Drysuit certification really needed?

[myshadeofred]

I have a lot of wetsuit dives...and only a handful of dry suit...and IT IS NOT THE SAME. If you are even remotely questionable on your buoyancy, especially in rough seas...you will need to learn the features...I mean google is good...but it takes a few. As you are aware...there are divers with over a 100 wetsuit and still find buoyancy an issue.

Just my two cents...do the specialty.

 

[grf88]

DUI have a very good dry-suit manual that lays out the basics of diving one. If you don't take a course find a good mentor.
http://pdf.divedui.com/DUI_Manuals-Current/DUI-Drysuit_Manual-English.pdf

 

[ontdiver]

While I never took a DS course, I definitely learned by trial and error on the first handful of dives. I popped up a couple of times when approaching shoals during drift dives in the St Lawrence River and this was a good if somewhat embarrassing learning experience. Looking back on this I have to admit that I would have probably benefited from a course. But had I taken the course at the local quarry, I don't believe I would have been prepared for the shoal experience. All of this speaks to the importance and enjoyment of having exposure to different environments, including temps, current, depth etc.

 

[formernuke]

Drysuit is different than wetsuit and has some important skills. I didn't take a drysuit course when I started using one but I was diving with an instructor doing my master and experienced divers. I have since taken the course. If you have good instruction it is worthwhile.

As others have said ask for a class to be included when you buy your suit.

 

[myshadeofred]

If you want safety as your first priority do a specialty. Seriously. I’m not an instructor. A true learner. Please do a speciality

 

[JackD342]

No, it is not rocket science, but it is new and different in a few important ways. The PADI course is one pool session and two OW dives - not a major investment of time. You will gain more new knowledge regarding drysuits from the academics than from the water work. In the water, you will learn/practice a few new skills and practice a few old but now different skills. As with many such courses, a large portion is supervised practice more than continuous new learning. But that is important too. Also provides the dedicated opportunity for immediate feedback and fine tuning of your new skills versus just "theoretical understanding" what you are supposed to do.

 

[Marie13]

I got certified OW and drysuit at the same time. Didn’t dive wet until I probably had close to 40 dives. It is definitely different. Take the drysuit class.

 

[BlueTrin]

It will probably save your some time to get a drysuit class.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

I would suggest practicing in the pool adding gas to the dry suit and removing gas from the BCD/wing and vice versa to see how trim is affected. That's one thing that is missing from the 3 dry suit courses that I've seen. That's a tip I picked up from @custureri

 

[TMHeimer]

I probably mentioned way back that I've never dived dry. And that my first (and only) regular buddy way back then started diving dry a short while after doing OW (wet here, of course...). Though I was quite inexperienced at the time myself, he seemed to have little problem adapting to it as we were able to stay together on the dives. His general buoyancy/trim, etc. wasn't exactly perfect diving wet either. I guess it depends on the individual. I do think it's a great idea and very reasonable to ask that the course be thrown in if you're spending all that $ on a drysuit (unless it's like, the "$500 special used one we have in the back").