300 WET SUITS 



at least partially, the evaluations. Even after applying a vacuum until no further water was re- 

 moved, the latex foam was found to be damp several weeks later when the suits were examined 

 for malfunction analyses. The vacuum pump and a technician were supplied through the good 

 offices of Professor H. Bradner, University of California. 



EVALUATIONS 



CAPT E. L. Beckman and the writer interviewed the suit evaluators to obtain their subjec- 

 tive impressions. No significant numerical data were collected, e.g., skin and rectal tempera- 

 tures, heat-power cycles, oxygen consumption, etc., during the dives. The evaluations were 

 recorded on a portable tape recorder and subsequently transcribed. 



The general consensus of opinion among the subjects who evaluated the suits was that such 

 suits, with appropriate improvements, would indeed be valuable in operational diving. Most of 

 the complaints were ones that the suit-project personnel could forecast prior to the Sealab II 

 evaluations. These were associated mainly with inadequate time for thorough design, develop- 

 ment, and testing prior to the construction of the final prototypes. 



The suits were evaluated both by divers using both the Mark VT (semiclosed circuit breath- 

 ing apparatus - 85 percent helium, 15 percent oxygen) and the Arawak hose-supplied apparatus 

 (Sealab n habitat gases). 



Suit Design and Fit 



The design of the rubber suit was acceptable with minor reservations. The hood attached 

 to the jacket succeeded in preventing free flooding in the neck region. The jacket opening from 

 the breastbone downward eliminated pressure points on the trachea - a condition usually asso- 

 ciated with neck-level front zippers and separate hoods. The Velcro closure material was 

 judged to be superior to zippers in reliability. The trouser design was good in that the Velcro 

 gussets at the waist and ankles made donning fairly easy. Removal of the trousers and jacket 

 was difficult because the Velcro wrist and ankle gussets tended to lock together when the gar- 

 ments were peeled off. The mitts were somewhat bulky and suffered from moderate flooding. 

 The boots also suffered from flooding and were quite difficult to fit into swim fins. 



The electrical connectors on the boots were difficult to make and break because they were 

 on the outside of the ankles. The inside of the ankle is much more accessible when a subject 

 is sitting down. He merely crosses his leg. The Electro-Oceanics electrical connectors were 

 very compact but required some effort to make and break. 



The snag suit was objectionable for some subjects in that it was time consuming to don and 

 doff. Others had no problems. But this was mainly a problem of fitting. Nylon zippers used on 

 the mitts, boots, and sleeves experienced a high mortality rate. ^^ 



Rubber-suit fit ranged from very good to poor. Most of the subjects found the chin area to 

 be too tight. This almost universal problem required immediate alterations. It is difficult to 

 evaluate suit fit, because suits were not always worn by personnel for whom they were made. 

 CDR Carpenter experienced some tightness in the sleeves. 



Most subjects enjoyed the softer feel of the suit material compared to neoprene wet suits. 

 Several aquanauts wore their heated suits for short dives without using the heat power because 

 the suits were quite comfortable. One judged his suit to be superior in insulating qualities com- 

 pared to neoprene suits. 



Heat Power 



Evaluations of the heat-power distribution were sometimes made by subjects who were 

 busy doing other chores. Therefore, their evaluations represent recollection of comfort with 

 some uncertainty. Skin-surface temperature measurements would have removed some of this 



