"Michael Daly" wrote in message
ble.rogers.com...
On 1-Feb-2004, "Robert11" wrote:

I'm confused on this point, as I guess I keep getting back to a skin
divers
neoprene, which is of course totally porous, and relies on body heat to
warm
the thin water layer that ends up
next to the skin.

Neoprene is not porous. It is a closed cell foam and is waterproof. If
you
want it to be porous, you poke holes in it. I've seen neoprene socks like
that _once_.


I guess that my wetsuit is a drysuit, then. Strange how that cold water that
comes through the suit somehow.

Neoprene is porous, but it does not allow the water trapped in the material
to circulate. The air trapped in the foam and is warmed by the body, which
provides insulation. It also stops water from circulating around the body,
keeping fresh cold water from the body.

From the following website:

http://216.239.53.104/search?q=cache:Yk3bpqVxWZwJ:www.tdc-dive.co.uk/Factsheets/TDC%2520Tip%25205%2520(Dry%2520Suits%2520-%2520Using%2520and%2520Choosing).pdf+%2Bneoprene+% 2B%22wet+suit%22+%2B%22thermal+properties%22&hl=en &ie=UTF-8

"Wet suits let water into the suit which forms a layer in between the suit
and the skin.
1. the neoprene that the suit is made of contains small bubbles of air which
trap
warmth in the suit. This can be affected by depth, as the suit compresses
with increasing depth and the thermal protection the suit offers can be
reduced
2. the water the suit lets in is trapped in the suit and the body warms the
water
up. It is important to get a well fitting wet suit to prevent the water
from
"flushing" in and out which then necessitates the body warming the water
over and over again, and during which time the diver gets cold."

Sounds porous to me. From personal experience, it feels it, too.

c. The Chota boot descr. says: "The lower boot is constructed with
3mm
waterproof closed cell neoprene, lined with fleece for added comfort and
warmth"

Is this a wet or dry boot ?

Neither. It is waterproof, but if the water goes over the top of the
boot,
some will get in. How much depends on how you've put it on. There is a
band of bare neoprene around the top and a strap that you can tighten.
If you tighten it against bare skin or a smooth fabric, it will only let
a trickle of water in. Otherwise, you could get a flood.


No, it isn't waterproof. Crushed neoprene, however, is (this process
eliminates the pores in the cells, making the suit a drysuit). Wetsuits, if
they are tight enough, allow very little water through, so your booties tend
to be pretty dry compared to, say, your torso. These booties probably have
been coated with something to make them waterproof. I have my doubts as to
how effective this would be since the constant flexing of the material will
quickly compromise any coating or protective barriers (neoprene creases very
easily, reducing the effectiveness of the material itself).

You do not want to paddle all day with wet feet, IMNSHO.

Then you don't want wetsuit/neoprene booties.

Rick