2 lds offer different opinions wetsuit for long island/ds

[CRAZYBOBC]

I visited 2 lds on long island, i said i was looking for a wetsuit to dive long island and ds in the summer. one shop said 7 mm one piece, 3mm boot/hood 1mm gloves
another dive shop said 2 pc farmer john 7 mm, 5mm boot 3mm hood/gloves, when i asked about 1 piece they said i wouldn't be warm enough in a 1 piece unless it was semi-dry suit
a dry suit is too expensive a semi dry is too.
if i could only afford a wetsuit which would be best for the ability to be warm on dives 60ft plus eventually
i have read the threads regarding advantages to 1pc vs. 2pc
but i am looking to see which lds is right and which type wetsuit is best for warmth
thank you
not cert yet but need wetsuit to get cert on long island

 

[MaresMan1]

I visited 2 lds on long island, i said i was looking for a wetsuit to dive long island and ds in the summer. one shop said 7 mm one piece, 3mm boot/hood 1mm gloves
another dive shop said 2 pc farmer john 7 mm, 5mm boot 3mm hood/gloves, when i asked about 1 piece they said i wouldn't be warm enough in a 1 piece unless it was semi-dry suit
a dry suit is too expensive a semi dry is too.
if i could only afford a wetsuit which would be best for the ability to be warm on dives 60ft plus eventually
i have read the threads regarding advantages to 1pc vs. 2pc
but i am looking to see which lds is right and which type wetsuit is best for warmth
thank you
not cert yet but need wetsuit to get cert on long island

CBobC,

I think it really depends on your tolerance for cold water. It is very important to stay as warm as possible when diving cold waters. I have no tolerance for cold water myself, so I went with a Semi-Dry(SD) suit. I would have liked to go Dry, but I can not afford it, so I do not dive much at all here. The waters up here are very cold (for me) until September or October and even then I use the SD suit because of the thermoclines.

If you plan on doing a lot of diving in these waters, I would suggest renting a 7MM wetsuit for your classes and save up for a drysuit or a SD at the least. Additionally, by renting you will get a good idea of your cold water needs.

Good luck with your quest and classes.

Dive Smart; Dive Safe
Enjoy the ride
:cool1:

 

[ScottyK]

Bob- a semi dry is just a wetsuit with better quality seals. It doesn't cost what a real drysuit does.

Don't buy a two piece! They are not warmer than a good quality one piece, and will require you to add a lot of lead. The guy who told you that is probably trying to unload excess inventory as no one is buying them anymore.

My lady switched from a farmer john to a nice $300 one piece wetsuit a couple of years ago. She is warmer now than she was before. She is petite, and hates the cold, but dives up here from May to November in her fullsuit.

 

[Sean326]

Bob- a semi dry is just a wetsuit with better quality seals. It doesn't cost what a real drysuit does.

My lady switched from a farmer john to a nice $300 one piece wetsuit a couple of years ago. She is warmer now than she was before. She is petite, and hates the cold, but dives up here from May to November in her fullsuit.

LP has two different brands of 7mm one piece suits one is Akona I forgot the other brand. Both were about $150.00.

I have a dry for winter but I dive a 3mm Akona for temperate water and i love it.

 

[padiscubapro]

Bob- a semi dry is just a wetsuit with better quality seals. It doesn't cost what a real drysuit does.

Don't buy a two piece! They are not warmer than a good quality one piece, and will require you to add a lot of lead. The guy who told you that is probably trying to unload excess inventory as no one is buying them anymore.

My lady switched from a farmer john to a nice $300 one piece wetsuit a couple of years ago. She is warmer now than she was before. She is petite, and hates the cold, but dives up here from May to November in her fullsuit.

I wouldn't agree with that...

If the farmer john/jane fits properly it will be warmer, you do have 13mm+ around your torso..

A poorly fitting farmer john/jane will be colder than a good fitting jumpsuit..

a poor fitting jumpsuit will be worse than both..


