Decision time: Bottom Time or Drysuits?

[BioLogic]

We (Sabbath999 and I) could use the vacation fund to do some warm, salty diving this January, when the midwest is all grey and ice. Needless to say, that's a very attractive idea.

On the other hand, for the same money, we could afford to buy good drysuits for both of us, extending our midwest dive season and letting us go below the thermoclines with greater comfort. That would be great too...but it would make it probably another year before we can afford another trip to the ocean.

Any thoughts?

 

[overkillphil]

Warm salty!! I'm saving up for Maui next summer myself. Then get drysuits next year.

 

[fire_diver]

Get the drysuits. They will let you dive year round. They will also let you be comfortable under any thermocline in the lakes. Next year you will have the drysuits AND your caribbean vacation.

 

[Blackwood]

I agree with fire diver. Get the suits.

 

[WartedEmperor]

I would go with the drysuits. I bought one this last winter and I have never regret the purchase. Once you go dry you won't go back.

If you extend your diving season were you live then you can get more experience than just the dives you will have on your vacation. Experience is PRICELESS.

 

[Colliam7]

We (Sabbath999 and I) could use the vacation fund to do some warm, salty diving this January ... On the other hand, for the same money, we could afford to buy good drysuits for both of us, extending our midwest dive season and letting us go below the thermoclines with greater comfort. ... Any thoughts?

I recommend the drysuits. It allows for immediate use, and the opporuntities to dive cold (and dark) offer the chance for extending your diving frontiers, continuing to develop the skills (buoyancy and trim among them) that will make you next 'warm, salty' dive even more enjoyable. I bought a drysuit a year after my certification. I didn't do my first Caribbean (warm, salty) trip until the following year. I have never regretted the choice.

 

[drydiver]

like me, I think many people who want to dive regularly (100+ dives/yr) gear up for the cheapest dive destination, their own local waters. So, if you want to dive more, now, than the answer is drysuits. There are some drysuit reviews here and I highly recommend renting a few different types before you purchase, they vary pretty significantly, imho.

D

 

[joolz]

Drysuit diving can have a steep learning curve, and you have to re-learn everything you know about buoyancy control and proper weighting. You don't say whether or not you've already tried drysuit diving before, but a compromise would be to go ahead with the warm & salty vacation and take a drysuit specialty course in the winter just to see if you like it.

If the LDS knows you're serious about potentially buying two suits, they may let you take out some demo suits for a couple test dives as well. This way you're only laying out a few hundred bucks instead of a few thousand. It would really suck to miss out on your sunny vacation AND realize at the same time that you hate cold water diving.

Another tidbit: many dive shops sell off their rental gear at the end of the year at close to cost. If you like the rental suits and they fit you well, consider buying them.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I got certed on July and ordered my drysuit in October after diving wet in the St Lawrence and on the last day the lake flipped and temps went from 68-70( ok in my 5 mil) to 61. NOT OK in my 5 mil. Get the drysuit. My first dive this year was on Jan 2nd. Next dives On Feb 2 under the ice. Not possible without the drysuit. Warm water will be there. Hell it'll all be warm according to the econuts, but I'm betting there will still be ALOT of drysuit diving to do!

 

[ivobj]

+1 Get the drysuit