Cold water suits

[Wijbrandus]

I live in Colorado where we have a lot of high altitude and freaking cold water. Not ice diving, but cold. A drysuit is out of my budget at the moment, since I'm new to diving and all.

What would be the most cost effective gear to get for keeping warm? I have been in the water in a 7mm in 60 degree water, and I still got cold. I added a hood, and that helped. I still need to get booties and gloves, pretty sure that'll help too.

What is the difference between a wetsuit and a semi-dry suit? Are the fleece wetsuit liners worth the money?

Thanks for answering my rookie questions.

 

[MechDiver]

Wijbrandus once bubbled...
I live in Colorado where we have a lot of high altitude and freaking cold water. Not ice diving, but cold. A drysuit is out of my budget at the moment, since I'm new to diving and all.

What would be the most cost effective gear to get for keeping warm? I have been in the water in a 7mm in 60 degree water, and I still got cold. I added a hood, and that helped. I still need to get booties and gloves, pretty sure that'll help too.

What is the difference between a wetsuit and a semi-dry suit? Are the fleece wetsuit liners worth the money?

Thanks for answering my rookie questions.

Taking your questions in order:
Actually, a drysuit will be the most cost effective as it precludes buying a wetsuit, freezing your butt off, then buying a drysuit besides

A well-fitted double 7mm wetsuit, hood, booties and gloves should keep you warm in 50deg water for one or two dives to moderate depths. However, once you get out of the water and its cold out, you get very cold very quickly unless you have something like a camper or motorhome to get into. Then, trust me, putting on a cold, wet wetsuit for the second dive is just no fun.

Semi-dry wetsuits are bull. They are just more efficient wetsuits that cost more, but they are still wet. A good wetsuit is as expensive as a low-end drysuit.

No. Fleeze when wet is worthless.

MD

 

[Juls64]

but will be getting a drysuit in the spring. I am fine in water to about 50 degrees. I have been in water down to 39 degrees in Lake Michigan, but I was cold. I use a Henderson Gold Core 7mm 1-piece suit which I recommend if you are really wanting a wetsuit. I use it with a hooded vest or a Core Warmer if I know the water will be colder than 50 degrees. I have a regular bibbed hood the rest of the time.

For what a Gold Core costs, plus a hooded vest, good boots, etc. you could look at a drysuit like Hendrson offers. If you are diving during colder months, it will make your surface intervals more comfortable as well.

Juls

 

[Boogie711]

I dive a Mares Isotherm. It's a great suit, keeps me very warm. But on the second dive, it's miserable to get back into. After two days of diving in cold water, I'm shivering pretty much non stop.
It runs $325 at Leisurepro, or about $440 Canadian.

On the other hand, an entry level drysuit - say a Bare Nexgen, would cost me $700 Canadian.

Which is the other point about drysuits - if you can, get them in Canada. Much, MUCH cheaper up here.

 

[MechDiver]

Boogie711 once bubbled...
I dive a Mares Isotherm. It's a great suit, keeps me very warm. But on the second dive, it's miserable to get back into. After two days of diving in cold water, I'm shivering pretty much non stop.

Actually, Canada is what killed coldwater wetsuit diving for me. A number of us spent 10 days diving Seychelt. The water was 47F and the air was 47F and rainy the whole time. Two dives a day in that, even with a heated cabin on the boat, was a major PITA. Ordered drysuit (Bare by the way ) when I got home. I just ordered a new Kevlar suit yesterday.

I thought OS had a less expensive drysuit than Bare? Maybe its not available there...

MD

 

[jonnythan]

Call or email Dan's Dive Shop (http://www.dansdiveshop.ca/) and ask them how much for a Bare Nex-Gen or Nex-Gen package (drysuit, undies, boots, maybe drygloves). They're in Ontario about an hour from Buffalo. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at how affordable a drysuit is.

You can also head to eBay and buy a White's package (suit, underwear, socks, boots) for $718 - http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=1300&item=3627248793

 

[NavyDoll]

Hey...

99% of my diving has been done off the coast of Vancouver Island... in 46F to 54F temperature water. I initially bought a 2-piece "ADS" (semi-dry) suit... and to be honest I didn't notice much of a difference between that and the regular wet suit?! I've since purchased a Bare CD6 drysuit (crushed neoprene).

If you plan to do most of your diving in colder water & climates.. I'd recommend spending the extra money and buying a drysuit!! It may cost a bit more initially.. but it is money well spent !!

NavyDoll

(finally diving dry... :scuba: )

 

[theskull]

In the middle of the country, you must go dry unless you are content to dive less than half the year, at half the available sites, and at half the depth you are trained to dive!!!

If you must, start with a used or budget model drysuit. You might even consider buying just the suit and using a sweatsuit as undergarments. It will not be difficult to find a used buyer for your suit if/when you decide to trade up to a better model suit.

OS and White's make inexpensive entry level suits, and you can even get one of the DUI suits (with undergarments) for a little over a grand.

Treat yourself on this one. Spend a little more than you think you can afford, and you will enjoy it for many years and hundreds of dives.

theskull

 

[Bob3]

If you HAVE to dive a wetsuit, I recommend a "non-name brand" such as ScubaMax. Get a 1-piece & stick a hooded vest underneath. They also have a "semi-wet/dry" version that has an attached hood, slap a plain vest underneath. $200 or so & you're going to be as warm as a wetsuit can keep you.
I agree with the folks about recommending a drysuit, you can find an older Unisuit on ebay for $100 - $200. Those will keep you toasty for up to 4 hours in icewater. Get it with enough room to add a few extra layers of polypro underneath. It'll be too warm after the water gets into the mid 60s, but by then you can use your wetsuit.
Many folks will poo pooh neoprene drysuits but they will keep you warmer than a shell, and they also have LESS buoyancy swing from suit compression than a farmer john.
I use LESS lead with a Unisuit than with a farmer john wetsuit.
Your mileage may vary.