Drysuit or NOT

[DCBC]

I have only 15 dives and I want to dive more but in kentucky the water is pretty cold after first October to mid may or so. So I go ahead and invest in a drysuit?

If you have made the decision that diving is something you want to do in the long-term, or just have more money than you know what to do with, buy a dry suit. As it's a big investment, most of us need to have a good understanding of what water temperatures we will be diving in most of the time and compare this with our budget.

Some people are more susceptible to cold than others. If the water temp is in the mid 50's and the dive isn't expected to be prolonged, I don't want to dive dry. I like the water and being immersed in the environment. So this is something that's worth considering. Wet can be more fun, as long as your not cold.

Good luck with your choice!

 

[carrielsal]

You may want to talk a look at this thread where the Texas Swamp Divers have recently been discussing pro's and con's of drysuits, http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/texas-swamp-divers/313918-tell-me-about-your-drysuit.html.

carrie

 

[trent/austin]

need a special cert becuase mainly you are using the suit to regulate buoyancy along with some important safety issues. not just another exposure suit option

 

[tstormdiver]

If you have made the decision that diving is something you want to do in the long-term, or just have more money than you know what to do with, buy a dry suit. As it's a big investment, most of us need to have a good understanding of what water temperatures we will be diving in most of the time and compare this with our budget.

Some people are more susceptible to cold than others. If the water temp is in the mid 50's and the dive isn't expected to be prolonged, I don't want to dive dry. I like the water and being immersed in the environment. So this is something that's worth considering. Wet can be more fun, as long as your not cold.

Good luck with your choice!

Water temperatures here in Ky range anywhere between 85+ degrees on the surface to 42 degrees below 60 ft, during the summer & 40 degrees on down to near freezing in the winter..... Very temperate waters. I personally dive year round & will not dive wet below 82 degrees (but I'm a wimp about cold water). I have 5 different thicknesses of undergarments that I can wear under my drysuit to suit the dive that I am doing. Drysuits are pretty much a must for anyone wanting to dive year round or dive below the lowestthermoclines & very nice for those who want to extend their diving season beyond what is comfy for wetsuits (typically late May/ early June until mid Oct or so).

 

[RJP]

is there one for a beginner that anyone would recommed.

Not sure what a "beginner" dry suit would be...



But seriously, do yourself a favor and buy your SECOND suit FIRST!

"Buy it right, or buy it twice..."

 

[reddiver970]

Not sure what a "beginner" dry suit would be...



But seriously, do yourself a favor and buy your SECOND suit FIRST!

"Buy it right, or buy it twice..."

That is good advice!

 

[noreastDIVER84]

I too am still new to diving, I may have been certified for over three years now, but have only gotten to do about 35 dives. My 29th and 30th dives were in a drysuit, and so have my 31st, 32nd, and 33rd. I plan to continue to dive in it around here, but will stick to a wetsuit in warmer waters. Such as when I will be in Cozumel and Belize in the next couple weeks. I have a trilaminate suit, with a cordura nylon outside. It is the Pinnacle Evolution 2, which was a suit that I liked, was in my price range, and actually was in stock in my size at the dive shop. I left the dive shop with a down payment for the suit. Came back the next day after reading the book on drysuit diving, paid a good portion of the suit off, and had the seals cut for my fit, did about 2 hours in the pool, and felt comfortable with it. Two days later I was diving at Dutch Springs, completely warm and dry, and found it easier to control my buoyancy in a drysuit as opposed to wetsuit. I have been down to 85' and about 40 degrees so far, and I do find it to be much more comfortable and less strenuous than my 5mil Instadry suit.

Brent

 

[BobbyT22]

I can't argue with most of the advice here, most of it is sound. I also thoroughly enjoy my BARE XCD2 Tech drysuit. BUT...I recently purchased a custom wetsuit, Nitrogen Compressed Neoprene (NCN) from Wetwear, 5mm, and I find myself gravitating more to that and away from my drysuit except for the coldest of dives. It fits like it was made for me...and it was. Lots of options for farmer john and jacket, or a shorty over a full suit, for cold water and If I had to do it all over again, and could choose only one, i'd seriously consider the custom wetsuit route vs drysuit. Just my .02.



Rob

 

[BobbyT22]

I have some more thoughts on this topic, maybe you can learn from my experiences. When I was at the 40 or so dive point, I went and bought a quality drysuit, BARE's "flagship" suit, the compressed neoprene XCD2 Tech, with the reasoning that it would allow me to dive year round here in Virginia where I live. And it does. And it is a great, great suit. But 100 dives later...I realize that I probably don't need it for the type of diving I do, at least for now. I don't do deco or tech and have the extended hang times in cold water associated with it. The water temp here is rarely below 50 degrees, very "wetsuitable", especially for the recreational profiles I do. And lastly, after experiencing what it feels like to dive in a custom wetsuit, made of high-quality, low compression neoprene (there is a difference, see threads on Rubatex), I realize that I really like it. So, hindsight being 20/20, a custom wetsuit was probably the right fit for me all along. I wear the 5mm fullsuit almost all the time, and if I add another 5mm hooded step-in vest it keeps me as warm as I ever wanted and is still less than half the price of my drysuit, even going custom. So, live and learn. Hopefully this is helpful. Good luck with whatever decision you make.

 

[SubMariner]

why must one have / do for a Drysuit an education?
We here in or by Lake of Constance, dive a 3 mms Chrash neoprene with 100-200 gr. undies! with approx. 5°C water temperature (41°F).this so 65 - 70 min.
Why a Speial education? let show a few times it, from one it can with it to dive!

A drysuit is NOT just a passive piece of equipment like a pair of fins that you put on and go. It takes proper training to learn how to use the suit safely & effectively.

"Let show a few times" is NOT the way to do it!