Wetsuit storage of 'bits'

londonsean69 · April 11th, 2008, 12:08 AM

No, I don't mean your manly (or womanly) bits. I mean all the associated stuff usually kept in drysuit pocksts (spool, wetnotes etc.)

Where do I store all the bits, when wearing a wetsuit, and as for a shorty???

I had pockets on a wetsuit before, but that was 5mm for red sea. I'm gonna be in 30c+ water, so shorty max.

Do I just stick on a pair of combat shorts or what?

Cheers

Sean

daviddem · April 11th, 2008, 12:20 AM

Buy pockets and a tube of Aquaseal / Aquasure and glue them on your wetsuit. Be generous with the Aquaseal (edges AND center). Put weights (diving lead works OK) all over the pocket and wetsuit and let dry overnight.

I did the job on all my wetsuits and so far no lost pocket...

There are shorts with pockets to be worn over wetsuits, or pockets to strap around your leg but they are far from ideal. Better glue!

Some brands of high end wetsuits give you the option to add pockets on their custom suits.

Also, beware of shorties. In warm water like that, there is always stuff that wants to sting you, first and foremost jelly fish. Any scratch on reefs or wrecks gets infected very rapidly, and is difficult to heal if the climate is also humid. Better wear a skin or 0.5mm full suit.

graham_hk · April 11th, 2008, 12:36 AM

Quote: (Originally Posted by daviddem)

Also, beware of shorties. In warm water like that, there is always stuff that wants to sting you, first and foremost jelly fish. Any scratch on reefs or wrecks gets infected very rapidly, and is difficult to heal if the climate is also humid. Better wear a skin or 0.5mm full suit.

I'll second that

Get a DUI 30/30 and then its comfortable even in the tropics.

I don't like shorts and if I am doing a reef dive in a wetsuit (rarely) I'll just use a pocket on the harness in place of a light since I'll only need wetnotes and SMB for these types of smaller dives and it'll be too bright in the shallows for the light to really be effective - if its a tech dive I am in a drysuit anyway.

**keri.lewis** · April 11th, 2008, 01:08 AM

I'm in the rare position of agreeing with both Graham and David..

I used to dive wet in SE Asia (3mm full body and hooded vest plus gloves boots etc.) - and the method of attaching pockets above works just fine. Get good, large pockets.. and stick em on. A lot of pockkets for wetsuits are way too small. No compromises as you'll be complaining that they don't hold item X.. and what ever you do avoid the "shorts of Doom".. they not only look daft but they have a habit of ending up around your knees if you get in a hurry either swimming of scootering. I can't see them with braces..

I now dive a drysuit - even in the tropics. In a couple of weeks I'll have my TLS350 and a base layer in Malaysia for wreck diving. I will also be wearing a hood..

The stingers are one reason, but I also find that longer run-times, and multiple dives in a day, can leave you chilled. If you do the standard Asia dive trip of 4 or 5 dives a day you'll be cold after day 2 or so. It creeps up on you, and can be a source of ear problems for many people. Better warm than sorry, so a 3mm full body would be the minimum recommended.

daviddem · April 11th, 2008, 01:29 AM

Quote:

I'll second that

I'm in the rare position of agreeing with both Graham and David..

Really? This doesn't suit my argumentative nature.

I am on my way back to the BSAC forum, where I can have proper fights with everybody as soon as I say something!

Argumentative is when I pull my gun. Confrontational is when I pull the trigger.

martyqdc · April 11th, 2008, 02:22 AM

u could always just buy some halcyon tech shorts.U can wear them with a full wet suit or a shorty. They even come with D rings.

**keri.lewis** · April 11th, 2008, 04:14 PM

Quote: (Originally Posted by daviddem)

Really? This doesn't suit my argumentative nature.

I am on my way back to the BSAC forum, where I can have proper fights with everybody as soon as I say something!

