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On Wed, 28 Aug 96 23:02:45 -0000, Jim Cobb wrote: Sean- The consensus on this list is that your buoyancy changes drastically at depth as your neoprene compresses. You wind up having to pump up your BC to compensate for all the lead that you needed to sink in the first place. This could cause problems with your trim or in the event of a BC failure. In addition the insulating properties which the neoprene offers at the surface is severely reduced as it compresses. As a result you have to wear more insulation to compensate, which may cause you to overheat at the shallower (and longer) decom stops. Most if not all strong opinions on this list are based on deep-ass diving and may not apply to sport depths where a neoprene drysuit might be usable. There are crushed neoprene suits available which minimize the above problems, shell suits do not have these problems. Jim So what you are saying is that, by leaving the suit in its bag as long as possible, storing other gear on top of it in the car, and repeatedly folding creases into it in different places, it will eventually become a better suit? ;) Seriously, though, how significant is the gas consumed by compensating for the buoyancy change? I'm 6'5", 210 lbs., so there is a lot of suit there to be compressed. When using doubles with a 1/3 reserve, is it still significant? As far as the insulation is concerned, I prefer to be a little cooler, so I plan for a shallower depth. Long deco stops have not, as yet, caused an overheat problem, but then I rarely do extreme bottom times. -Sean >>I have read many posts on this list stating that neoprene drysuits are >>unsafe pieces of equipment, and would like to know why this is the >>case. Here in BC, they seem to be the most common type of suit in use. >> I own a neoprene drysuit, which I had custom tailored, and have not >>noticed any significant reduction in mobility from my last suit, a >>Viking vulcanized rubber. Even when wearing my warmest set of >>insulation, I have encountered no difficulties reaching any of my >>valves, nor with manipulating any of my other equipment. The bouyancy >>change was significant, but easily dealt with by changing my weight >>configuration. The only disadvantage immediately apparent to me is its >>unsuitability to contaminated water environments, but I don't have any >>insupressable urge to dive in settling tanks. :) Can someone please >>shed some light on this question? Considering the importance of the >>other things I've changed due to contributors from this list, I'm a bit >>reluctant to dive with that suit now for fear of killing myself... >-- >Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@terra.net'. >Send subscription/archive requests to `techdiver-request@terra.net'. >
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