How warm is a Dry Suit ?

[admikar]

As long as you have decent amount of undersuit for conditions and are kicking around, hour is fine. If you are doing deco, that's when cold quicks in quite quickly.
And even for one hour dives, P-valve is highly recommended.
Also, I would recommend you go for Seaskin. It's MTM and I don't think price can be beaten.

 

[Wibble]

Why are some drysuits expensive... possibly north of $5k++ ?

• Membrane suits are less stretchy, so more sensitive to fit.
• Neoprene suits have some stretch.
• Custom fit vs. limited adjustments vs. off-the-shelf
  • Some people aren't normal!
• Quality membrane suits are small volume often artisan manufacturers, so more expensive. Top-end membrane suits can be north of $3k; high volume suits are a lot less.
• Neoprene suits are a lot cheaper than membrane
• Pockets:
  • Cheap suits use simple zip closures with few components, maybe only a single pocket
  • Expensive suits use large velcro closure pockets that have something like 50 component parts! Several bungees, dividers, zips, bellows format...
  • What do you put in your pockets? Space for SMB, spare mask, wetnotes, spools, knives, strobes...
  • Big is best, unless you're sidemounting.
• Neck seals: user-replacable Sci-tech seals vs. neoprene (cheap) vs. latex (cheap)
• Boots: fixed to suit or socks with rock boots
  • Fixed boots can trap air in your feet
  • Rockboots keep the dirt (e.g. walking across a car park, through a muddy cave...) out of your suit and allow it to be turned inside out
• Zips:
  • Back-zip is cheaper but needs someone to open your suit
  • Front-zip is more complex but allows you to open the suit
  • Plastic zips have improved; metal used to be the default for longevity
  • Cover over the zip; normal for expensive suits
• Dump location - side of shoulder
• Pocket location - side or front. Cheap suits may only have one pocket.
• Pee zip -- useful for drying the suit and rummaging around
• Pee valve -- essential. Differences in price, Halcyon's great
• Drygloves -- generally need to be fitted by the manufacturer. It's possible to retro-fit.
  • Select the best gloves: Kubi are very well used
• Kevlar reinforced knees, elbows, etc.
• Heater valves $300
• Heated vest $250
• Heater battery from $400 (small) to $2000 (big)
• Quality undersuit. Essential for cold diving. Price varies depending on features; heater, made to measure, components, etc.

 

[lexvil]

What makes a drysuit so expensive... north of $5k++ ?

People will to pay is the only reason

 

[Wibble]

People will to pay is the only reason

What price quality and functionality.

 

[lexvil]

What price quality and functionality.

About 20% of the price quoted.

 

[Wibble]

About 20% of the price quoted.

$1k. To include:
Large heater battery?
Drygloves?
Large pockets?
Pee valve?
Undersuit?

 

[lexvil]

$1k. To include:
Large heater battery?
Drygloves?
Large pockets?
Pee valve?
Undersuit?

No heater, undersuit is not part of a suit since it all dependent on the person and conditions

 

[Robert H. Diver]

I will NEVER dive in cold water with a wetsuit again. Getting a Drysuit is a game changer. Like others have said, a neoprene Drysuit keeps you warm and dry, trilaminate keep you dry and you need insulating layers under it. Both serve a purpose and both work well.

 

[rob.mwpropane]

I will NEVER dive in cold water with a wetsuit again. Getting a Drysuit is a game changer. Like others have said, a neoprene Drysuit keeps you warm and dry, trilaminate keep you dry and you need insulating layers under it. Both serve a purpose and both work well.

I must be a absolute wussy as I wear neo AND insulating layers ... but diving is now an all year thing and pretty comfortably.

@Roy_W I agree with @lexvil, spend ~ $1000 on Seaskin and use what you have on hand for undergarments. All the other stuff is part of the journey though, it doesn't end with just buying the suit, but that takes time in the suit and what works for you.

My 1st "undergarment" was just fleece jacket and pants. Still on my 1st drysuit (used) but P valve added, dry gloves added, and undergarments put me right around $900 all in ($600 was drysuit itself with the modifications I made).

Drysuit diving in cooler or even frigid water is some of the best diving there is (to me). Otherwise my diving would be limited to ~ 6 months locally? I'd lose my mind going back to that.

 

[Manatee Diver]

Do drysuits actually keep you warm or do they just inhibit the cold for a longer period of time ?

All garments are just inhibiting the cold. Like a jacket it will keep you warm within the profile it was selected for. I select my garments so I'm not cold on deco, so I can overheat if I attempt to push hard. Others don't mind being cool on deco and might select thinner garments.