Women in general are the hardest to fit, men with above average proportions also offer a challenge.. these days every wetsuit manufacturer with the exception of one is using neoprene blends so the thermal protection various greatly at the same thickness... titanium is BS

The only manufacturer using 100% neoprene is wetwear, they make custom (25 plus body measurements) and stock suits.. Since they are using 100% neoprene the suits are expensive but they also are the warmest and most durable... I get suits free or at greatly discounted prices from several sources.. but I ended up paying (my suit is an $800 wet suit- the base price is around $500 plus extras)for a full custom 3mm suit for my deeper warm water diving because I was able to go full custom and get it made out of g-231 which doesn't compress very much (at 200fsw its virtually the same thickness as the surface).
Since its fully custom there is virtually no water movement and it doesn't compress, my 3mm wetwear is warmer than my 7mm (not going to mention the brand) at depth)
at 100 fsw depending on the blend most suits are not signifcantly thicker than 25% of their original thickness.

Wetwear is at most dive trade shows, with their mini chamber showing various material samples from competitors wet suits next to their own and pressurizing the chamber.. Its amazing how much it varies between manufacturers..

If you can get a farmerjohn that fits correctly you definately will be warm but you will need more lead... if you have a good tolerance for cold a properly fitting 7mm suit should be adequate for most divers june on through november, some people are confortable in colder water so then can push it a bit more... april/may in a sinlge 7mm really depends on ones tolerance for cold..

A big problem for many divers is water down the back.. Get a wet suit with a spine pad.. It makes a world of difference!

 

[ScottyK]

I wouldn't agree with that...

If the farmer john/jane fits properly it will be warmer, you do have 13mm+ around your torso..

The problem is it's almost impossible to get one that fits perfectly, and even if you do I still disagree.

My first ripoff wetsuit was a farmer john. I paid almost $500 to have it "custom fitted", and they did a good job of it. The only problem was it wasn't any noticeably warmer than the single piece rental I got certified in.

The only difference was the extra 20lbs of lead I had to deal with. Within three months I sold it at a $300 loss, and picked up a cheapie Blue Reef wetsuit for $199. It was just as warm as the FJ, and I've since switched to a Hyperstrech suit that's warmer and lighter than both of the other ones were.

I do agree about getting that spine pad. The new suit is the first one I've owned that has one. I don't miss that icy water pouring in through the back zipper

 

[Bob3]

FIT is the single most important factor in a wetsuit.
I'd recommend either a 1-piece hooded (attached hood) or a 1-piece with a hooded vest underneath.
The big problem with farmer john's is the tendency for them to allow cold water in down the back of the neck.
A "semi-dry" wetsuit is little different than a "plain" wetsuit, as already mentioned, the biggest difference is there are just a couple of extra "gaskets" inside the arms & legs, so don't let anyone railroad you into spending a pile of extra bucks for the "semi-dry" version.

 

[jonnythan]

You can buy a drysuit for about $500.

 

[padiscubapro]

FIT is the single most important factor in a wetsuit.
I'd recommend either a 1-piece hooded (attached hood) or a 1-piece with a hooded vest underneath.
The big problem with farmer john's is the tendency for them to allow cold water in down the back of the neck.
A "semi-dry" wetsuit is little different than a "plain" wetsuit, as already mentioned, the biggest difference is there are just a couple of extra "gaskets" inside the arms & legs, so don't let anyone railroad you into spending a pile of extra bucks for the "semi-dry" version.

The manufacturer I was mentioning (wetwear) charges $60 to add the seals... Seals work only if the suits dimensions are correct at the wrists, legs and neck. The probabilty of an off the shelf suit meeting these requirements are slim.. Unfortunately most manufactures charge a fortune for "semi" dry suits..

 

[padiscubapro]

You can buy a drysuit for about $500.

I definately don't dive wet in cold water, but a good wetsuit is definately more confortable in warm water and is much easier to don and dive in...