Difference between WW and CW gear?

[Underthesea81]

Hey All,

I have been reading alot of threads and im just curious if there is a large difference in gear designed for warmer waters and gear designed for colder temps?
I live in Florida, and I am getting OW certified later this month. I would like to invest in a decent pair of Fins and Mask, also maybe Reg and BC depending on total cost. I am looking to dive at least once-twice a month since i have ALOT of diving near me.
Being that I live in warm waters or near warm waters, are there certain things in the equipment I should be looking for?
Any explanation/clarification/help is much appreciated.

 

[scubafanatic]

offhand, the major scuba gear elements that differ between cold-water vs warm water diving are exposure protection (wetsuit thickness or drysuit) and the design of a regulator 1st stage.

Regs on the Rocks - Divernet

 

[markmantei]

Yes, there is a huge difference in gear. In terms of exposure protection, your looking at drysuits for cold water as opposed to thin (3mm) or shorty wetsuits for warm. For regulators, us coldwater divers need to be concerned with 1st and 2nd stage freezups and freeflows so the regs need to be suitably designed environmentally sealed to ensure no moisture enters the 1st stage. In regards to the regs, you can certainly use a reg designed for cold water in warm water, but not the other way around.

 

[j.doe]

Typically cold water gear has more flotation due to the increased weight that is carried becausue of more boyant thermal protection.

Also in cold water gear you will need sufficent d-ring etc... to hang gear off or attach safety lines etc....

If all the diving that you will be doing will be in warm water there is not much to worry about, as most cold water gear works well in warm water, but some warm water gear does not work well in cold water.

Typically you will find beter deals on the warm water gear as cold water tends to be more expensive.

Good luck shopping.

 

[knowone]

Buy a clump of second hand stuff for the same price
as one expensive reg or expensive bcd and go diving.

 

[TSandM]

The big difference between cold water and warm water diving is the exposure protection required. Cold water diving needs heavy insulation, whether that's neoprene or dry suits with heavy undergarments. Since all insulation works by air-trapping, the thicker it is, the more it floats. As a result, cold water divers are usually looking for any way to minimize the total weight they have to carry -- they dive negative, steel tanks, and may worry about the intrinsic buoyancy of their BC (some are 3 lbs or more positive, in and of themselves!) In addition, because, through flooding or just depth compression, you can LOSE some or all of that insulation-related float, cold water divers need a big air bladder in their BC, so they don't end up unable to reach the surface. They also need some method for carrying a lot of lead.

Warm water divers, on the other hand, use thin insulation, so they aren't as worried about ballast. This makes aluminum tanks, for example, quite usable, and also means that putting the small amount of ballast required on a weight belt isn't terribly uncomfortable. It also means the air bladder in the BC can be smaller, which makes the whole BC lighter and easier to pack.

The already mentioned issue of regulator safety in cold air/water conditions is also valid.

The bottom line is that almost any dive gear will work in warm water, but cold water requires quite a bit more thought. And warm water gives you an opportunity to use minimal and very streamlined equipment.

 

[MurkyRockDiver]

We also wear open heal fins, hard to get those warm water fins on the big dry suit boots

 

[Walter]

We also wear open heal fins

So do most divers in warm water.

 

[g1138]

Would someone mind clarifying what cold water is for Underthesea81? I forgot the cutoff temp which would require sealed regs.

I know here in Monterey we have 52F water which some consider cold, but we don't have to worry about reg freeze up, unlike those diving under ice.
Just a little input, we don't want to load a new diver with mistaken information.

 

[Underthesea81]

Thanks for the information all, I was just unsure of the equipment difference for someone who primarily will dive warmer waters than colder waters.
Guess it would be beneficial to look at gear suited for both temps in case I ever head north and dive.