Re: [Paddlewise] Insulation under a Drysuit

LedJube_at_aol.com wrote:
> 
> In a message dated 11/27/00 10:04:07 PM, dana.dickson_at_unisys.com writes:
> 
> << My question is have others who paddle in cold had similar experiences with
> insulation dampness?  If so, have you found a solution to the dampness? >>
> 
> Hi Dana,
>     I have found a similar issue with dampness inside my GTX dry-suit. [snip]

>     I find that the range of temps is very limited with regard to comfort. If
> I wear more the sweat builds up in the suit if I wear less I go mildly
> hypothermic. I'm starting to think the solution lies outside the drysuit.
> Maybe an insulation layer outside the suit coupled with a windproof shell
> will do it. I'm already using a fuzzy-rubber hood to attempt to manage my
> heat loss

I am puzzled by the narrowness of your comfort range.  I wear a GTX top with a
farmer john wet suit bottom, and have a range of maybe one layer of 100 weight
fleece up or down from whatever basic setup fits the air temp. and I'm still OK
-- with the use of an insulating hat or not to fine-tune my heat balance.  

Note:  my insulation regime handles the winter water temps here no problem, as
the water temp winter-long is pretty close to 45-50 F.  I do find I need to
adjust some to handle very cold air, however.  Evaporative cooling?  I don't
know.

Jed, are you paddling in very dry air?  Our air here is very wet, and so my
evaporative cooling is fairly constant all winter long.

Re:  the issue of dampness unde the GTX:  mine is always damp, but not wringing
wet at the end of a day, and I can **almost** always "dry" it by continuing to
wear it while I set up camp on overnights, or while putting up gear and loading
yaks/eating at the end of a day trip.  Caveat:  I am a known warm blooded
person, and am not cold when others are.  For contrast:  my SO invariably needs
to change out of her stuff when she hits camp, and could not comfortably "dry"
her fleece the way I do.  I don't know what she does with all that wet fleece
... make sheep?

I suspect variability amongst people is the biggest variable here, not the
fleece arrangement used.  I think Jed is doomed to suffer until he puts on a
few pounds <grin>.

-- 
Dave Kruger
Astoria, OR

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