Argumentative is when I pull my gun. Confrontational is when I pull the trigger.

See how we get on on the Empress....

**keri.lewis** · April 11th, 2008, 04:17 PM

I've seen many types of shorts... and couldn't recommend any of them.. they all look really naff - and drag in the water as far as I can tell..

I have some really gruesome pictures of X-Shorts.. and not just the people wearing them..

LCF · April 11th, 2008, 05:12 PM

Keri, X-shorts may look gruesome, but they work very well. If you buy the correct size, they do not increase drag (except to the extent that pockets do by their nature) and they are quite comfortable to wear. It is really a very nice solution to storage when diving in warm water. When temperatures and the dives permit, I would greatly prefer to dive wet, as there are no seals or zippers to fail and cancel a dive. (She says, having spent several days of a vacation trip duct-taping her neck seal back together.)

Chris Fenton · April 11th, 2008, 05:32 PM

I ran into the same issue recently. The three solutions seemed to be: putting pockets on the wetsuit; separate shorts; or a harness pocket. The harness pockets sit in the same spot as the can light and so didn’t seem a great option. I felt the same way as Keri about the x-shorts (although I've never tried them). In the end I bought two cordura pockets and had a local shoemaker sew them on. It was fairly inexpensive and worked great.

April 11th, 2008, 12:08 AM	#1 (permalink)
londonsean69(Offline) New Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: London Posts: 96	Wetsuit storage of 'bits' No, I don't mean your manly (or womanly) bits. I mean all the associated stuff usually kept in drysuit pocksts (spool, wetnotes etc.) Where do I store all the bits, when wearing a wetsuit, and as for a shorty??? I had pockets on a wetsuit before, but that was 5mm for red sea. I'm gonna be in 30c+ water, so shorty max. Do I just stick on a pair of combat shorts or what? Cheers Sean

April 11th, 2008, 12:20 AM	#2 (permalink)
daviddem(Offline) New Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Dubai Posts: 111	Buy pockets and a tube of Aquaseal / Aquasure and glue them on your wetsuit. Be generous with the Aquaseal (edges AND center). Put weights (diving lead works OK) all over the pocket and wetsuit and let dry overnight. I did the job on all my wetsuits and so far no lost pocket... There are shorts with pockets to be worn over wetsuits, or pockets to strap around your leg but they are far from ideal. Better glue! Some brands of high end wetsuits give you the option to add pockets on their custom suits. Also, beware of shorties. In warm water like that, there is always stuff that wants to sting you, first and foremost jelly fish. Any scratch on reefs or wrecks gets infected very rapidly, and is difficult to heal if the climate is also humid. Better wear a skin or 0.5mm full suit. Last edited by daviddem; April 11th, 2008 at 12:23 AM.

April 11th, 2008, 12:36 AM	#3 (permalink)
graham_hk(Offline) Pinoy ako pinoy Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: here, there and everywhere Posts: 779	Quote: (Originally Posted by daviddem) Also, beware of shorties. In warm water like that, there is always stuff that wants to sting you, first and foremost jelly fish. Any scratch on reefs or wrecks gets infected very rapidly, and is difficult to heal if the climate is also humid. Better wear a skin or 0.5mm full suit. I'll second that Get a DUI 30/30 and then its comfortable even in the tropics. I don't like shorts and if I am doing a reef dive in a wetsuit (rarely) I'll just use a pocket on the harness in place of a light since I'll only need wetnotes and SMB for these types of smaller dives and it'll be too bright in the shallows for the light to really be effective - if its a tech dive I am in a drysuit anyway. __________________ DIN caps and plugs with free world wide postage: www.dustcap.halcyon-hk.com

