On Mon, 21 May 2001 20:58:21 -0400, Dave DeBarger
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> I recently read a very comprehensive article on this subject -- may have been
> in Rodale's or perhaps Alert Diver -- which debunked many wetsuit myths.
> Based upon information therein:

Agreed, as far as many wet suit myths are concerned. :)

Please note that I make my further comments based upon the fact that
you are basing your facts upon that article, which is itself based
upon the fact that I don't want to destroy anyone's sensahuma or
wellbeing. :-)

> Adding fluffy things under a wetsuit would probably have the OPPOSITE effect
> to the one you desire.  Wetsuits keep you warm ONLY because they insulate with
>> gas trapped within the neoprene.

Nope, not quite. Wetsuits ALSO work because they allow water (a much
thicker fluid than air) to accumulate within the wetsuit shell and
then try to avoid that fluid escaping once its been warmed by the
diver's body temperature. The fact that the gas trapped within the
neoprene is there is helpful. At depth it decreases its effect
significantly but the "warm" water between the suit and the diver
which, hopefully, does not exchange much with outside, ambient, water
is at least equally significant.

My argument for Carol would be that she should invest in a semidry
which, as the name implies, allows even less water exchange. This is a
"whole" suit, as distinct from the more conventional "Farmer John" and
Jacket. It means that your body area is covered in one layer of
neoprene only, rather than the two of the suit as described above.

I've worn both, mostly the wetsuit type. I consider my (relatively
newish) semidry warmer than my former wetsuit. To get it on, however,
is a serious PITA. Having got it on, its freedom in the water is akin
to a skinsuit in the tropics.

Well, sort of.

> Wetsuits "insulated" with Polartec or
> woollies would just allow more water to circulate, cooling you down.

I'd contend that that depends on how well the undergarment under the
wetsuit maintains (stops it from escaping) the warmed water within the suit.

> The newer suits with "skin in" surfaces which "cling" to your skin should do the
> best job of this.  Water-seals at ankles, wrists and neck help by reducing the
> circulation of water from outside the suit to inside, and vice-versa.

Whilst I don't agree with the concept of avoiding water ingress
(indeed, in my semidry I wiggle around to get that water into the suit
when first diving) this sounds like a semidry to me.

Moreover I wonder about the efficacy of taking gas unnawata with you
in a "sealing type" suit. Try that in a dry suit and you're in
trouble. I know, been there, done that.

> Since a significant portion of heat loss is from the scalp, a close-fitting
> hood (as Strike and others have mentioned) might do the most to reduce
> additional heat loss.

Mate, I have the benefit of knowing Carol well. She only has a wetsuit
because she often travels, when a wetsuit is all that is needed. She
well knows the benefit of thermal insulation of the noggin, and gloves etc.

Bluddy 'ell! Where _she_ lives, wouldn't you?

Sheeesh, she fronted here in Terrigal wearing her usual garb, a
serious, as in _very_ serious, dry suit. Fair enough, it was "winter"
(16C, 61F or so innawata).

And there I was (hero, hero!!!) in my semidry. ;-)

But then I wimped out, but that's another story.

So OK, so did the weather, but Carol would beg to differ. _She_ wanted
to _dive_!!!

Christian