Thermulate me!

[renee]

I think I'm trying one Saturday. I'll let you know.

[thatcampbellkid]

I was Gambling the other day and he told me essentially that he's tired of seeing me with my drysuit issues and I should start diving wet. How's that for a start to your day? Don't worry, it ended with someone telling me they are not returning a large loan. Great day.

I digress.

He said that I should dive wet and consider: http://www.thermalution.com/pro_water.html. Does anyone have any experience with these things?
I'm not sure I'm ready to convert back to wet but I'm interested in gathering any information. What say thee?

(Actually it was rebreather related and not really my drysuit issues.)

I also have some interest in something like this, but it isn't because I want to switch from my drysuit (even though I think about it from time to time out of pure convenience).
Something like this might work really well for some of the sump diving I'm getting into. We dive wet because there isn't enough room to carry a drysuit to where we go, not that it would survive the trip, but that 40 degree water is rough!

[jlillest]

I spent quite a bit of time researching what was out there for our Dive Shop and finally came up with one that works!!; For at least me, as well as the other who have used it. The unit will work both wet or dry. It is the Solar Wetsuit Heating Unit that is exclusively made by UTD: http://www.utdequipment.com/new/page...ies/solar.html

Thanks for telling us about this UTD heater, I never would have thought to look at their stuff. This looks like a reasonable product.

Does anybody have any comments on where to get the EO connector that plugs into their vest? I have a canlight I could convert over, just need the plug. If anybody had a marshall part number or other source that would be helpful. I know LM and maybe some others will convert my canister over, but I'd rather stick with the battery that I have for now.

I think a heated vest could add a very comfortable safety margin to sump diving and add a nice level of comfort to Florida diving too for those longer dives.

-Jon

[thatcampbellkid]

Thanks for telling us about this UTD heater, I never would have thought to look at their stuff. This looks like a reasonable product.

Does anybody have any comments on where to get the EO connector that plugs into their vest? I have a canlight I could convert over, just need the plug. If anybody had a marshall part number or other source that would be helpful. I know LM and maybe some others will convert my canister over, but I'd rather stick with the battery that I have for now.

I think a heated vest could add a very comfortable safety margin to sump diving and add a nice level of comfort to Florida diving too for those longer dives.

-Jon

That UTD one does look pretty nice, might be exactly what we need Jon! It looks like it might be a little more bulky to pack, but it seems a little more rugged and evenly heated than the others. Thanks for sharing!

[Jon Nellis]

If anybody had a marshall part number or other source that would be helpful.

Marshall Underwater makes real E/O connectors like these. (Series 51)


The picture below is not an E/O connector no matter how many gear manufacturers try to tell you it is. It is made by AK Industries, who calls it their "diver series" connector. Electro-Oceanics (where E/O comes from) designed the original banded pin connector above and was bought/went out of business more than a decade before AK started making the "diver series" connector. Unfortunately someone without a clue started calling the "diver series" connector an "E/O" and more clueless people followed suit. If you call up an underwater connector manufacturer (SeaCon, MacArtney, Marshall, Impulse, etc.) and ordered an E/O connector (since many of them make banded pin connectors identical to the original E/O design), you would get the superior banded pin connector above, not the inferior hermaphrodite thing below.



Connector rant over...

[Jax]

Review sounds great for the Thermalution. I for one would buy one in a minute if they worked well. After much trial and failure, trips to see The Great Gamble only to see him cringe and say "No way" when it comes to staying dry. My wrist leaks with every seal known to man. Pull and glide means "the water is a little cool coming in my arm" and hooking up a stage is a cold bath for the forearm. Reaching up results in the nice cold water running in the chest. Standing up when getting out means everything down below gets soaks.
I started making shorter dives in a wet suit long ago to avoid a drysuit. To make several drysuit dives I own 3 sets of underwear because of the leakage issues. Spending a grand is not that much money considering I paid 650 for a flashlight to cave dive. Not to mention the money we spend to buy an electric motor to drag us around.
I wish a drysuit was only a "minor annoyance" as Sludge said.

Exactly!