Advice needed

[lostsheep]

All, I have a conundrum and would like some feedback.

My wife is going to take OW here in Monterey but she is fairly sensitive to cold water. As such I want to ease her pain as much as possible. I have decided that a rental suit is just going to be uncomfortable due to the less than ideal fit, the bulk of the farmer john/hood combo and thus might dissuade her from continuing in the future. As such, I am going to risk her never using it again and buy her an exposure suit.

I want every ones opinion on what would be the best option with respect to warmth and comfort.

1. A 2 piece farmer john plus hood.
2. A (presumably more comfortable than #1) one piece suit with a hooded vest.
3. A one piece semi dry with integrated hood.
4. A drysuit (probably too much for an OW student)
5. Other, please explain

 

[krawlings]

All, I have a conundrum and would like some feedback.

My wife is going to take OW here in Monterey but she is fairly sensitive to cold water. As such I want to ease her pain as much as possible. I have decided that a rental suit is just going to be uncomfortable due to the less than ideal fit, the farmer john/hood combo and might dissuade her from continuing in the future. As such, I am going to risk her never using it again and buy her an exposure suit.




I want every ones opinion on what would be the best option with respect to warmth and comfort.

1. A 2 piece farmer john with a hood.
2. A (presumably more comfortable than #1) one piece suit with a hooded vest.
3. A one piece semi dry with integrated hood.
4. A drysuit (probably too much for an OW student)
5. Other, please explain

Here is my take on things
1: 2 piece FJ /w hood will be a little restrictive and require more lead .But will be worm keeping your core warmer
2: a well fitting (snug ) with VARY little water movement will keep you worm and be stream line .
3: a semi dry is IMOP the best alternative wet suit wise . keeps the water from flowing threw the suit and keeping the thin layer of water between your skin and suit warm this option can get pricey
4:this is my final choice I dive dry 7 months of the year I stay warmer by staying dry and I adjust my thermal undergarment to match the temps I will be diving in . being dry helps during your surface inter. you are warmer do to not being wet and you do not lose as much body heat . this is real important when there is wind and the air is cold . the option requires training to dive safely. there are some shops /instructors will do OW in dry suits . you get OW and dry suit certification This one can be the more expensive option

 

[Aqua-Andy]

If she is sensitive to cold I would go with a drysuit and not look back. I did one dive in my 7mm semidry last year. After that one dive I know why I have not dove wet for several years before that. A drysuit is much easier to put on than a heavy wetsuit and also can be much warmer depending on undergarments. There is not much more miserable (in my opinion at least) than getting out of a wetsuit on a cold windy day, a drysuit is a non issue. The way I see it is diving is a HUGE pain in the backside. Between getting up way to early on a day off from work, packing all the heavy gear, the long drive to the dive site, unpacking and setting up the gear, diving (the fun part), breaking down the gear and re packing the car with soaking whet gear, the long ride home, unpacking and rinsing off all the gear, drying the gear, putting the gear away, and whatever else I have missed, makes for a lot of work. Now after all that work the last thing you want to add in there is being cold.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Agree, drysuit. Just make sure you find an instructor who is used to teaching OW with students in one. Not all are.

 

[lostsheep]

Thank you all for your responses.

My feeling was to get her a semidry but I think I will discuss the drysuit option with her instructor (I will see him tonight anyways). I do believe he is willing to allow this but I need to check.

For anyothers who feel like voting or commenting I am still all ears!

 

[j2s]

It's a difficult call....Really depends on what your wife may/may not be comfortable with...Dry (and there are several different types/styles, some people like one but, not another) will keep her dry/warm but she may not like a particular style or dry at all....And the cost of trying to find one she likes can be prohibitive.......A hooded, semi-dry will probably be the most cost effective, because if it's not warm enough you can add layers like a 'shorty' either over or under it.....And you have the option of different MM's if you do add a shorty........Layering in diving is just like layering on land.....More layers, more warmth........

 

[lostsheep]

Spoke with the instructor and we both agreed that a dry suit would probably be too much task loading; not impossible but...

As such I am going to go the semidry route and hope for the best; this has the added benefit of not gambling too much money away also.

Cheers

 

[mala]

drysuit is the correct choice

 

[Bopper]

Spoke with the instructor and we both agreed that a dry suit would probably be too much task loading; not impossible but...

As such I am going to go the semidry route and hope for the best; this has the added benefit of not gambling too much money away also.

Cheers

I think that's a very smart move. A new diver trying to manage two bubbles...not good. I would choose a semi-dry for a new diver.

 

[Instructor_Tom]

Do your OW down in florida during the summer and you can both be in shorts and a rash guard. It would really make the learning of a new skill like diving much more enjoyable.




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