Drysuit vs. 7mil

[mohave_steve]

Just my $.02....

I have done many dives in 55-60 degree water in a 7mil and been perfectly comfortable.

I did one dive at Edmonds (February) when the water was 47 degrees. NEVER AGAIN....

Anything below 55 and I will go dry. I don't know what temps you are seeing in the Sound this time of year and I know it varies greatly from diver to diver as to thier tolerance of the cooler water. I would recomed trying a dive in your 7mil and see how you like it. If it isn't warm enough to be fun (I think that's why we dive) then go dry. If your stay is temporary look at renting.

Have fun & dive safe.

Steve

 

[Scuba-Stu]

Dry Suit is best if you've got the cash. I wont go back to 7mm. I always feel like that ralphie's little brother in the Christmas Story.

 

[diveborg]

Drysuit for me too. You can probably guess the only 4 dives I've done locally in a wetsuit.
All the rest of my dives anywhere on the West Coast have been in a drysuit.

 

[ivanfbi]

i haven't tried a dry yet, but i have a semi dry and I am not cold on the bottom of the puget sound, at about 100 ft, a little deeper and I can feel it, so wetsuit is working fine for me, cuz i don't dive that deep too often

 

[mndvr132]

I have friends that have dove through three feet of ice in a 7mil, water temp in the mid 30's. Beings you're from Fl. I would go dry

 

[Devin27]

Sounds like the consensus is go dry or freeze,

Thanks all

Devin

-Attention Seattle drivers, dont be afraid of that big orange ball in the sky, its just the sun. But you should slow down to 20 mph just to be safe

 

[Mr. Sunday]

I highly recommend you going the dry route. Its just too damned cold here to dive wet IMO

 

[nereas]

You can get an inexpensive hood/vest combo and wear it over your 7mm full suit, and that would help you a lot. The hood/vest costs around $100.

 

[PinkPADIgal]

It really depends on how much diving you are planning to do here.

Most people who dive 1-2 times a month in the summer do just fine with a 2 piece 7mm wetsuit. Summer is coming and the water temps are usually in the low 50's. A nice, good quality wetsuit will run you about $300-500. You can also rent them everywhere.

If you plan on diving more than that, an investment in a drysuit makes sense. It can get expensive renting drysuits so buying your own would be much more comfortable.

 

[imasinker]

It really depends on how much diving you are planning to do here.

Most people who dive 1-2 times a month in the summer do just fine with a 2 piece 7mm wetsuit. Summer is coming and the water temps are usually in the low 50's. A nice, good quality wetsuit will run you about $300-500. You can also rent them everywhere.

If you plan on diving more than that, an investment in a drysuit makes sense. It can get expensive renting drysuits so buying your own would be much more comfortable.

I agree with pinkpadigal. Perhaps you could rent a drysuit and see how you like it. As I wrote previously I dive dry and will never go back to a wetsuit. If you plan to dive alot It may be something to think about. Don't let the price of a drysuit detour you away from diving dry should you consider it. There are many types of drysuits with prices ranging from 700.00 to 3000.00. Nice thing about a drysuit is that well taken care of it will last you a long time. It sure is nice to be dry and warm. I don't miss donning a soggy cold wetsuit on a second or third dive. Then again some people don't mind that.