Drysuit undergarment questions
- greenacarina
- Avid Diver
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- Joined: Thu Sep 27, 2012 6:09 pm
Drysuit undergarment questions
I am rounding up my last bits of gear and getting ready to get back in the water.
Picked up a good used drysuit and trying to figure out what type of undergarment setup I should be looking for.
The suit is made by Oceaner and is neoprene (same as my wetsuit, seems to be regular ol neoprene...not crushed or anything fancy). Since I am still at the "entry level" stage, I'm hoping to find something fairly cheap but effective.
In doing some reading, it seems like I could use fleece and/or some kind of synthetic long underwear...but not sure how other people's experience with trilam suits will translate to my neoprene suit (do I need more insulation? less?)
Any help is greatly appreciated!
Thanks,
Chris
Picked up a good used drysuit and trying to figure out what type of undergarment setup I should be looking for.
The suit is made by Oceaner and is neoprene (same as my wetsuit, seems to be regular ol neoprene...not crushed or anything fancy). Since I am still at the "entry level" stage, I'm hoping to find something fairly cheap but effective.
In doing some reading, it seems like I could use fleece and/or some kind of synthetic long underwear...but not sure how other people's experience with trilam suits will translate to my neoprene suit (do I need more insulation? less?)
Any help is greatly appreciated!
Thanks,
Chris
Re: Drysuit undergarment questions
My first suit was a cheaper O'neil neoprene drysuit. I definitely needed less undergarment than I do now with the trilam. I was wearing some good wool layers I got at Seamar and a fleece pants. for the trilam, i recently upgraded to John R's old Weezle because I was freezing in the trilam. The Weezle fixed that problem real quick:)
Just my opinion, but with the neoprene suit you'll probably be fine a for a while with some good quality layers if you're tryin' to save some bucks.
Just my opinion, but with the neoprene suit you'll probably be fine a for a while with some good quality layers if you're tryin' to save some bucks.
I think you've figured out the root cause of your problems. Even sea lions get annoyed by splitfin divers silting out their dive sites. Switch back to your jets and you'll be safe from the sea lion silt prevention patrol from now on. - NWbrewer
- coulterboy
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Re: Drysuit undergarment questions
Your question can be approached in different angles. The undergarment peeps on this board will recommend will depend on some factors, such as: how sensitive are you to cold temperature, how much extra wiggle room do you have when you have already donned your drysuit, etc. Understand, undergarments are made of different materials. Hence, a thick undergarment doesn't always translate to make you warmer underwater as compared to a thin undergarment made with good material that protects you from the cold temperature undergarment.
Another thing to consider is, do you want a separate pants, and an upper undergarment? There are a lot of undergarments that are one piece overalls.
I have both a neoprene and a trilam drysuit. With both, I use a USIA Exotherm overall. Check it out online. They're affordable and serves me well. Although, in the summer when the temps are hotter during SI, I have just worn a regular sweat pants and regular sweat shirt when I use my neoprene drysuit.
I will leave the rest of the recommendations to the other peeps on the board. To each his own.
Another thing to consider is, do you want a separate pants, and an upper undergarment? There are a lot of undergarments that are one piece overalls.
I have both a neoprene and a trilam drysuit. With both, I use a USIA Exotherm overall. Check it out online. They're affordable and serves me well. Although, in the summer when the temps are hotter during SI, I have just worn a regular sweat pants and regular sweat shirt when I use my neoprene drysuit.
I will leave the rest of the recommendations to the other peeps on the board. To each his own.
When was the last time you did something for the first time?
Re: Drysuit undergarment questions
Hi Chris. I have a Bare D6 neoprene suit, and my undergarments are a set of thermal underwear "long Johns" from Cabelas (http://www.cabelas.com/product/Clothing ... t104035680). Usually with a fleece vest as well. I don't usually have any problems with getting cold, my limits are on air not body temp... :( A pair of heavy polypropylene (sp) socks over a lightweight pair usually keeps the feet warm enough.
Jim
Jim
<Penopolypants> "I, for one, would welcome our new cowboy octopus overlords."
<LCF> "There is ALWAYS another day to dive, as long as you get home today."
<LCF> "There is ALWAYS another day to dive, as long as you get home today."
Re: Drysuit undergarment questions
Jim's got some cute socks!
Pop tarts and gravy,
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It's what's for breakfast.
Re: Drysuit undergarment questions
Double post
Last edited by Linedog on Thu Apr 04, 2013 9:57 am, edited 1 time in total.
Pop tarts and gravy,
It's what's for breakfast.
It's what's for breakfast.
