Drysuit diving in Tropical

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

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

I did full cave in MX in August in a 5mm. I dive dry at home (Great Lakes region) and in the FL caves, but MX in August was just too hot/humid for a drysuit. I also didn’t want to fly with it. Got a 5mm for the trip and it worked out well.

March will be much better weather wise.

The 5mm would work for both the cave class as well as the ocean diving. Might as well just get the wetsuit. Your drysuit would be overkill for the ocean diving.
I also live in Canada and cave dive in MX.

I literally almost die every time I'm in MX between June and September. I'm really lucky that I can dive with a 3mm wetsuit + 5mm hooded vest on a short cave dive. For stage dives, I wear a 5mm + 5mm hooded vest.
 
I have the full suite of 3mm, 5mm, and 7mm wetsuits, and finally caved for a drysuit after freezing midway through every single trip. I only dive warm water places 90% of the time. Having dove in all combinations of temps and suits, my primary question now is if the boat will have a bathroom, if yes I take my drysuit including in 28-29 degree water. It’s more comfortable, I like being toasty, it’s easier to put on and take off, and I only need like 2lb more lead then with a wetsuit. I have never overheated or felt uncomfortable in the dry suit, even in the Philippines >30 degrees surface temp. Just rinse with cold water after you put on the suit and I’m fine. With a wetsuit I may not be cold going in but I’m definitely freezing by the time I make it through the 5-10min windy boat ride back. If I can’t pee in between dives because the boat goes out for 2 tank dives and there is no toilet on board, I will reluctantly take my wetsuits, but otherwise it’s dry for me all the way now.
 
If I can’t pee in between dives because the boat goes out for 2 tank dives and there is no toilet on board, I will reluctantly take my wetsuits, but otherwise it’s dry for me all the way now.
Get a pee valve and put it in. Makes all the difference.
 
Not for a cave class!
I've been diving wet in Mexican caves for years, I would say at least half the divers I know down there dive wet. Most of the students I've seen taking classes dive wet.

Back to the OP, occasionally you do see people diving dry in Cozumel but the vast majority are in 3mm suits; occasionally 5 mm, sometimes just a shorty or diveskin. For a week of diving, it's probably worth getting a 3mm wetsuit. I wouldn't get a 5, unless you're tempted to dive wet for your class. But assuming you are completely comfortable and confident in a drysuit, that's what you should do for the class. More important in this case than the wet vs dry argument is what you feel most comfortable in. There are many new skills and an increased expectation of precision in buoyancy, trim, position, etc. So use the set up you feel you dive the best in. I'm sure you'll want thin undergarments if you don't have them.
 

Back
Top Bottom