Tried a new way to pre-heat my drysuit on a cold Lake Superior job

Used to just run hot water in the shower, but this time I filled a cooler with warm water and submerged the suit for 20 minutes. The core stayed warm for the entire first dive, no initial chill at all. Anyone have a better method for those really cold surface intervals?

4 comments

4 Comments

caseythompson3d agoMost Upvoted

Oh come on, the cooler method is way less hassle than you're making it out to be. You think putting on cold base layers and shivering for five minutes is better, but that initial chill doesn't just "go away fast" when the water is 34 degrees. It stays with you the whole first dive. Submerging the suit in hot water is a pro move because it pre-heats the neoprene and the suit's inner layer evenly, not just your body heat fighting against cold fabric. And about messing with seals, I've been doing this for years on my drysuit and the glue is fine, it's not like you're boiling it. Your body heat idea works okay for a quick 20 minute dive, but if you're doing a real job on Lake Superior you need that core temp locked in from the start. The cooler method is simple, effective, and doesn't risk blowing a fuse or killing your car battery like some of these other ideas.

jamie_adams2mo ago

Honestly, the cooler method sounds like a lot of extra work to me. Tbh, I've always just put on my base layers and let my body heat warm them up for a few minutes before getting in the suit. That initial chill is bad, but it goes away fast once you're in the water. I feel like submerging the whole suit could mess with the seals or glue over time. Just my take from doing this a while.

gavin2282mo ago

Yeah, the whole warming debate is funny! It reminds me of the time my buddy tried to use a hairdryer on his wetsuit in the parking lot before a dawn patrol. He had it plugged into his car inverter, blasting hot air into the legs. Worked great until he blew a fuse and killed his headlights! We had to jump start his car in the dark with our phone flashlights. Sometimes the simple way is just less trouble.

the_terry2mo ago

Lol that hairdryer story is gold. I've totally used a space heater in the van on low, works a charm until you trip the campsite breaker.