Warm Water

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kitsapdiver
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Warm Water

Post by kitsapdiver »

So when I learned to dive in Ohio I had an apollo "drysuit" (a misleading term) that I bought for 200 bucks. Eventually bought a real drysuit, and in all my diving have only dove wet when diving on vacation in warm water destinations. For those trips I have always taken fins a little big lighter than my JET fins. For my next warm water trip I'm heading to the Bahamas, but afterwards I'm heading to OHIO, and will be taking my drysuit for the diving there. So my curiousity is ... is there still value in taking lighter fins for the warm water? Does anyone dive with Jet fins in wetsuits (they seem like they would be heavy). I'm going to buy a pair of neoprene pocket shorts I think because i'm going to miss my drysuit hip pokcets too much.

What other suggestions do folks have for diving warm water, when I'm so used to this more crisp, and refreshing PNW water?
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ktb
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Re: Warm Water

Post by ktb »

I wear my Slipstreams in the tropics--no problems (other than looking funny wearing drysuit boots and neoprene socks.)
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spatman
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Re: Warm Water

Post by spatman »

i used my jets several times in warm water, and the weight of them never bothered me.
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Re: Warm Water

Post by scottsax »

Ditto for me-I have 2 different sizes of Turtle fins, one for my wetsuit boots, the other for my drysuit boots.
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Norris
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Re: Warm Water

Post by Norris »

I dont know if anyone else has this problem or not but diving warm water I was leg heavy. No matter where I placed my tank my body wanted to be in the standing position. I was wearing light, warm water fins, but still had the problem. To wear my Hogs/Turtles in warm water would be certainly uncomfy in terms of trim.

Next time I'm going to buy one of those new headband weights to see if that trims me out. I hear they have flames on them!!!
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Re: Warm Water

Post by LCF »

I've done a fair bit of diving in a 3 or 5 mil wetsuit and Al80 and Jet fins. I put the weight I require on the cambands, and find the fins counter the tendency of the tanks to go butt-light as they empty.

But why not just dive dry in the warm water? It's utterly delightful.
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ArcticDiver
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Re: Warm Water

Post by ArcticDiver »

Turtles for cold water and smaller foot pocket Hollis and cam band weight for warm. But, next trip I'm digging out my old Blades. Why? Lighter luggase and simplicity. Why dink with something you don't have to? Lighter fins mean no cam band weight and one less piece of kit.

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Norris
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Re: Warm Water

Post by Norris »

Ahh so JUST cam band weights??? I had some in my cam bands, but was also sporting a weight belt...makes sense
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Re: Warm Water

Post by -Aaron- »

In a pinch you can just take a spare weight belt with a few extra pounds on it and thread it between your tank straps for an improvised cam band weight. That worked nicely on my last trip to Bonaire, a few pounds on each side of the tank was enough to get my trim sorted. You can put it up on the neck of the tank and crank the belt really tight, but it tends to want to shift and roll.

Regarding your normal fins. I would think the weight difference will be negligible and mitigated if you are going to be using weight up top. Not having to lug two sets of fins in your travel bags is a nice bonus, especially with how they gouge you on bag weight and prices. Another nice benefit of Northwest fins is you have plenty of room for soled neoprene booties, which are handy to have for any shore diving you do. On the neoprene bootie front, one tip I picked up on the last trip. Get a pair of thin lycra socks and wear them under your boots. They will do wonders in protecting your feet from wear and friction, especially if you are doing a lot of dives.

Have fun in the Bahamas :)
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Re: Warm Water

Post by ArcticDiver »

Norris wrote:Ahh so JUST cam band weights??? I had some in my cam bands, but was also sporting a weight belt...makes sense

Not necessarily. Depends on balance. For me the cam band weight is primarily a trim weight although on occasion it is the only weight. It gets counted in the total but its' location is for trim and balance. Total weight depends on which kit I'm using.
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kitsapdiver
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Re: Warm Water

Post by kitsapdiver »

So Aluminum backplate or steel? I have a 3mm wetsuit, and bought X-shorts for the trip. About 9 months ago I switched to an aluninum backplate for diving my doubles so that I could add a tail weight, and weight belt to help distribute weight so that I could trim out with out being head heavy. It seems I'm going to have more control of an AL80 than I do double LP faber 95's. In terms of travel I don't think weight will be a concern, so based strickly on diving I'm debating between steel and aluminum.
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airsix
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Re: Warm Water

Post by airsix »

Personally I need a steel plate to trim out with an al80. I use an al plate with steel cylinders.
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Re: Warm Water

Post by Sockmonkey »

I'm not sure what water temperature has to do with fin selection. I wear my jets every time I dive in our 77-80 degree water.