April 11th, 2008, 01:08 AM	#4 (permalink)
keri.lewis (Online) Back in the water.. Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Hampshire Posts: 385	I'm in the rare position of agreeing with both Graham and David.. I used to dive wet in SE Asia (3mm full body and hooded vest plus gloves boots etc.) - and the method of attaching pockets above works just fine. Get good, large pockets.. and stick em on. A lot of pockkets for wetsuits are way too small. No compromises as you'll be complaining that they don't hold item X.. and what ever you do avoid the "shorts of Doom".. they not only look daft but they have a habit of ending up around your knees if you get in a hurry either swimming of scootering. I can't see them with braces.. I now dive a drysuit - even in the tropics. In a couple of weeks I'll have my TLS350 and a base layer in Malaysia for wreck diving. I will also be wearing a hood.. The stingers are one reason, but I also find that longer run-times, and multiple dives in a day, can leave you chilled. If you do the standard Asia dive trip of 4 or 5 dives a day you'll be cold after day 2 or so. It creeps up on you, and can be a source of ear problems for many people. Better warm than sorry, so a 3mm full body would be the minimum recommended. __________________ Even a "bad" day diving beats a day in the office... Keri The more I learn.. the more ignorant I realise I am..

April 11th, 2008, 04:14 PM	#7 (permalink)
keri.lewis (Online) Back in the water.. Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Hampshire Posts: 385	Quote: (Originally Posted by daviddem) Really? This doesn't suit my argumentative nature. I am on my way back to the BSAC forum, where I can have proper fights with everybody as soon as I say something! Argumentative is when I pull my gun. Confrontational is when I pull the trigger. See how we get on on the Empress.... __________________ Even a "bad" day diving beats a day in the office... Keri The more I learn.. the more ignorant I realise I am..

April 11th, 2008, 01:29 AM	#5 (permalink)
daviddem(Offline) New Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Dubai Posts: 111	Quote: I'll second that I'm in the rare position of agreeing with both Graham and David.. Really? This doesn't suit my argumentative nature. I am on my way back to the BSAC forum, where I can have proper fights with everybody as soon as I say something! Argumentative is when I pull my gun. Confrontational is when I pull the trigger.

April 11th, 2008, 02:22 AM	#6 (permalink)
martyqdc(Offline) New Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Queenscliff ,Victoria,Australia Posts: 97	u could always just buy some halcyon tech shorts.U can wear them with a full wet suit or a shorty. They even come with D rings.

April 11th, 2008, 04:17 PM	#8 (permalink)
keri.lewis (Online) Back in the water.. Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Hampshire Posts: 385	I've seen many types of shorts... and couldn't recommend any of them.. they all look really naff - and drag in the water as far as I can tell.. I have some really gruesome pictures of X-Shorts.. and not just the people wearing them.. __________________ Even a "bad" day diving beats a day in the office... Keri The more I learn.. the more ignorant I realise I am..

April 11th, 2008, 05:12 PM	#9 (permalink)
LCF(Offline) New Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Seattle Posts: 622	Keri, X-shorts may look gruesome, but they work very well. If you buy the correct size, they do not increase drag (except to the extent that pockets do by their nature) and they are quite comfortable to wear. It is really a very nice solution to storage when diving in warm water. When temperatures and the dives permit, I would greatly prefer to dive wet, as there are no seals or zippers to fail and cancel a dive. (She says, having spent several days of a vacation trip duct-taping her neck seal back together.) __________________ check out www.divematrix.com "So, it's a good thing to always do the drills the same way . . . but in real life you need to act the right way, whatever that happens to be." LauNar

April 11th, 2008, 05:32 PM	#10 (permalink)
Chris Fenton(Offline) New Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: British Columbia, Canada Posts: 31	I ran into the same issue recently. The three solutions seemed to be: putting pockets on the wetsuit; separate shorts; or a harness pocket. The harness pockets sit in the same spot as the can light and so didn’t seem a great option. I felt the same way as Keri about the x-shorts (although I've never tried them). In the end I bought two cordura pockets and had a local shoemaker sew them on. It was fairly inexpensive and worked great. __________________ C Fenton Vancouver Island, BC