Comfortable immersion suits???/

[stocker]

Where can one be bought. Not the bright orange ones with huge feet but a goretex or similar that you can still wear your own footwear with.

[youngskywalker]

The offshore heli' companies in Aberdeen also supply suits for the Pilots, they tend to be dark blue although they can probably make to any spec' you want, they are tailor made but cost around 4 or 500 quid I think. You wear your normal footwear over the top of the material. They used to be called multifabs survival but I think they are now called heli-one or something like that.

[stocker]

good idea, I will try Bond ,Bristow and CHC and find out who supplies them and nip in past next week.
I would prefer the pilot version to the passengers one as it would remind me of hundreds of hours sitting uncomfortably in the back of a puma on the way to a job.......

Blue would be fine but I seem to remember CHC had black ones without the rubber neck seal (zip up instead)

[youngskywalker]

Just checked, do a google search for multifabs survival, the webiste directs to new company, they supply all the heli companies in Aberdeen. I doubt they will be comfortable though, all survival suits by nature are pretty awful to wear! Good luck.

[172driver]

comfy survival suits? what next - biscuits and tea built in ;) ?

I can only remember the ones I had to wear during helo ops in Antarctica (not as pilot) and typically needed two chaps to carry me to the chopper.... :eek:

[stocker]

Sounds like you had too much tea and biscuits if it needed two of them.........

I checked out multifabs and they seem to have the best option with a zip up neck, much better for letting the heat out and anything else that tends to linger in these suits.

[Daysleeper]

I had a multifabs one for a fixed wing overwater job I used to do (about 10 years ago) I was quite comfortable in it, longest continuous use was about 10 hours. It had full feet but they fitted fine inside trainers or half size bigger than normal boots.

[S-Works]

I use a sailing goretex suit with diving thinsulate underneath. As flexible as you can get, breathable. I have a neoprene hood that is separate. It gives you several hours of in-water protection. Latex feet seals allow me to wear neoprene boots and latex wrist and neck.

With a life raft it will allow you to get in the raft and be dry. Increasing survival chances significantly. I use a mcmurdo fast find GPS locator.

So in European waters I expect to be rescued pretty quickly.