There have been many new threads recently about ice and cold water diving - possibly something to do with it starting to get colder up north - winter i think they call it (which we dont see down here!).
After this cold snap (why would you pass up spending winter in FL?) we are thinking of moving up north and getting acclimatized to chillier clims hopefully the northwest (Washington state area). I dont know the exact water temperature range there, but I am sure it will be a little colder than here in the 70-80 range inland and slightly lower on the coast. We are aiming at getting ice and dry suit training when the time comes along, but there is not much call for that around here. I know we might be mad to move away from such a place in most peoples eyes, but seriously it gets way too hot here in the summer (May-Oct, almost half the year) for a Brit overseas!
We currently dont have any of our own gear and renting already is a financial chore as the money its all being burned up with no equipment to show for it. I have read other threads on buying vs renting and understand that conunderum, so please dont go there. I am after general info on what type of gear is good up there I have read magazine reviews (again there is that chance of bias and Im not wanting to send this off in that tangent either) and have talked with the people in the dive stores down here but they arent as clued up about such things as they cater for people diving in this near tropical climate. In the meantime, in an effort to get some equipment that might work up where we hope to move I was wondering what views there were about materials, types, known good brands/models that are designed for these types of purposes colder waters, but also could work whilst down here in FL I imagine that most equipment works pretty well down here most of the time. The main things, were for regs and then as a side issue if there are any special requirements for BCs I cant see that much difference for them in colder waters compared the freezing problems of regs, but please correct me if I am wrong. Later again I am sure I will come into the problem of which dry suit to buy, but that will definitely be a choice using local dealers up in the north and when money is available for it!!
After this cold snap (why would you pass up spending winter in FL?) we are thinking of moving up north and getting acclimatized to chillier clims hopefully the northwest (Washington state area). I dont know the exact water temperature range there, but I am sure it will be a little colder than here in the 70-80 range inland and slightly lower on the coast. We are aiming at getting ice and dry suit training when the time comes along, but there is not much call for that around here. I know we might be mad to move away from such a place in most peoples eyes, but seriously it gets way too hot here in the summer (May-Oct, almost half the year) for a Brit overseas!
We currently dont have any of our own gear and renting already is a financial chore as the money its all being burned up with no equipment to show for it. I have read other threads on buying vs renting and understand that conunderum, so please dont go there. I am after general info on what type of gear is good up there I have read magazine reviews (again there is that chance of bias and Im not wanting to send this off in that tangent either) and have talked with the people in the dive stores down here but they arent as clued up about such things as they cater for people diving in this near tropical climate. In the meantime, in an effort to get some equipment that might work up where we hope to move I was wondering what views there were about materials, types, known good brands/models that are designed for these types of purposes colder waters, but also could work whilst down here in FL I imagine that most equipment works pretty well down here most of the time. The main things, were for regs and then as a side issue if there are any special requirements for BCs I cant see that much difference for them in colder waters compared the freezing problems of regs, but please correct me if I am wrong. Later again I am sure I will come into the problem of which dry suit to buy, but that will definitely be a choice using local dealers up in the north and when money is available for it!!