To pee or not to pee ?
That is the question for many a diver caught short in a drysuit . One answer is the pee valve , explained here by Alex ‘ banana ’ Warzynski and Dr Sam Clark
It comes to us all , at some stage in our diving . The limiting factor isn ’ t how long your gas lasts , or how cold you are getting , but how long can you last in a drysuit when you are busting for a pee ? This can be brought on by a number of factors , including needing to go more often as you get older , extended periods in the water as your diving gets deeper and longer , or a medical condition .
You may have spotted divers wandering around with a strange round , black thing on their inner thigh - this is the exit point of a diver ’ s urination system , a special fitting that can be unscrewed when in the water and has a simple system of valves to allow pee out , but not allow water in . I am a staunch advocate of the pee valve : if you ’ re out on a RIB all day , it ’ s really nice to be able to keep hydrated without worrying about climbing out of your suit on a rocking boat , and asking everyone to look the other way .
Anyway ... the complexities of routing the contents of your bladder to the open sea are a matter for delicate discussion , so at this point , readers of a delicate disposition may choose to turn to one of the articles on pretty fishes or rusty wrecks . Fair warning .
Wideband condom catheter
The exterior valve on O ’ Three ’ s Advanced P-Valve
34