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Monday, February 21, 2011

Drysuit Diatribe: Accessories

There are a few other accessories you might want to get (or wonder if you should get) when you get a drysuit.
  • Gaiters. Gaiters are helpful if you have a suit with too much material in the legs. The gaiters crush the material down, so you don't get a lot of extra gas in your legs. If you have a suit that fits properly, they probably aren't necessary. I got gaiters at some point with my first suit, which had too-long legs, and kept wearing them for years. Eventually an instructor told me that he thought it would be easier to keep my (heavy) fins up if I had a bit more gas in my legs. I very skeptically tried diving without the gaiters, and he was right. Since then I have ditched the gaiters with both suits, and I think it has helped with my downward-facing-fin problem :P
  • Fin keepers. I use fin keepers with my turbosoles. I like how they keep gas out of the feet. Since they are like $6, they are probably worth trying if you don't like the feeling of gas in your feet.
  • Argon system. I use Argon on pretty much every dive. Some people claim there is no difference between Argon and nitrox, and it's all in one's head. Well, I don't know if it's in my head or not, but if it makes me think I'm warmer, it is worth the extra $3 a day to use it. On the other hand, I meet people who have paltry undergarments (e.g. fleece) adding an Argon system instead of upgrading undergarments. This seems like a poor way to prioritize funds. (I feel the same way about drygloves… prioritize a better undergarment first).

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