Re: Drysuit undergarment questions
Dude! Yer giving away my secrets...Linedog wrote:Jim's got some cute socks!
<Penopolypants> "I, for one, would welcome our new cowboy octopus overlords."
<LCF> "There is ALWAYS another day to dive, as long as you get home today."
<LCF> "There is ALWAYS another day to dive, as long as you get home today."
Re: Drysuit undergarment questions
When I had a neoprene drysuit all I wore underneath was a good pair of fleece pants and a nice fleece sweatshirt. During the really cold months, I sometimes added a thin layer of Cabela's long underwear. You probably won't know until you try your suit to see how well it insulates. I wouldn't rush to buy some expensive undergarment until you've checked it out.
Georgia
NOT diving is NOT an option
NOT diving is NOT an option
Re: Drysuit undergarment questions
As indicated....depends almost entirely on the suit AND you.
If you are 'warm', move around a lot, and go through your air in 30" you will have an entirely different experience than someone 'cold', moving little, and spending an hour+ in the water.
Uncompressed neoprene will compress noticeably once you get deeper than 60', just like a regular neoprene wetsuit.
If you are 'warm', move around a lot, and go through your air in 30" you will have an entirely different experience than someone 'cold', moving little, and spending an hour+ in the water.
Uncompressed neoprene will compress noticeably once you get deeper than 60', just like a regular neoprene wetsuit.
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To Respire, Divine.
To Respire, Divine.
- Grateful Diver
- I've Got Gills
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Re: Drysuit undergarment questions
What's your size, Chris? I have a few different types of used undergarments you can try out if they'll fit you ... everything from a Softwear fleece one-piece to a Weezle to an old Diving Concepts thinsulate. If you find one you like I'll sell it to you for very cheap ... better than having them sitting in my closet doing nothing, after all. They're all used, but still with some life in 'em ...greenacarina wrote:I am rounding up my last bits of gear and getting ready to get back in the water.
Picked up a good used drysuit and trying to figure out what type of undergarment setup I should be looking for.
The suit is made by Oceaner and is neoprene (same as my wetsuit, seems to be regular ol neoprene...not crushed or anything fancy). Since I am still at the "entry level" stage, I'm hoping to find something fairly cheap but effective.
In doing some reading, it seems like I could use fleece and/or some kind of synthetic long underwear...but not sure how other people's experience with trilam suits will translate to my neoprene suit (do I need more insulation? less?)
Any help is greatly appreciated!
Thanks,
Chris
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
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Come visit me at http://www.nwgratefuldiver.com/
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- Waynne Fowler
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Re: Drysuit undergarment questions
YOUR secret... I think he gave away HIS secret too!... sock fetishRoxnDox wrote:Dude! Yer giving away my secrets...Linedog wrote:Jim's got some cute socks!
Ripper of drysuits, mocker of divers...there are no atheist divers in a mistimed Deception Pass dive. Jeremy
Re: Drysuit undergarment questions
Those are definitely way cooler than my socks...Waynne Fowler wrote:YOUR secret... I think he gave away HIS secret too!... sock fetishRoxnDox wrote:Dude! Yer giving away my secrets...Linedog wrote:Jim's got some cute socks!
Jim
<Penopolypants> "I, for one, would welcome our new cowboy octopus overlords."
<LCF> "There is ALWAYS another day to dive, as long as you get home today."
<LCF> "There is ALWAYS another day to dive, as long as you get home today."
Re: Drysuit undergarment questions
^^ Those are some mighty fine socks. What material?
- greenacarina
- Avid Diver
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- Joined: Thu Sep 27, 2012 6:09 pm
Re: Drysuit undergarment questions
Great replies all!! I did my certification dives in a 7mm wetsuit at Edmonds and Cove 2...didn't get uncomfortably cold at any point. Longest dive was probably an hour. I am thinking the Cabelas long johns might be the way to go!
Thanks a bunch everyone! Will probably see some of you at Mukilteo in the near future.
Chris
Thanks a bunch everyone! Will probably see some of you at Mukilteo in the near future.
Chris
Re: Drysuit undergarment questions
Honestly, I think the amount you move around underwater plays a much larger role than the undergarment you use. Keep moving, and you will be warm no matter what you wear. Barely move, and you will freeze regardless of what you put on.
