Donning wetsuits at 0 DEG F

[James Jay]

I was taught that there is no shame in standing next to my car butt naked next to a road to change into my swim trunks and vice versa. There have been many a days when I've hidden under bridges etc.. to change.

As for putting a wet suit on, I've never done this, and certainly not when it's very cold outside. I would imagine that you guys have some type of van or something thats warm to get yourself into and out of these suits when temps drop real low ie. 10 or 15 deg f and lower. Maybe higher.?. Do you have heated changing rooms or something at the february Palooza event?

I'm envisioning myself diving through out the winter months if at all possible. With 5mm open cell wet suits providing as much protection as I'm being told then why not. I do alot of diving in areas where I just pull up along side a public accessible part of lake or stream and get in. In winter this will not be possible when their frozen over but when they are not I'm thinking this maybe challenge to keep the ice off when it is extremely cold. I'm sure their will be days when diving is out of the quetion but when it's not what does everyone here do?

 

[Pinggene]

For the freeze-a-palooza, there is a heated shelter. We get in our suits & start to sweat, then head out into the cold to cool down a bit (last year was -10 windchill!)

If you don't have to drive far, I would just put on the wet suit at home & drive to the spot with the suit on.

If no heating area is available, take some warm/hot water in a cooler with you. Use this with your lube to put the suit on. Also is nice to warm up hands/feet if they get cold. Once the open cell is on, it only takes about 20 - 30 seconds to get toasty warm in just about any temp.

For dressing by the car, I usually have a large towel so as to not give people a full moon/view around me as I put on my suit. rofl

Gene

 

[Jon]

If I have to drive, and don't have a nice changing shelter, I will put my pants, and socks, on at home and drive to the lake. Once I get there I lube up the top and put it on by the car.

After the dive I have a changing mat that I stand on and a changing robe, more of a poncho really, that I change back into my dry clothes under so I don't get a ticket. If it's really cold out, and I don't have far to drive, I throw the mat on my front seat and just wear the wetsuit home.

For winter time diving an old cooler full of hot water, that you can stand in if you need to, is really ideal. Otherwise, just a thermous of hot water works nice to flush the suit out after the dive- in case you pissed in it .

BTW: I pee in my suits ALL the time, both winter and summer. One of my proudest moments, as a dad and a diver, happened this summer when I taught my 4 year old daughter to pee in her wetsuit when we were snorkeling on vacation.:king

Jon

 

[Whopperhead]

AW Jon! Come on! I drank some of the lake water at the Palooza!:yack

- I wear what they call a "JAMMER" kinda like long shorts/Speedo thing, under my suits and it stays fairly dry after I towel off and then my clothes don't get too wet.

My 4 year old is going to make a GREAT Freediver - she pees her pants on a daily basis :t I guess I shouldn't be yelling at her for that huh. She's just "Practicing"
As the Great "HAPPY GILMORE" says "You ain't cool unless you pee your pants".

 

[Jon]

Here's another good article on winter freediving:

When the Weather Outside is Frightful - Part II by Peter Scott on DeeperBlue.net - Fanatical About FreeDiving, Scuba Diving, Spearfishing & Technical Diving


Jon

 

[Fondueset]

I employ pretty much the same strategy as jon - though often I just put the whole thing on at home - since I mostly dive 10 minutes from my house. For the trip back I put plastic over the car seat.

 

[James Jay]

Hey, Thanks for the help. I think I'll try that poncho and/or towel idea. I forgot about the legal implications:naughty, I was to busy trying to get my clothes back on.

I can't wait to get my wet suit, hot water bottle, cooler full of hot water, thermos full of hot water , lube to get in the thing, socks, gloves, plastic to stand on and put on the car seat and last but not least to kick back under the ice and "pee" .rofl I think I'm gonna love this sport. Thanks.