August 1997

Vol. 12, No. 8   What's this?

To Pee or Not to Pee

from the August, 1997 issue of Undercurrent  

I was once told that there are two kinds of divers, those who pee in their wetsuits and those who say they don't pee in their wetsuits. According to Richard Long of Diving Unlimited International (DUI), a manufacturer of drysuits, although urinating in your wetsuit may feel like it's warming you up, it's not. The blood vessels open up in your groin, bringing up warm blood to reheat the cold tissues. The area soon cools down, and the end result is a greater net heat loss.

How to Stay Warm in a Wetsuit

• Don't drink caffeine or alcohol.
• Don't smoke.
• Avoid suiting up too early and becoming overheated before you get in the water.
• Eat well, but don't eat too much.
• Drink lots of fluids.

J. Q.