Dinghy development: Dry Suit Underlayers

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Dry Suit Underlayers

Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: Dinghy classes
Forum Name: Dinghy development
Forum Discription: The latest moves in the dinghy market
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=13053
Printed Date: 02 Jul 25 at 8:52pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: Dry Suit Underlayers

Posted By: jaydub
Subject: Dry Suit Underlayers
Date Posted: 30 Apr 18 at 11:41pm

My wife needs to replace her dry suit underlayer as the zip has failed.

She is currently in a size JL Gul Radiation all in one, but it doesn't fit terribly well

She feels the cold and I can't help feeling something more fitted is going to work better.

So a question to you ladies out there, what do you wear under your dry suits?

Not fussed that it ahas to be another all in one. Just looking for recommendations on something that is more suited to female curves than a baggy wooly bear!!

Replies:

Posted By: GarethT
Date Posted: 01 May 18 at 5:23am

What does she wear under the woolly bear (if it’s not a personal question!)?

I can’t comment about the female shape thing (despite my moobs), but for me the key thing that sets how warm my drysuit is is the thermals I wear as a base layer.

Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 01 May 18 at 6:21am

Use merino base layers, or 50/50 merino/polyester if better wicking required. Make sure the tops are long enough to tuck well into the leggings to avoid gaps!

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Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686

Posted By: Noah
Date Posted: 01 May 18 at 7:58am

Likewise - when it is truly Baltic, I use Merino wool for the base layer (polo neck top & leggings) under the woolly bear, and merino wool socks too. If you can keep the extremities (head, hands, feet) from getting too cold your core should be fine.

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Nick
D-Zero 316

Posted By: Sam.Spoons
Date Posted: 01 May 18 at 8:24am

Conventional thinking is the reverse noah, keep the core warm and the extremities will look after themselves (though, in practice, they do need help). But keeping your core warm is the key as it will pull circulation from your extremities when it starts to feel cold. As Noah says, don't forget your head (a thinsulate beanie is still warm when it gets wet).

Plenty of layers is the answer, I'm a bit of a cheapskate so I use a pair of ski leggins, a long sleeved, thermal rash vest and a £6 fleece. (oh and thick thermal socks) all from Decathlon. the colder it is the more layers I add. I will be buying a wooly bear for next season though to go over the aforementioned when it's really arctic....

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Spice 346 "Flat Broke"
Blaze 671 "supersonic soap dish"

Posted By: jaydub
Date Posted: 01 May 18 at 8:46am

Originally posted by GarethT

What does she wear under the woolly bear (if it’s not a personal question!)?

I can’t comment about the female shape thing (despite my moobs), but for me the key thing that sets how warm my drysuit is is the thermals I wear as a base layer.

Without getting too personal (!!), a mixture of stuff including Magic Marine Thermo Layer top and bottoms, Zhik Hydrophobic Fleece, old grey poplyprop HH top, old Gill microfleece.

Whilst willing to take suggestions about what might be best to wear underneath, the real issue here is that the zip is bust on the Gul Radiation wooly bear and needs to be replaced urgently, so I am really looking for recommendations for the outer underlayer be it one part or two part solution

Posted By: jaydub
Date Posted: 01 May 18 at 8:48am

Merino base layers sound like a good idea, so the shopping list may increase beyond the outer fleece layer.

Posted By: Noah
Date Posted: 01 May 18 at 11:15am

Originally posted by jaydub

If the garment is basically sound then your friendly local dry cleaners will quote you for a new zip.

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Nick
D-Zero 316

Posted By: RS400atC
Date Posted: 01 May 18 at 12:38pm

Scuba Diving shops usually have a better range of all-in-ones to wear under drysuits.
A fleece waistcoat is a useful additional layer sometimes.

If the zip failure is just the slider, then it's possible to change just the slider. I've recently had to do this on a zip luff sail.

Posted By: jaydub
Date Posted: 01 May 18 at 4:44pm

Originally posted by RS400atC

If the zip failure is just the slider, then it's possible to change just the slider. I've recently had to do this on a zip luff sail.

Unfortunately its a teeth failure, however I hadn't thought of trying to get the zip replaced. So that is indeed another option.

Posted By: Ian99
Date Posted: 01 May 18 at 8:46pm

All-in-ones never fit particularly well, as the ratio between leg/arm/body length is different for different people.

To avoid this, I wear what are best described as fleece dungarees under my drysuit (Gill still make them I think), with some kind of thermal base-layer underneath, and a fleece jumper. Most of that is badged as either ski or general outdoors kit rather than anything specific to sailing. Decent merino ski socks are by far the best thing to wear on your feet in a drysuit too.

The fleece dungarees are also really good to wear under ski salopettes on really cold days when skiing....