Re: Drysuit undergarment questions
Actually in addition to all the other good stuff folks have pointed out, in this case it also will depend a lot on how deep he dives. "fluffy" (non compressed, non crushed) neoprene suits loose some thermal capacity at depth (30' and they are like half the suit they were on the surface). So, like Georgia, with a neoprene suit, i found that as long as it was 60' and shallower, i dove a pair of long johns and maybe a thin fleece vest. deeper than that I used something in the range of a 100 wt bunny suit over the long johns, almost as much to take up some space as for added warmth. The suit will also loose thermal capacity over time. I think i put 400-500 dives on the one I had and it was more like a stiff compressed neoprene damp suit before it got retired to river snorkeling
The "fluffy" neoprene suit seems to still gives a fair bit more thermal insulation than a trilam even at depth.
The warmest moderate duration dive (without thinsualate/CCR and a suit heater) i've ever done was actually in a Hightide non-crushed/compressed neoprene suit with their stock fleece undergarment, a goodly portion depth was 100', and swimming at slow pace (any faster and would have roasted) I think we were down for 90-120 min.
You will find that the compression causes buoyancy changes at depth (you'll need way more air in BC or suit compared to trilam at depth) and on ascent be aware that although it doesn't uncompress as fast as it compressed, you'll be regaining some of the lost suit buoyancy on the way up so take that into account when you are doing a weight check. This is one of the few times that i'd actually recommend doing a more painstaking weight check, as in take a mostly empty tank into water before you've done a whole dive and compressed your suit to do a weight check, and then swap tanks out and go for your dive. More often than not, on the dive you'll think "man, i was so overweighted!" but you need to weight for worst case scenario, fluffy suit and 400psi in tank. AKA... dive it like you dive a wetsuit, just warmer and more comfortable to get in and out of
The "fluffy" neoprene suit seems to still gives a fair bit more thermal insulation than a trilam even at depth.
The warmest moderate duration dive (without thinsualate/CCR and a suit heater) i've ever done was actually in a Hightide non-crushed/compressed neoprene suit with their stock fleece undergarment, a goodly portion depth was 100', and swimming at slow pace (any faster and would have roasted) I think we were down for 90-120 min.
You will find that the compression causes buoyancy changes at depth (you'll need way more air in BC or suit compared to trilam at depth) and on ascent be aware that although it doesn't uncompress as fast as it compressed, you'll be regaining some of the lost suit buoyancy on the way up so take that into account when you are doing a weight check. This is one of the few times that i'd actually recommend doing a more painstaking weight check, as in take a mostly empty tank into water before you've done a whole dive and compressed your suit to do a weight check, and then swap tanks out and go for your dive. More often than not, on the dive you'll think "man, i was so overweighted!" but you need to weight for worst case scenario, fluffy suit and 400psi in tank. AKA... dive it like you dive a wetsuit, just warmer and more comfortable to get in and out of
----
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- greenacarina
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Re: Drysuit undergarment questions
ljjames wrote:Actually in addition to all the other good stuff folks have pointed out, in this case it also will depend a lot on how deep he dives. "fluffy" (non compressed, non crushed) neoprene suits loose some thermal capacity at depth (30' and they are like half the suit they were on the surface). So, like Georgia, with a neoprene suit, i found that as long as it was 60' and shallower, i dove a pair of long johns and maybe a thin fleece vest. deeper than that I used something in the range of a 100 wt bunny suit over the long johns, almost as much to take up some space as for added warmth. The suit will also loose thermal capacity over time. I think i put 400-500 dives on the one I had and it was more like a stiff compressed neoprene damp suit before it got retired to river snorkeling
The "fluffy" neoprene suit seems to still gives a fair bit more thermal insulation than a trilam even at depth.
The warmest moderate duration dive (without thinsualate/CCR and a suit heater) i've ever done was actually in a Hightide non-crushed/compressed neoprene suit with their stock fleece undergarment, a goodly portion depth was 100', and swimming at slow pace (any faster and would have roasted) I think we were down for 90-120 min.
You will find that the compression causes buoyancy changes at depth (you'll need way more air in BC or suit compared to trilam at depth) and on ascent be aware that although it doesn't uncompress as fast as it compressed, you'll be regaining some of the lost suit buoyancy on the way up so take that into account when you are doing a weight check. This is one of the few times that i'd actually recommend doing a more painstaking weight check, as in take a mostly empty tank into water before you've done a whole dive and compressed your suit to do a weight check, and then swap tanks out and go for your dive. More often than not, on the dive you'll think "man, i was so overweighted!" but you need to weight for worst case scenario, fluffy suit and 400psi in tank. AKA... dive it like you dive a wetsuit, just warmer and more comfortable to get in and out of
Thanks for the good info on weighting!! That is my next hurdle since I have zero dives on any of this gear...no clue on how much weight I will need. It will be a great learning experience.
Chris