RFI: Strategies for staying cool in a drysuit

Never heard of a neck ring before, but coming from a dive background, I've flooded a few drysuits.  Your ability to swim and self-rescue will be dramatically reduced with even a moderate amount of water in your suit.  It will pool in the legs, and act like heavy, sloshy ankle weights as you try to swim back to your boat.  Not to be underestimated.

The one time I dumped, I had the neck ring engaged.  I got very little water in my suit, we're talking like teaspoons.

I have a couple theories as to why.  As alpalmer stated, the outrush of air kept water out.  Also, with my PFD on, I quickly popped to the surface and my neck was above water.  That being said, I think I dumped on the "mystery spot".  The rods in my holders didn't come and when the yak was upside down, and I didn't lose a thing.

I disengage my neck ring when, as alpalmer says, my "personal risk threshold has been exceeded".

All that being said, I went to a neoprene neck gasket without a neck ring last year, and haven't been overheating.  Did I really need all these years of neck ringing it?

-Allen

There is a downside to everything and with dry suits it is being too hot and not being able to take a pee in the ocean. All you can do is get the thinnest synthetic t-shirt you can find and where it underneath.

With a wetsuit the flipside is that if you dip you legs into the ocean the evaporation of the water has a decided cooling effect which is not always desirable either in all circumstances.

For me a drysuit is winter wear and in the summer I prefer farmer john style wetsuits.

A relief zipper solves the peeing issue with a dry suit. Most guys will considerate a mandatory option.

There is a downside to everything and with dry suits it is being too hot and not being able to take a pee in the ocean.

As far as being able to take a pee in the ocean while wearing a drysuit, I have three words for you:  Relief zipper. Funnel.



As far as using peeing as part of your strategy to keep cool in a dry suit, I have three different words for you.  Don't! Do! It!