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ArcticDiver
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Re: Warm Water

Post by ArcticDiver »

Sockmonkey wrote:I'm not sure what water temperature has to do with fin selection. I wear my jets every time I dive in our 77-80 degree water.

Aloha hard bitches,

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Different footgear so different sized fins. Now that I'm in the warm water AL80 cycle my F1s and Turtles are too heavy so they need a trip weight on the cam band. Also, I'm trying to reduce luggage weight as I posted earlier. Next time I go to where I'm back in steel cylinders it will be back to the black fins.

BUT, trim is very much a personal thing and is very muich a different strokes for different folks thing.
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Re: Warm Water

Post by pogiguy05 »

I will be going to Hawaii (the big island) at the end of june. I am planning on taking most of my own gear. I probably will only dive 1-2 days, but was also considering taking my Bare SB drysuit as it is pretty light in weight. I have only dived tropical waters once just after my open water cert about 4 years ago. I remember I used about 12lbs of lead but that was rental gear. I am thinking about buying a wetsuit well cause I have issues about who peed in it last. :stick:
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Re: Warm Water

Post by CaptnJack »

No problem using jets with a wetsuit, I just use 7mm booties which are more comfortable anyway.

I would not take a steel plate on a plate if possible. jets + steel plate really add up.
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kitsapdiver
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Re: Warm Water

Post by kitsapdiver »

CaptnJack wrote:No problem using jets with a wetsuit, I just use 7mm booties which are more comfortable anyway.

I would not take a steel plate on a plate if possible. jets + steel plate really add up.
When you say add up do you mean in terms of weight for the airplane or do you mean as in it will make you overweighted? I planned on putting the plate in my carry on so it wouldnt' matter how much it weighs, and I'm taking a 3m full wetsuit and X-shorts so that will add some boyancy. Does that change your opinion Richard? I'm leave Thursday and I still have not decided what I'm going to do so I'm still open to suggestions
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Re: Warm Water

Post by CaptnJack »

I pack my plate and fins in checked and it really adds up fast. I have never brought a steel plate to the tropics. I am not so much worried about being overweighted its just a pain to haul around more mass (from car to baggage to car blah blah) than you need when lead is always available and free. Put 5lbs on the cam bands if you need to.
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Re: Warm Water

Post by lavachickie »

I've yet to enter the realm of owning ten sets of fins, but I feel it coming. :) I'm still running the TUSA X-Part Zoom's I bought for Open Water. A year and a half and almost 100 dives later and I'm no longer loving them. (Tried a friend's Hollis F1 and kinda liked them; going to try the Scubapro Jets and probably end up with those.) But I've always dove warm water with something like a 1 mil Akona full length, and used a soled bootie with my fins. (The soled booties are a backup to my rock boots.) If you're wearing a full length it won't look odd. Wearing a shortly it's going to look like wearing black socks with sandals. ;)

I'm getting a pair of slip on warm water fins before my next trip though. But if I were headed out with warm and cold water in the trip ahead, I'd just take the cold water setup.
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Re: Warm Water

Post by kitsapdiver »

As it seems to work with all the best laid plans I headed to the airport tonight to catch a flight to Nassau, and eventually a blackbeard cruise, but on the way my family notified me that my grandma was only given a couple of days to live, and that everyone should start heading home. So I had American Airlines change my final destination to Dayton Ohio, and will miss my warm water diving. No need for jet Fins, or X-shorts now.
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Re: Warm Water

Post by girldiver »

Having just returned from the "Warm Water Divers Mecca" in Colorado (yes...more certified divers there per capita than anywhere outside of Florida) I learned a lot.

Warm water fins. If you can find warm water fins with an open heel (still lightweight but fully adjustable) then you have the option of wearing a sock or not...with the same set of fins.

Lightweight travel gear: If you're going to try to haul your 12 lb fin set, your 14 lb BCD and your 8 lbs of regulator...well...that coupled with your 17 lb bag...and you've now over weighted your first set of baggage...and that's without any exposure protection, lights, knives, etc. etc. Serious travelers look at every ounce of gear so they can maximize their experience without draining their wallet at check in.

Look for "Travel BCD's" Aqualung, ScubaPro, Cressi and Oceanic (among others) all make dedicated travel bcd's with different features/benies on each. They come in both jacket and rear inflate styles with full or partial weight integration, depending on the BCD. Definitely something to shop to compare fit and function of each model.

Travel luggage...if your bag weighs less than 7 lbs before you load it...you can pack more in it before you hit 50#. (Common sense...)
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Re: Warm Water

Post by lavachickie »

I have developed a new philosophy when traveling:

Pack carefully, taking only what you really need. Then pay whatever it is the airlines are charging for baggage. It's not worth the worry.
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