I live in Portland, Oregon, and am slowly getting back into SCUBA diving. I went to Edmunds Underwater Park north of Seatle, WA, a couple of weeks ago and did a shallow dive with my 7mm open-cell spearfishing suit. It was doable, but by the end of the dive, I was chilly and done for the day. I think that for me to embrace SCUBA up here fully, I will need a drysuit, and get the proper training. What should I expect to spend to get a drysuit if it isn't custom-made? I have looked at Seaskin suits, but it takes months to get one. Perhaps it is worth it. What other suits should I consider that don't cut corners regarding durability and safety? Also, have any of you found a competent diver to train you in a pool and then go with you in the open water rather than get a specialty certification? From what I've seen, there are some key areas regarding safety and trim that one needs to read about and practice.
Drysuit for Pacific Northwest
- Thread starter hsakols
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Wheeler925
Contributor
I bought a Seaskin trilam, spent an hour with a DM in a pool practicing skills, didn't bother paying for a cert. He had me read the 4-5 pages about drysuits in the PADI AOW book first, then we did a dive in a local quarry after, and I've never looked back. No reason to avoid doing an actual class for a drysuit c-card, its just not my style. I pick things up pretty quick though, and to be frank I wasn't completely comfortable with my drysuit until 10-20 dives later and changing gloves, neck seal, undergarments, fins, etc until I found a combination I really liked.
I reserve the right to buy an expensive drysuit sometime in the future, but far more likely that I'd just buy another Seaskin and send my existing suit in for third party service like a new zipper when it finally needs one.
I reserve the right to buy an expensive drysuit sometime in the future, but far more likely that I'd just buy another Seaskin and send my existing suit in for third party service like a new zipper when it finally needs one.
DrakeTheDiver
Registered
Seaskin is definitely the way to go, I had mine in about 9 weeks and it is super comfortable, I would be careful in trying to upsize any of your measurements, I did in a few measurements cause I figure I may grow a bit in certain dimensions but I would not recommend changing anything but maybe your chest and waist measurements.
By asking you have just lost a day on your seaskin order, you can spend a few thousand $ more and get one (dry suit) off the rack which may fit ok.
I bought a SeaSkin, and often recommend it to others. It is the best value suit on the market, but you're right, it will take a few months. To my mind, a few months is better than a few thousand dollars, but you may not agree
My suit arrived in the early months of the covid pandemic, so no courses were being taught at the time. I just taught myself, it's really not rocket science. You need to understand how the suit actually works, how to don and doff it, and to get used to keeping a minimal amount of air inside the suit
The easiest way to manage the air in the suit is to just leave the valve open whenever you are underwater, and when you feel it getting kinda stiff on descent, add a few squirts of air in there. Just like managing your BC air bubble, the differences feel bigger in shallow water than in deep water. If you get cold, you need more air inside the suit, but not in the form of squirting a bunch more air in there. Rather, in the form of wearing more / thicker underclothing on your next dive. A good hood and drygloves also go a long way toward keeping you warm. Best of luck
Edit: oh, and if you are a person with male junk, just go ahead and get a P valve, you will want one some day or another. All of the alternatives are pretty unappealing. For folks with female junk, a P valve is a little more involved... I can't speak to it from firsthand experience, but I can see why some folks would prefer an alternative. But if you can pee standing up, a P valve is the way to go
My suit arrived in the early months of the covid pandemic, so no courses were being taught at the time. I just taught myself, it's really not rocket science. You need to understand how the suit actually works, how to don and doff it, and to get used to keeping a minimal amount of air inside the suit
The easiest way to manage the air in the suit is to just leave the valve open whenever you are underwater, and when you feel it getting kinda stiff on descent, add a few squirts of air in there. Just like managing your BC air bubble, the differences feel bigger in shallow water than in deep water. If you get cold, you need more air inside the suit, but not in the form of squirting a bunch more air in there. Rather, in the form of wearing more / thicker underclothing on your next dive. A good hood and drygloves also go a long way toward keeping you warm. Best of luck
Edit: oh, and if you are a person with male junk, just go ahead and get a P valve, you will want one some day or another. All of the alternatives are pretty unappealing. For folks with female junk, a P valve is a little more involved... I can't speak to it from firsthand experience, but I can see why some folks would prefer an alternative. But if you can pee standing up, a P valve is the way to go
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