C
Colton
Guest
I live up by the Puget Sound. My first investment I want to make is a wetsuit. I only want to spend 200$-. The water temp is about 45 F. And I need help with sizing. Height- 5ft 6in weight 130lpds. Please help.
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VTernovski
Contributor
45F is cold. you best bet (if DrySuit is not on your list) then get a semi dry two-peice suit. That is 6.5mm or 7mm farm john (pants) and a jacket so that the core will be 14mm. Semi-Dry means that it will still be wet, but it has better seals on the neck and the feet than a regular wetsuit. Checkout SimplyScuba.com, you may get something like this for about $250;
A semi-dry works by restricting the water flow through the suit. I don't think that I've seen 2-piece semi-dries. The 2-piece farmer jane/john puts a lot of neoprene on you which will help keep you warm, but a one-piece semi-dry will keep that cold, cold water from rushing you when you first get in the water.
For myself, I won't be diving any kind of 45 degree water without a drysuit. I've been in those temps for parts of dives before in my semi-dry and it's really uncomfortable. With temps below about 60 I don't last more than 25-30 minutes without having to get out. It's just too darn cold.
Obviously it all depends on your personal cold tolerance.
Rachel
For myself, I won't be diving any kind of 45 degree water without a drysuit. I've been in those temps for parts of dives before in my semi-dry and it's really uncomfortable. With temps below about 60 I don't last more than 25-30 minutes without having to get out. It's just too darn cold.
Obviously it all depends on your personal cold tolerance.
Rachel
I would agree with the assessment to go with a one piece semi-dry. I have seen two piece semi-dry's and have experience with the 2 piece semi-dry Bare used to sell and it was not effective in reducing water flow.
I'd use a one piece semi-dry with a vest and attached hood under it. These are available with smooth rubber on the neck area to correspond with the neck seals on many semi-dry suits. They add a little extra neoprene on the torso without compromising the sealing qualities of the one piece suit.
I use on from about June on when it gets too hot to comfortably get into my dry suit. The temp at the bottom runs in the mid 40's and I am comfortable for 30 minutes or so.
I'd use a one piece semi-dry with a vest and attached hood under it. These are available with smooth rubber on the neck area to correspond with the neck seals on many semi-dry suits. They add a little extra neoprene on the torso without compromising the sealing qualities of the one piece suit.
I use on from about June on when it gets too hot to comfortably get into my dry suit. The temp at the bottom runs in the mid 40's and I am comfortable for 30 minutes or so.
nickjb
Contributor
You really want to be dry in that kind of temperature. You will be happier and safer. Hunt around for a used suit. There are plenty over here within your budget.
A wetsuit will work fine. I did over 200 dives in a wetsuit before I could afford a drysuit and I stayed warm. If you are only doing 2 or 3 dives in a day a 2 piece 7MM suit will be warm enough. I do most of my diving in the Puget Sound and on the Oregon coast. You will probably end of in a drysuit if you dive a lot but for a casual diver a wetsuit works well.
Scott
Scott
curtmdavis
Registered
I agree that you should be diving a dry suit in Puget Sound waters, as I too am a PNW diver. I have an old Harveys neoprene drysuit that may fit you. I would let it go for $100. It pretty old, has a lot of patches, but its cheap and even with it youd be 3Xs warmer than with a wet suit. Send me a PM if your interested, and well link up.
( I hope I'm not offending anyone, just tryin to help out)
( I hope I'm not offending anyone, just tryin to help out)
dennisgrimm
Registered
.... the bare "actic hood fullsuit". give it a look at www.diverswholesale.com
at $189 US it fits your budget and is even manufactured in your area.
if you do give it a try let me know how it works out (that is the suit i am saving for)
at $189 US it fits your budget and is even manufactured in your area.
if you do give it a try let me know how it works out (that is the suit i am saving for)
Kaos
Contributor
Not for me, until I got fed up 6 months later of freezing to death. So I bought a drysuit on top of my wetsuit. You may want to save $400 or so that you will pay on your wetsuit and get a drysuit immediately.
I'd try to find a used dry suit, believe me it will be worth the money if you plan on diving year around. You can get by with a wet suit during the summer, but it will be miserable in the winter. I had some dive buddies that were diving wet they are now diving dry.
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