Heading to FL, what drysuit undie should I bring?

spatman · Post by **spatman** » Thu Mar 08, 2012 4:16 pm

Hey you cave divers and FL wreck divers -

I'm heading down to Marianna in early May to train with Rob Neto. And before you ask, no, it's not cave training. I'll be doing my AN/DP/ART with him.

Most of the training will be in the springs, but some in the gulf as well. From what I understand, the water temps will be 68F, and a little warmer while doing deco in the gulf.

My question for you all is: do you think I would be too warm in my Artics (sans hood and base layer), and should I find something lighter? And if the overwhelming response is go lighter, does anyone my size got something I could borrow for a week in May?

Thanks!

LCF · Post by **LCF** » Thu Mar 08, 2012 4:25 pm

Personally, I think you'll be fine. I dive a 200g Thinsulate UG when I dive the Florida caves, and I have never been too warm.

You'll like Rob. He's a great person and a very patient instructor. Tell him "hi" from me and Peter, and get him to cook you some homemade Indian food.

sea2summit · Post by **sea2summit** » Thu Mar 08, 2012 5:03 pm

I dove my CF200 with thermal undies when I'm down there. Once you're in the water your fine, getting to the water

JB is really low right now from all I've been hearing, your not going to really submerge unless your in the cavern zone. The rest of the lake isn't all that deep so have fun/good luck having fun in fresh water. Maybe just get Rob to give you a little intro to cavern

citycatred · Post by **citycatred** » Thu Mar 08, 2012 5:11 pm

None

go naked

WylerBear · Post by **WylerBear** » Thu Mar 08, 2012 5:38 pm

I dove a very lightweight fleece from Cabela's under my drysuit for all my cave training and was from comfortable to too warm.

CaptnJack · Post by **CaptnJack** » Thu Mar 08, 2012 10:14 pm

Old beater 200gm undies, an old beater hood, no gloves is what I wear. 68f is too cold to do long days in the water without a hood. You can always pull the hood aside and get some cool water in there or take it off.

ktb · Post by **ktb** » Thu Mar 08, 2012 10:32 pm

I thought Josh told me you went commando....but maybe that was just something special between you two.

spatman · Post by **spatman** » Thu Mar 08, 2012 10:51 pm

Thanks for the replies. I'm not familiar with the "weights" (e.g. 200g) of undergarments, but it sounds like the Artics are heavier than the 200gm undies some of you mention, correct?

CaptnJack · Post by **CaptnJack** » Thu Mar 08, 2012 11:03 pm

spatman wrote:Thanks for the replies. I'm not familiar with the "weights" (e.g. 200g) of undergarments, but it sounds like the Artics are heavier than the 200gm undies some of you mention, correct?

Yeah they are slightly heavier than 200gm thinsulate, but not as warm as 400gm by most people's usage. Do you have some basic REI fleece you could wear? Then bring long undies as an alternate underlayer, or partial to complete 2nd layer depending on how you're doing temp-wise. Plain fleece plus long undies is not going to weigh much or take up much space. Then you have 3+ different combos (2 layers on top, one on bottom or one all around etc).

I know 68f sounds warm but if you are doing skills for some long dives in shallow water, maybe leak a little for whatever reason (or got sweaty at some point) you can definitely get cool to the point where your performance is diminished.

spatman · Post by **spatman** » Fri Mar 09, 2012 7:55 am

Good idea with the options for layering. I don't have any cheap fleece, but that won't be hard to acquire. And I'd rather err on the side of being too warm.

CaptnJack · Post by **CaptnJack** » Fri Mar 09, 2012 11:43 am

spatman wrote:Good idea with the options for layering. I don't have any cheap fleece, but that won't be hard to acquire. And I'd rather err on the side of being too warm.

No problem. I have never done AN/DP but I imagine people doing cave/cavern classes are doing alot more swimming (into flow) than you will. The essence of tech classes is not swimming all over the place and having control in the vertical dimension which is alot less heat generating. Besides, if you overdo it on undies you can always vent your hood or even take it off.

Grateful Diver · Post by **Grateful Diver** » Fri Mar 09, 2012 12:29 pm

Water temp in the springs is going to be around 70 degrees ... and maybe 3 or 4 degrees warmer in the Gulf.

When I was there last May I used my Santi trilam suit with a well-worn SoftWear 300g polar fleece, and was good for 2+ hour long dives in the caves.

I think your Arctics might be a bit too warm ... but then again, I may just be less susceptible to cold than you (having a lot more bioprene).

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

spatman · Post by **spatman** » Fri Mar 09, 2012 4:00 pm

Grateful Diver wrote:I think your Arctics might be a bit too warm ... but then again, I may just be less susceptible to cold than you (having a lot more bioprene).

Haha. I've actually shed a little bioprene myself lately, so who knows how I'll handle the 68-70 water.

I think RJ's suggestion of layering is best. I'm sure I'll figure it out within a dive or two.

ArcticDiver · Post by **ArcticDiver** » Fri Mar 09, 2012 5:04 pm

Grateful Diver wrote:... (... bioprene).

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Thanks Bob. I've just added a word to my limited vocabulary, "bioprene". Much nicer that its' alternatives.

Northwest Dive Club