good advice, but be careful.
You have not meantioned what type of Drysuit you have purchased. There are some important differences that you should realize between the rubber/ ultralight suits and the crushed neoprene/ full neoprene suits.
Can you have your feet higher than your head?
Yes of course you can. Remember that unless you are diving with OS Systems suit or simular, most suits do not have vents at your feet. Most training agencies teach how to do the safety roll to get your feet back below your head if you start to ascend.
It has been posted not to wear ankle weights!
Most of the drysuit divers have seen in the last ten years in Canada and the Northwestern US wear 1 1/2 to 2 pounds per leg, in ankle weighs. It was posted about " Why put weight on your motor" Good point. Consider this, the suit depending on type will have some reserve bouyancy (Neoprene) No wieght on you feet you are going to use more energy to counter the bouyancy in the suit at the feet.
Air in the suit if it is not a neoprene type will have the same effect. Some divers do not wear the weights, some suits have elastic at the ankles and the divers find that very little air gets to feet and they choose not to use them. This one I have seen, and the results were entertaining but could have been quite dangerous. If air is restricted going in it is restricted coming out. This student went to the surface of the pool upside down.
The second point I would like to mention is the not using your for bouyancy control. This is a touchy issue. You can use it for bouyancy control and lots do including myself, and I will tell you why. Before people start jumping lets specify the type of diving. Single tank, cold salt water, ultralight or 3mm neoprene, Thermal layer and 12.5 lbs on my waist 16 in the bcd.
With the ultralights the suit has no reserve bouyancy. air in the suit make it positive. But what you have to remember is that with air in the suit ,because you never get all of it out, as you desend that air compresses. Now you have a suit squeeze, If you are male I will leave this up to your emagination. If you are female there are as my wife says "not the same but still an issue". Thus you are contiually adjusting the pressure insid the suit to control the squeeze. Which is infact controlling bouyancy underwater. I use my bcd to train, surface bouyancy, and at times when I have delibertly overweighted for like commerical work, inspection where I would like to pretty much stay put.
My suggestion is to email the manufacturor/ talk to another owner of your particular suit and get a copy the book to answer your maintenance issues.
Go to a pool and practice, If you would like training almost all the training agencies have some sort of drysuit training in there programs. Most instructors will do special modules on suits if asked. I have done this numerous time for people just like you who have purchased a new peice of gear.
Enjoy your new drysuit
SeaQuest
