Signed up for a dry suit class

[kawasakign]

So after moving from Hawaii to Chicago I figured a dry suit class would be a good thing. So I signed up for one. So what do you suggest for material to wear under the dry suit? I don't think I'll be able to afford my own suit for awhile but I do want to get something comfortable under the suit. I want to make sure I wear what I'm going to wear in the OW on the pool instruction day. Fleece? I was thinking a rashguard on the skin and a thinner snowboard fleece underneath? Also, do more shops install a dry suit inflator hose on your reg for the pool and OW. I know I have to ask the shop, but I was just wondering what is standard.

Anything else I should prepare for or anything that you forgot for the class/ow? I know that my fins will be tighter.

Also, I'm going to be using a new BP&W, so this will be a whole new experience.

 

[matty4011]

Hmm, when I signed up my instructors talked to me about this. I did mine at Elmer's Watersports in Evanston by the way.
Anyway, For the pool dive it can be way too hot the wear the fleece, and you also may want to avoid cotton 'cause that will not breathe well and also material that lints can jam up the valves in the drysuit.
In the pool I would go with an underarmour breathable sythetic material type of shirt, and shorts, you might want to wear some thick shorts or a few by the way because if you're using a trilam or nylon type drysuit it can ride up uncomfortably in the crotchel area if you only have one thin layer on.
For the cold water a fleece material of course. I don't think it's necessary to buy a purpose specific suit, fleece clothes made for wintersports should do fine as long as it's the right type of fleece.
I remember only wearing a t-shirt, but still fleece pants when I was diving with a neoprene drysuit for .
Hope this helps.
By the way I wore different undergarments on the OW and pool dives and different drysuits.
I use V-12 fins, and I bought 'classic' boots for wetsuit diving so I can wear the same fins for either type of diving. Often people need another set of fins to get them to fit with drysuit boots.
I was using mostly rental gear at the time, and forgot to get the LP drysuit hose put on my regulator at the time, and had to get it set up at the last minute, so don't forget to do that before your open water dive.

 

[shotthebreeze]

I would reccomend a cheap rash guard and a pair of spandex shorts...if thats your thing lol

 

[AzAtty]

Assuming you buy a "shell" type suit (trilaminate, vulcanized rubber, etc.), 400 gram thinsulate undergarment. You might want to post your question over in the Northeast divers forum. They'll give you the best information on what to wear for the conditions you'll find around Chicago. The Pacific Northwest folks also know a thing or two about cold water. If you want to have some real fun, ask them if you should buy an argon bottle, too.

You don't need a rash guard (at least I've never needed one) on a shell suit. A good undergarment doesn't chafe. Some people have been experimenting with a Merino wool base layer under thinsulate or polartec undergarments, but I haven't spent much time looking at the results.

If I'm in the pool, I don't even bother with an undergarment. I just put the suit on over whatever I'm wearing over my street clothes.

The inflator hose comes with a suit. It's a few spins of a hex wrench and a crescent wrench; nothing you can't do yourself. I swap my hose between regulators a couple times a month. No biggie.

 

[ppo2_diver]

You can buy polypro undies at local sporting good stores. That might be good enough as it will depend on when you do your open water dives. Temps this time of the year are in the mid 40's. Part of your class should be discussing the various undergarments and how they may or may not work for you. The dry suit class is pretty straight forward, but a creative instructor can make it worth while.

You should plan on doing the pool/confined water dives in the undergarments you plan to use in the open water as your weighting will change with more/less undergarments.

 

[kawasakign]

Thanks for all the input. I realize that the pool will be a nice 80 something degrees but I am assuming we are going to do the whole "wear what your wearing to the OW" for the purpose of weighting only. They did tell me to bring water to suck down so I don't get overheated.
I just want to be prepared and not come in looking like a warm water noob. I did just fine with back inflate type BC and in the warm water, but this will be a whole new world with a BP&W and dry suit in the cold.

 

[noobascooba]

my buddy and I wore wicking tshirts and pants under our thinsulate underware. We wore the thinsulate for the pool session to get the weighting right, but we were both running with sweat gearing up. Once in the water it wasn't too hot, but we still stripped down to just the baselayer as soon as possible.

Good luck!

 

[Cheekymonkey]

Yea 80degree water will be tuff with full fleece on, prepare to get wet.

 

[Wildcard]

And wet you will get! In warm water you still need pinch protection of some sort. Light fleese or sweat pants and a tshirt will do. BTW cotton does in fact breath well, so well thats why it is worn but not in diving. "Cotton kills" is the cold weather motto but it will work for warm pools.
There is a shop in Alaska the teaches OW in BP/W and dry suits. How tough is that?
BTW dry suit is the hardest thing in diving Ive had to learn. It was like I had never dove before!

 

[RayJayJr]

Thanks for all the input. I realize that the pool will be a nice 80 something degrees but I am assuming we are going to do the whole "wear what your wearing to the OW" for the purpose of weighting only. They did tell me to bring water to suck down so I don't get overheated.
I just want to be prepared and not come in looking like a warm water noob. I did just fine with back inflate type BC and in the warm water, but this will be a whole new world with a BP&W and dry suit in the cold.

I always layer my garments. When I dive water less than 45 degrees, I wear my cold water kit, which consists of the following:


- Nylon Slim-fit boxers or briefs (loose boxers bunch up and will, sooner or later, give you a rash)

- Long Underwear. Mine are ultra-light merino, but I also use a pair that is medium- thickness, which is 98% synthetic wicking material (there are many types, but they all work relatively the same). Then, in case my other two pairs are dirty, I have my thick thinsulate/other material pair.

- Long Sleeve crew shirt. I have two shirts, one is an ultra-light merino. I also have a 98% polyester synthetic, which is zippered. Both are very warm, and super thin.

- Sock liner. This stuff is ultra thin, and regardless of the sock I am using, I wear, because I find it increases the life-span of my socks for one, and really helps keep my feet dry.

- Wool or Synthetic Type socks. I have about 2 dozen pairs of different socks for backpacking/diving/spelunking. I mix and match, and I find provided they are rated for -10 ish, all of them work good.

- Drysuit underwear. (any of the brands work) I have ones from Bare , and I also have a pair of Helly Hansen full body underwear. Both work great, but the Bare underwear does a very poor job of wicking, so you'll find they start to stink after a few dives.


For warmer water, greater than 45 degrees, I usually just wear my boxers/briefs, expedition thickness (really thick) long underwear, light long-sleeve crew shirt, and then a long-sleeve polyester button or zipper style shirt. Although, for someone who gets colder, some people just wear boxers/breifs, and a light full-body drysuit-style undergarment.


The most important things are, absolutely no cotton, and absolutely no denim. Clothing should polyester, wool, or some type of synthetic.