Chemical Handwarmers with Drysuit???

[DanL]

Forgot to comment on the sodium acetate handwarmers (the little orange reusable vinyl pouches from WalMart). They provide heat from the crystallization of a salt solution and don't require air to produce heat.
I stuffed one on the back of my left hand between dryglove and glove liner. Tight fit, and the packets get very stiff after the crystallization takes place. Initially felt warm on the surface, but in the water and after the dive, I noticed no difference between right and left hand. Surface test I did had the packets reaching 130F, but they don't produce enough heat to make a differencein the water.
The air activated heaters can work in a drysuit, but I think amount of air available and O2 partial pressure can give highly variable results. Some posts report no heat due to no air, and some posts indicate high heat at depth. Probably not a good option.
Net, the sodium acetate salt heaters don't seem to provide enough thermal output and the O2 heatpacks are too variable to rely on.
Net - I was plenty warm in drysuit and drygloves, even with air T's in single digits and wicked wind. Don't really need heatpacks I guess.

[Freedive WI]

I have used the heaters under my dry gloves in the past. I wear a thin polypro liner with a thicker fleece glove over them. The heat-pac goes inbetween the two layers so you don't burn your hand.

Since I started to use argon in my suit I don't use them anymore- no 02 in the glove to activate the pac.

Jon