Dual purpose wetsuit??

[cherea]

I have just moved to a coastal town, and as winter is moving in im gonna have to get a steamer if i want to keep surfing.
I was wandering if the suit could double for my diving? as i have got to the point where i am starting to buy my own kit.
Is there any fundamental difference between them?
In the past i have only used board shorts and a rash vest for the surf, and a 3mm 3/4 for diving.
Budget isnt really a problem ,and would be great if i could kill 2 birds with the one stone!!
Cheers in advance!

 

[bleeb]

The short answer is that there's nothing stopping you, if you find it warm enough.

The long answer is in understanding the differences that you were asking about. Diving suits tend to have to be thicker to get enough insulation, as it looks like you already knew, from your summer water wear. The materials also tend to be tougher, particularly with the use of closed cell neoprene, which resists the compression/decompression cycle better than the stuff most surfing suits are made of. Your average surfing suit tends to loose its insulating value more quickly than most purpose-made diving suits. YMMV, but it boils down to a comfort/speed of degradation and cost/frequency of replacement issue.

Since you show as a new member, you may not be aware that variations of this question get asked frequently. If you're interested in more details or opinions, you may want to do a search, especially in this subforum (Exposure Suits).


BTW, for future reference, it often helps if you filled in some of your profile details, so that people answering have a clearer understanding of your level of knowledge and experience.

 

[Nismo]

I use a Rip Curl and O'Neil for diving. My wife uses a Rip Curl and Billabong.

 

[spectrum]

Each type of suit is optimized for the sport but a good amount of crossover is surely possible.

You may want to buy a surf suit get it one notch thicker. If you buy dive suit make sure you have the mobility and grip surfaces you need.

 

[ProfessorAronnax]

I have just moved to a coastal town, and as winter is moving in im gonna have to get a steamer if i want to keep surfing.
I was wandering if the suit could double for my diving? as i have got to the point where i am starting to buy my own kit.
Is there any fundamental difference between them?
In the past i have only used board shorts and a rash vest for the surf, and a 3mm 3/4 for diving.
Budget isnt really a problem ,and would be great if i could kill 2 birds with the one stone!!
Cheers in advance!

A few options: I have this suit and it's incredibly warm (It's actually way to warm in the summer w/ water temp mid 70s): Body Glove | 2008

Another option with more flexibility is to couple a 3mm fullsuit with a 5mm sleeveless hooded shorty. This will keep your head warm and give your core 8mm. When things warm up ditch the shorty.

 

[cherea]

Thx for the various(and prompt) replies folks!
I managed to pick up a pretty nice O`Niel suit this weekend(-25% winter sale!)and seeing as im gonna be using it a lot, i reckon il go for a separate, dedicated diving suit!
Cheers again.

 

[fisherdvm]

Both my son and I have used wetsuit made for diving for swimming. It is not highly recommended though. Blind stiching is important for swimming, as it does not cause abrasion.

I would suggest buying suits specifically made for swimming over using a regular wetsuit. I did alot of swimming with my corewarmer suit, but after about 6 months, the stiching started to irritate my shoulder very badly.

Suit made for swimming also are not intended for diving, according to the manufacturer. I guess it all depends on how much swimming you're going to do.