Dry Suits

[Diver Mike]

As a dedicated dry suit diver (over 1100 dives), I would never go back to wet again, unless I am in tropics.

I am currently in the Pacific Northwest for a project and here they teach dry suit as a part of OW training.


Find a good LDS and an instructor that you are comfortable with and get trained.

Try some shallow water dives until you are comfortable and then go for it.

 

[Daryl Morse]

Its time to get some new equipment for my wife and I. I was wondering how difficult it is to learn to dive with a dry suit. Would you recommend a drysuit for a new diver? Does the air in the suit try to float you in a vertical position? What are the drawbacks of a drysuit? And what is a semi-dry suit? All opinions are welcome.
Thanks

As a new diver in the Vancouver area, I haven't done a dive without wearing a drysuit (except for my OW pool dives). I wouldn't dive here at all if my only choice was a wetsuit.

If you plan to dive in cold water, I highly recommend that you try a drysuit, but plan to spend some time in a pool because air in the drysuit moves around and you can't dump it as readily as you can from a BCD. Managing buoyancy and squeeze with a drysuit takes more effort than diving with a BCD alone.

A few words of caution: Don't expect it to be easy and don't take it for granted if it seems easy. What seems like just a little air in the drysuit to mitigate squeeze can significantly increase your buoyancy when you ascend. (I have personal experience with this. ;-) As you experiment with the amount of air in the drysuit and with diving deeper, take small steps so you stay on the right side of the buoyancy curve.

I still haven't completely gotten the hang of dumping air from my drysuit. I plan to spend a couple of hours in a pool this weekend to practice.

 

[twosheets]

Hi Daryl,

Just a quick comment on your info. You might check to see if there is a position on your dump valve that will automatically dump air. True, your position in the water needs to be on the vertical side of horizontial for it to operate but my suit will auto dump as I ascend. Now, that means I asend slowly, controlled, and I do have to raise or lower my arm to een rock to one side to get the air to my valve (located near my left shoulder/upper arm). but for the most part its automatic. I can move in the water column from 100 - 130 to 15 - 30 feet and not touch my dump valve. I do this often in the ocean (FL Keys) moving along the face of reefs, dropping down to look at rays in the sand then back to 35 - 40 feet to look at fish or to head back to the boat. So, maybe you have that option or you might want to investigate getting it installed. Anyway, sounds like you appreciate the dryness - so stay wet!

twosheets!

 

[Daryl Morse]

Hi Daryl,

Just a quick comment on your info. You might check to see if there is a position on your dump valve that will automatically dump air. True, your position in the water needs to be on the vertical side of horizontial for it to operate but my suit will auto dump as I ascend. Now, that means I asend slowly, controlled, and I do have to raise or lower my arm to een rock to one side to get the air to my valve (located near my left shoulder/upper arm). but for the most part its automatic. I can move in the water column from 100 - 130 to 15 - 30 feet and not touch my dump valve. I do this often in the ocean (FL Keys) moving along the face of reefs, dropping down to look at rays in the sand then back to 35 - 40 feet to look at fish or to head back to the boat. So, maybe you have that option or you might want to investigate getting it installed. Anyway, sounds like you appreciate the dryness - so stay wet!

twosheets!

Thanks for the comments. The dump valve is automatic and I keep it fully open. (It's an SI Tech.)

I went to the pool today to do some experimenting. The valve is positioned quite far forward on the shoulder so it's facing almost straight down when I'm horizontal in the water. The valve will dump automatically, but I found I have to roll almost completely over before air comes out. Unless the valve is facing almost straight up, it will not dump. This is why I've been having problems. I haven't been rolling over enough.

I also found that I can get the air rise into the sleeve of my drysuit without any fussing around. I can see why a lot of divers use cuff dump valves. It seems like it would be a lot easier to use a cuff dump than a shoulder dump.

 

[String]

Its time to get some new equipment for my wife and I. I was wondering how difficult it is to learn to dive with a dry suit.

I learnt to dive in a drysuit from day one and as a result ive NEVER dived wet over here. My first time in a wet suit was last year abroad diving.

Although you have to learn a few extras to "drive" a drysuit it really isnt rocket science. A few drills for inversions and stuck valves etc along with inflate/deflate and thats it. Its not a lot more on top of the basic stuff.

In short, i cant see any problem at all with new divers learning to dive in dry suits.

Would you recommend a drysuit for a new diver?

Yes *provided* the diver is going to stick at diving. Something like 90% of divers quit within 12 months and a drysuit is expensive. If you arent sure diving is for you, maybe its better renting or going wet, if you are sure then i cant see a problem.

Does the air in the suit try to float you in a vertical position?

No. Air always moves to the highest point, if you're horizontal this is your back/back of legs. In short, it makes no difference.

What are the drawbacks of a drysuit? And what is a semi-dry suit? All opinions are welcome.
Thanks

Drawbacks.... Cost ?
They do require a small amount of extra training and drills and *slightly* different in use in certain conditions. This isnt a big stumbling block though.

Advantages.... Far warmer than a semi-dry (wetsuit), far warmer on surface interval. You can step out of it and walk straight into the bar etc etc etc


A semi-dry is a wetsuit with better seals around arms, legs and neck. You still get soaked and they arent as warm as a drysuit

Drawbacks.... You still get wet, can get cold especially on surface intervals. Climbing back into a wet cold clammy suit for 2nd dive isnt fun.

Advantages.... Cheaper than a drysuit and err thats it. If its cold enough to debate between 7mm + 7mm vest semi dry and drysuit its cold enough to always wear drysuit

Personally i wont consider diving wet/semi-dry if the water is below 70f.

 

[String]

I also found that I can get the air rise into the sleeve of my drysuit without any fussing around. I can see why a lot of divers use cuff dump valves. It seems like it would be a lot easier to use a cuff dump than a shoulder dump.

As i said in another thread somewhere, i absolutely hated the auto dump so fitted a cuff dump to my new drysuit. If far happier, feel far more in control, can dump whenever needed and would recommend it to anyone