Diving dry suits only
- Thread starter rfwoodvt
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A lot of us have suffered through wearing thick and heavy 7mm farmer johns back in the day. I admit the first ~7 years of my diving career in New England were in a wetsuit. I was poor college student and I couldn't really afford a drysuit. Hell..I bought my wetsuit used back in the day.
While I survived just fine I convinced myself it was normal but it was honestly never ideal. As my dives got longer, more complex, deeper, and I got more comfortable in the water I found myself getting cold no matter what I did. People actually told me drysuits were a waste of money but they weren't doing the kind of dives I was.
There is still even a small fringe contingent of people who are anti-drysuit in New England (and probably on Scubaboard). I don't understand it but they are certainly allowed to have their opinions. They claim drysuits are dangerous, too complicated, never work right, and always leak. I disagree but I've stopped arguing with people. There used to be some very prominent dive club members that convinced a lot of new divers that they didn't need a drysuit because THEY never dove one.
Most of these people were very seasonal divers with the occasional winter foray for 35-40 minutes until they get too cold. They all convinced themselves they can do and come out of the water blue. Drysuits are expensive and yes they can fail, I will give them that however.
Everyone is of course different but I personally think cold water diving in a wetsuit is foolish and in some cases dangerous.
I thought it was completely normal to pour hot water into my wetsuit so I could dive 5-10 minutes longer.
I thought it was completely normal to run to my car to blast the heat or hide inside heated boat cabin
I thought it was completely normal to come out of the water shivering and blue; It was just part of the diving experience!
None of these things are normal.
For local diving once I switched to drysuit I lost any desire to dive in a wetsuit below ~67-70 degree water ever again. I might make an exception if I know I'm not ever going below a thermocline or the dive duration is very short but I don't currently own an appropriate wetsuit for cold water.
For Lake Champlain I can tell you that wetsuits are not really worth it. It's always going to be cold below the thermocline unless you happen to be diving above 50ft in late summer. Maybe the General Butler or Horse Ferry in late July and August or some shallow shore dives.
Everyone is different but I personally think cold water diving in a wetsuit is foolish and even dangerous to a certain degree. I realize some people have different definitions of cold water so I'm not going to argue with them.
I suspect as you get more comfortable in your drysuit you will appreciate it more and favor it over a wetsuit but everyone is different (as they say) so only you can decide what you like best.
Unrelated but there is absolutely no way I could have done the dive I did in a wetsuit last week in Lake Champlain. My dive time was 97 minutes with an average temperature of 36f and a high of 37 degrees (fahrenheit).
While I survived just fine I convinced myself it was normal but it was honestly never ideal. As my dives got longer, more complex, deeper, and I got more comfortable in the water I found myself getting cold no matter what I did. People actually told me drysuits were a waste of money but they weren't doing the kind of dives I was.
There is still even a small fringe contingent of people who are anti-drysuit in New England (and probably on Scubaboard). I don't understand it but they are certainly allowed to have their opinions. They claim drysuits are dangerous, too complicated, never work right, and always leak. I disagree but I've stopped arguing with people. There used to be some very prominent dive club members that convinced a lot of new divers that they didn't need a drysuit because THEY never dove one.
Most of these people were very seasonal divers with the occasional winter foray for 35-40 minutes until they get too cold. They all convinced themselves they can do and come out of the water blue. Drysuits are expensive and yes they can fail, I will give them that however.
Everyone is of course different but I personally think cold water diving in a wetsuit is foolish and in some cases dangerous.
I thought it was completely normal to pour hot water into my wetsuit so I could dive 5-10 minutes longer.
I thought it was completely normal to run to my car to blast the heat or hide inside heated boat cabin
I thought it was completely normal to come out of the water shivering and blue; It was just part of the diving experience!
None of these things are normal.
For local diving once I switched to drysuit I lost any desire to dive in a wetsuit below ~67-70 degree water ever again. I might make an exception if I know I'm not ever going below a thermocline or the dive duration is very short but I don't currently own an appropriate wetsuit for cold water.
For Lake Champlain I can tell you that wetsuits are not really worth it. It's always going to be cold below the thermocline unless you happen to be diving above 50ft in late summer. Maybe the General Butler or Horse Ferry in late July and August or some shallow shore dives.
Everyone is different but I personally think cold water diving in a wetsuit is foolish and even dangerous to a certain degree. I realize some people have different definitions of cold water so I'm not going to argue with them.
I suspect as you get more comfortable in your drysuit you will appreciate it more and favor it over a wetsuit but everyone is different (as they say) so only you can decide what you like best.
Unrelated but there is absolutely no way I could have done the dive I did in a wetsuit last week in Lake Champlain. My dive time was 97 minutes with an average temperature of 36f and a high of 37 degrees (fahrenheit).
undrwater
Contributor
We in SoCal have a conceit that our waters are cold.
One day, a gentleman dropped by our mud hole and asked if he could join us. While gearing up, we noticed he was getting into a 3mm wetsuit. We approached him and explained that our water is 'cold'! "I'll be fine, I'm used to cold water", was his response.
The group went out, but we kept a close eye on the visitor. Most of us were ready to thumb the dive after closer to an hour. One of the divers lost a ton in the surf, and our visitor volunteered to swim the surf zone looking for it. He spent another 30 minutes unsuccessfully looking for the fin.
During debrief, he mentioned that he dives Michigan lakes regularly, and our 'cold' water was a nice warm welcome for him. I think he said they call it "lake blood".
I had a friend who said drysuit divers always complained about leaks. I've had my share, but a leaking drysuit is...a wetsuit.
I am primarily in a drysuit, but if the water is over 80, I will wear a wetsuit. It is nice and simple. After a week, you stop trying to dump your wetsuit every time you ascend.
I never want to put on a 7mm farmer john ever again, lol. They have there place, I make my kids wear them!
I think diving dry is the bees knees. I like the comfort, the redundancy. I like not getting salt all over me. And being the 1st one changed out vs people diving wet having to peel that off. I like being comfortable during the SI.
@RyanT just needs to suck it up and get one already!!
I think diving dry is the bees knees. I like the comfort, the redundancy. I like not getting salt all over me. And being the 1st one changed out vs people diving wet having to peel that off. I like being comfortable during the SI.
@RyanT just needs to suck it up and get one already!!
When I lived in the Midwest I only dove a wetsuit on my trips to warm ocean waters in NC and FL.
However, since I moved to FL 6 years ago, I've done a grand total of 2 drysuit dives. I've gone back to just about 100% wetsuit dives.
Wetsuit or drysuit, they are just tools. Use the tool that best suits your diving. Given your location and the description of your diving, a drysuit sure sounds like the proper tool for just about 100% of your dives.
However, since I moved to FL 6 years ago, I've done a grand total of 2 drysuit dives. I've gone back to just about 100% wetsuit dives.
Wetsuit or drysuit, they are just tools. Use the tool that best suits your diving. Given your location and the description of your diving, a drysuit sure sounds like the proper tool for just about 100% of your dives.
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