How many of you dry divers had formal training

[bcsean]

I'd have to agree on the nex-gen. Been diving it since OW and have no regrets. Attached pockets and drygloves, and it's good to go. Price was right too.

 

[MAK52580]

Taught myself... read as much as I could, took it to the pool twice for some trial and error and recovery drills and then went diving. It's not rocket science.

 

[Dive Junky]

Dry suit was the hardest piece of gear to get used to. At least try it out in the pool for a while with someone who really knows how to use it. If you have a lake or quarry you can step up to afterwards it would be a good idea. Have fun and dive safe.

 

[Ernesto]

How many of you dry divers had formal training? ie. dive shop instruction for a specialty. On the other hand, how many just did it on their own? How about some opinions from experience?

Here in Vancouver the two dive shops I'm familiar with will not sell a drysuit without training or proof of training (of some sort). The purchase price includes a training dive(s), depending on the person that's a pool intro and then an ocean dive or just an ocean dive -- when I bought my first one I went out to the ocean with the instructor from the shop and went through the drills -- detach and re-attaching the inflator, getting put head down with my feet full of air and having to right myself etc.

ernie

 

[Tassie_Rohan]

Self taught solo dives - for my first two drysuit dives I just jumped off the boat, headed down to 10 meters and fooled around for a while. Took me around 12 dives to fully trust the autovent on the suit when ascending though: I had a fear of making a run away accent. I'd recommend doing the course/going with a experienced diver so you get more comfortable quicker. Practising accents and stops in shallow water helped a lot.

Cheers,
Rohan.

 

[H2Andy]

took a one-dive class with our very own GDI

very good investment

 

[matt_unique]

I took a course...enjoyed it....had questions answered right away that I would otherwise have to experiment on my own.

--Matt

 

[String]

How many of you dry divers had formal training? ie. dive shop instruction for a specialty. On the other hand, how many just did it on their own? How about some opinions from experience?

Spent 40 mins in a pool with an experienced user and that was it and all thats needed.

Although it needs SOME advice off an experienced user a dry suit is not rocket science. It certainly does not need a paid for speciality course.

 

[Vtdiver2]

How many of you dry divers had formal training? ie. dive shop instruction for a specialty. On the other hand, how many just did it on their own? How about some opinions from experience?

My LDS gives a drysuit course with the purchase of a new Drysuit
Chris

 

[Daryl Morse]

How many of you dry divers had formal training? ie. dive shop instruction for a specialty. On the other hand, how many just did it on their own? How about some opinions from experience?

I did OW in a neoprene drysuit and AOW in a shell drysuit, which I continue to use. Except for diving in Australia, I've never dived in a wetsuit. Some of the OW/AOW training was focussed on using the drysuit, but I didn't take the drysuit specialty. If you have a dive buddy who is experienced using a drysuit, you probably don't need to take the drysuit specialty.