So I have a question concerning wetsuits. The first time I used in a wet suit I was really cold. The problem is that while my arms and legs where fine the body portion was all stretched out in the belly . Has anyone else had this problem? I don't really want to buy a wet suit only to replace it soon after with a dry suit. Any advice?
suit stretch
- Thread starter Texanguy
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if you have an ill-fitting wetsuit, you have an ill-fitting wetsuit. If you have a low quality wetsuit, you have a low quality wetsuit. Good neoprene doesn't permanently stretch significantly and certainly shouldn't on the dive. If you are regularly diving where you think you'd benefit from a drysuit, just get one first off. They aren't rocket science, you don't "need" a class to dive one, just some common sense and preferably a buddy who can tell you some of the weird nuances with them, and they're expensive but worth it if you're regularly diving in water below 70F, or diving when it is windy, or doing lots of repetitive dives, etc etc. Not so worth it if you're regularly diving in hot and humid air as it will be a damp suit before you get in it though
Buy a well-fitting wetsuit. Then buy well-fitting dry suit. The wetsuit shouldn't cost more than $150-$200 for a reasonable suit. Most of mine have been significantly less than that and I have about 12. And I have a dry suit. They aren't really interchangeable. If you can even remotely afford it, buy both.
How long before you are able to get the dry suit? In temps like that I wear 7mm plus a 5/3 vest at a very minimum, generally more. Or I dive dry. With the wetsuit, compression makes buoyancy more difficult and range of motion suffers as well. But it's cheap and you can be in the water fairly quickly for little investment. The dry suit takes a little longer to get used to but has way less buoyancy issues after a couple of dives because it's fairly consistent how you deal with it for various depths and it's predictable. It's a lot more expensive. For me, I never intended to dive cold water and I already had half a dozen suits so I started wet. Then I found an insane CL deal for a drysuit and pulled the trigger.
I still recommend both, but if you have the money for the drysuit now, do that one first. You'll prefer diving dry in those temps and you're likely to get more down time each dive and more dives in a day if you dive dry. As a result, more experience and more enjoyment diving. As tbone indicated, you don't need a class (I didn't take one and have maybe 6 dry dives now--fairly comfortable in my suit at this point) but it will help to have at least a mentor that has "mastered" dry diving. That said, most shops selling new suits offer a class with the purchase of the suit. If your shop does, take advantage of it.
I still recommend both, but if you have the money for the drysuit now, do that one first. You'll prefer diving dry in those temps and you're likely to get more down time each dive and more dives in a day if you dive dry. As a result, more experience and more enjoyment diving. As tbone indicated, you don't need a class (I didn't take one and have maybe 6 dry dives now--fairly comfortable in my suit at this point) but it will help to have at least a mentor that has "mastered" dry diving. That said, most shops selling new suits offer a class with the purchase of the suit. If your shop does, take advantage of it.
KevinNM
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If you need a dry suit then get a dry suit, but otherwise consider going for a custom wet suit. Custom wet suits are not that expensive. Certainly not compared to a dry suit. Finding the right vendor and getting correctly measured are important, but this is normally something that a decent dive shop can help you with.
elgoog
Contributor
If your LDS rents drysuits, try out different ones before you buy so you get a good idea of what you like or not, need or don't, etc. Eg, I've dived White's Fusion and DUI TLS350 and they're pretty different in many aspects.
The caveat for renting is that your shop might require you to have the drysuit training C-card (all NorCal ones do and they're pretty strict about it). If you buy a drysuit from your LDS, they will usually include drysuit training with it also for no extra charge.
The caveat for renting is that your shop might require you to have the drysuit training C-card (all NorCal ones do and they're pretty strict about it). If you buy a drysuit from your LDS, they will usually include drysuit training with it also for no extra charge.
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what depth ranges, and how many repetitive dives?
I'd advocate a good 5mm suit with hooded vest, but it's going to be more than $200....
5mm Merino Hooded Vest - Dive Right in Scuba
with
4th Element Proteus 3mm or 5mm | Dive Right In Scuba - Plainfield, IL - Dive Right in Scuba
Not cheap, but worth it for a well fitting suit that will last forever. Most of the cheaper suits compress more at depth and don't fit as well. This system gives you a good 5mm suit for the warmer stuff if you don't want a hood, and the hooded vest will really help when you're below 60f. I'm a firm advocate that if it is warm enough for a hood, it is warm enough for a hooded vest.
I'd advocate a good 5mm suit with hooded vest, but it's going to be more than $200....
5mm Merino Hooded Vest - Dive Right in Scuba
with
4th Element Proteus 3mm or 5mm | Dive Right In Scuba - Plainfield, IL - Dive Right in Scuba
Not cheap, but worth it for a well fitting suit that will last forever. Most of the cheaper suits compress more at depth and don't fit as well. This system gives you a good 5mm suit for the warmer stuff if you don't want a hood, and the hooded vest will really help when you're below 60f. I'm a firm advocate that if it is warm enough for a hood, it is warm enough for a hooded vest.
elgoog
Contributor
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