Dry Suit Diving
- Thread starter simong6
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
CIBDiving:
Well, there it is, well said! A dry suit is a tool, it's a pain to get into, and out of, it's restricting, and death on the surface to have to gear up and struggle to the water in. There are some advantages though, you're warm, dry, and a lot more comfortable after a dive. They allow you to dive year round, in relative comfort, and get you in the water when the popular spots are all but ghost towns from the cold. I have one, but leave it hanging when the weather turns warm. I like the more free feeling of diving wet and slipping through the water.
Don't feel bad if you don't like your suit at first. I hated mine when I first started diving it, almost started diving naked with just a hood and gloves in 40 degree water because the drysuit was such a PITA. Fit is extremely important, a suit that is too big will make your life miserable. I was really frustrated because a whole group of us got drysuits at the same time and the guys loved them from day 1 and I had over 60 dives on mine before I ever had an enjoyable (or dry) dive. Over time I've solved the problems that were making the drysuit and I enemies, I've just replaced the drysuit with one that is tailored for a thinner person and that should fix the last of my problems. I cannot stress how important fit is to your drysuit happiness. Follow the advice the others have given above, it really does work!
Good luck, don't give up on diving dry yet!
Ber :lilbunny:
Good luck, don't give up on diving dry yet!
Ber :lilbunny:
Dive1Dennis
Guest
Simon,
When you dive cold water locations like we do you will find that a drysuit is the only way to go. Yes, it is more work to suit up, has more drag in the water, you have one air space and inflator to think about, etc, etc. You do not need to go dry to start, in fact you might want to start out wet simply because it gives you a few less things to have to learn all at once. But you will find that over time it is the only way to go if you want to do a lot of local diving. An added bonus, once you get comfortable diving dry, warm water in a 3mm wetsuit is sooooo easy!
DEEPLOU
Contributor
- Messages
- 766
- Reaction score
- 14
- # of dives
- 1000 - 2499
I got a 9 year old 7mm wet suit that is almost just like new.
On the other hand I am up to my 3rd dry suit that looks like its been through hell. Well i guess they have been.
Wet suits are for south of the Mason Dixon Line!
On the other hand I am up to my 3rd dry suit that looks like its been through hell. Well i guess they have been.
Wet suits are for south of the Mason Dixon Line!
As mentioned, I think it completely depends on the type of diving that you're doing. Here in MN, even in July the water can be in the 40's at depth. At that point, it's nice to stay toasty. We also do that crazy thing called ice diving! I can honestly say that when I jumped through that whole in the ice this year, I was sure glad to be wearing my dry suit! Either way, do whatever works best for you. I think it would be easier to learn your OW in a wetsuit and then add a dry suit once you become more comfortable in the water. That way it's one less piece of equipment to worry about.
No matter what, have some fun!
No matter what, have some fun!
JTJ
Contributor
I took my OW in a dry suit a few weeks ago and it was a pain in the butt. On the last day, we were able to control our buoyancy better and felt more comfortable in the water. I am now a fan of the dry suit, I just can't afford one yet. Good luck and happy diving.
Similar threads
