Dry Suit Time?

[fdog]

You know that old saying - "If you have to ask how much it costs, it costs too much"?

In a similar vein, when you start asking "should I be in a dry suit?", then you've really answered your own question.


All the best, James

 

[ClayJar]

Well, since the specifics have been covered so well...

I have not once regretted having purchased my dry suit. The most amazing thing is the psychological change diving dry can often produce. While before, the question was whether it was too cold (water or air) to dive, now the only question seems to be where and when to dive.

Diving dry may be more expensive in the beginning, and it may be more expensive continuing (since you dive more ), but just like diving in general, it's often an expense well worth it. :biggrin:

 

[Pearldiver07]

I dived wet through the winter regardless of water/air temp for years. Then I had a VERY hard weekend teaching (had to cover for other instructors who punked out - all of their students were ok), and I went into serious hypothermia.

Well, I went and bought a dry suit and the only question is now - neoprene or trilam. I prefer trilam as you can modify the inner-garments to make just about any water temperature comfortable. When I had the neoprene dry I had to go wet earlier than I would have prefered.

So, in summary they are more expensive, higher maintenance, a lot more to manage during the dive until you get used to a larger bubble that can move around, but you'll never regret it or go back.

They're GREAT!!

 

[RoyN]

My time to go dry is coming soon. It is just a matter of saving $$$ as they aren't that cheap at all!

 

[FishDiver]

Dry suits are great under the right circumstances. I do not agree with the "once you go dry you will never dive wet" philosophy.

Generally, in temperate waters, I dive DRY for all boat dives and WET for all shore dives. Boat dives involve long surface intervals and deeper dives. Shore dives beat the hell out of my suits, provide a pre- and post-dive warm up session and an opportunity to change between dives.

I find that the wear and tear I save on my dry suit offsets the cost of a thick wetsuit for shore dives.

 

[2Tours N Iraq`]

Another good benefit for owning a drysuit is a reduced risk of DCS hit. Being cold is an added factor to increasing the risk of DCS and a drysuit is the best way at staying warm. When I dive dry I usually wear my 3mil farmer-john wetsuit underneath it as my insulator. In that set up if I do happen to have a flood, it's no big deal as I'm wearing a good insulator wet or dry. Additionally, if conditions warm up in the afternoon and I'm staying shallow on my last dive of the day, then I'm already in my wetsuit.

I still predominantly dive wet as that is what I prefer but when I know the water temp is going to be cold then I will dive dry.

 

[selo]

It is probably time for me also. A month ago, at the oil rigs off of Long Beach, CA, it was pretty chilly for my 5 mil hooded vest + 7/5 Henderson hyperstretch. I think it was about 57 F at 90 ft.
At the SI, I put on my fleece lined, hooded, boat coat, just on top of the whole thing without taking anything off, and this really helps immensely in minimizing the heat dissipation. I've never missed a second or a third dive yet due to cold. You may want to try this to see if it helps.
They sell about $150.

Having said that, I might go dry myself real soon. Cold is not good.

 

[Rick Inman]

Today's dives, we took the inflatable to a couple of wrecks in the lake. The water temp is up a bit (37 degrees), but the air temp was 34 and it was raining. Still, I was warm both in and out of the water in my dry suit, even while racing unprotected through the cold rain in the speeding boat.

Yes, dry suits are warm out of the water too. But whether in or out of the water, having the right underwear is just as important as having the dry suit.

 

[Tigerman]

Personally I dont even own a wetsuit anymore. I dive a BARE CD4 (4mm compressed neoprene) and it works from the time the ice leave the water till it comes back. Adjusting the undergarments is all I do and I dive the same suit in water temps up to 20-25 celcius. However during the 20+ celcius summer days, staying in the drysuit on shore is not an option..

 

[evil_xander]

Go dry, you know you want to!

It's a bit pricy initially, and frustrating at some points for the first couple of dives, but it is worth it.

Do I like it more over diving wet? No. But all things aside, it's a fair compromise between maintenance, cost and what you get in return.