Drysuit Diving

[FinnMom]

I normally use drygloves, but I also own and use Waterproof-brand G1 3-finger 7mm wetgloves.
Products - Waterproof
I bought mine new and was so impressed I have since bought a couple more pairs. We (family of 2 divers) use them as backups for our drygloves, always keep a set in our gear bags. It's the only wetglove you can consider using in COLD water. 3-fingered is amazing much more warm than 5 -fingered. These are almost as warm as unheated drygloves; I've made many 30-40 min dives in 3-4C with these gloves and I'm not at all stoic about cold fingers. These gloves are also more agile than any dryglove I have tried, therefore sometimes nicer w/ a camera, also preferable if you are poking around sharp metal because you won't create a leak (or a fingerprick because the gloves are quite thick). I also enjoy lending them to divers I see about to go in the water with woefully thin wetgloves; hopefully inspiring them to buy better gloves.

Weezle makes a very warm undersuit of high quality, the Xtreme plus being the most warm. It looks like a Michellin man suit. Other manufacturers make ones that are as warm but less bulky and nicer looking, but the better looks, higher-tech fabrics and classier fit will cost you money. IMO the weezle is cheap enough for amazing warmth that I would not save more money than buying a weezle used but in good condition. One thing I have noticed it that cold undersuits that feel more like a blanket than a down sleeping bag can be painfully binding at the elbow, sometimes also the knee. The blanket-type lining just doesn't crush down as well and as softly. Try the suit a good 30min so you can best judge its comfort, also noting how well the undersuit wicks moisture away from your skin.

Wear no cotton (or other moisture-absorbing fabrics) and preferably merino wool as your against-the-skin layer. Wool is not only very warm, it doesn't retain odor anywhere near as much as many types of sports longjohns. Seriously, the odor difference is remarkable, a nice difference on a liveaboard trip with long underwear hanging and drying everywhere

 

[bora]

Dry suit is a necessity for cold water diving for sure. In my case, I almost never dive in cold water ( less than 18 degrees ), but I got cold very easily if the dive is longer than 45 minutes and/or if I dive several times a day ( 4 times in a liveaboard is very common ) while the water is less then 21-22 degrees. I start getting cold very quickly and I start shaking like crazy which takes all the pleasure out. I took my drysuit to Egypt in a liveaboard several years ago in a January trip. Almost all dives were min 60 minutes, water was around 20 C and outside it was moderately windy and around 20 C. It was one of the best weeks of my life but everybody thought I was crazy

2 years ago, I went back to Egypt for the same route but this time in march and went there with my 5mm wetsuit. For the first few days I was more or less ok but then after each dive I was shaking almost without control at the end of each dive. So, never again without my drysuit if the water is not warmer than 23 C.

I have an old DUI CN SE which is 1.5 mm compressed neoprene. I put on a thermal shirt , a polar sweatshirt and a pair of polar/fleece trousers (none of them are special drysuit undergarments) and I'm good. As long as the water is not very cold, all you need is something to keep your body temperature stable and to let the sweat out of your skin ( someone already mentioned above, drysuit is only dry, not warm ). I used the same undergarment in 15 C water and it was fine there too.

I never used any other drysuit so I cant compare but I never had any issues with maneuverability or reaching out to my equipment ( I don't do any technical diving ). the only issue for me is the extra weight I need to carry in my luggage. Rockboot, bigger fins, etc. Other than that the drysuit just adds to the pleasure of diving.

Now I will get my suit to be fitted with modular wrist and neck rings and a pee valve to get the most out of it and I may even start diving in the cold waters of Netherlands

 

[robbiebubbles]

As in keeping you dry and also not leaking??

With a well fitting and well maintained drysuit, leaks should be minimal to no existent.
Those new to drysuits could confuse sweat on the undersuits for leaks, but this is explained in the drysuit manual.
I occasionally get damp wrists on dives, but I attribute this to my gloves riding up on the wrist seals. (I use silicone for the seals and they're more supple than latex seals - someone correct me if I'm wrong).