Kid's diving dry...What do you think?

[Flatliner]

Hi all,

I would like your opinion. My son (age 10) is going to take his OW this spring/summer. He has tried an experience scuba and he has snorkeled with me several times and loves it, but he gets REALLY cold (even in a pool). We live in the mid-west and most of our regular diving will be lakes/quarries etc. Should I start him off diving dry with a small trilam suit (used, just a little too big but not leaking) or should I go the custom wetsuit route and get a new one every year. Just so you know, he is tall and slender and growing like a government program under a liberal administration...

Flatliner
aka Robert

 

[divedadepths]

I am 15 and got certified last april, and i think it would be a little too much to start diving dry right off the bat. I would say get a thick wetsuit, or even a semi-dry suit. Starting off it is a lot to take in and a second way to make himself bouyant would, i think, be adding too much. I would start him off and get him a drysuit when he is a little bit more expirenced.

 

[spectrum]

This is just my gut talking as a parent and dry suit diver. By almost any account 10 or even 11 by summer is a young diver who dives in a very provisional setting. Adding a second source of buoyancy to manage and all that goes with recovery is pushing the lad.

If it were me I'd get him into a good wetsuit that fits right and pick the dives that he is comfortable in. I'm guessing that his stamina and diverse interests will not match your full dive calendar. These will be special times for the 2 of you and they need not and should not be into the deepest and darkest places, especially in the spirit of a junior certification. I know here in Maine we have lots of freshwater diving that can stay in the 60s and even the 70's for a good part of the season.

Good luck and congratulations on having a child with interest in joining you in the sport.

Pete

 

[rsilva708]

I would stick to a good fitting wetsuit for now. The key is to get a suit that fits right. In a childs size a think sut may be hard to find you you may have to get it altered. My nephew got into diving a few years ago when he was 10, and had a problem with wetsuits. We live in the midwest so thick suits are used most of the time. He was a short overweight little boy, and I had to get him a mens size to fit over his belly and have the proper thickness. The problem with a mens size was it was too long in the arms and legs. It was always a stress for him to have the extra wetsuit around his legs and arms. I had my LDS send it in to be altered, and it made all the difference in his comfort in the water.

I would not even try to load on the aspects of drysuit diving to any new diver much less a child new diver.

A semidry is an option if you can find one that fits. It will keep him warmer, and get rid of the aspects of Drysuits. I use an Isotherm as my primary suit and it keeps me nice and warm

 

[JahJahwarrior]

What temp is the pool at? I know I froze amost during my OW dives, and I was in a 2 piece 3mil in 72 degree water. There are people who swim in it, and I was freezing in my wetsuit! I was miserable! I now have a nice and tight (a little too tight for my ankles) 2 piece 5 mil and the increased warmth I'm sure isn't because of the extra 2 mil, it's because it fits. The other suit let water flow over me with every breath. I would love to dive dry, if I were him I'd jump at the chance to have someone pay for my drysuit, but it does add something more to deal with. I would almost consider doing it, but at the same time I would say a really good fitting wetsuit is extremely more useful than a poorly fitting or old one. See if you can try to fix the chill problem with a better fitted wetsuit, and/or try a few dives on a borrowed/rented suit if yo could, to see how he handles it.

 

[Rainer]

From a financial perspective, it's hard for me to see buying a dry suit for a 10 year-old. I mean, sure, if you have the money, go for it. But I just couldn't imagine buying a DS for my child at that age.

 

[mrjimboalaska]

Ya, that is like buying new ski boots, ski's and bibs every year, and maybe during the same season..............

 

[H2Andy]

i think from the task-load aspect, i wouldn't worry about it too much ... lots of people learn to dive using a drysuit; it's not rocket science (plus he'll have fun doing the practice underwater summersaults)

but i'm with the two above who think financially this may not be a good idea ... he's bound to outgrow the suit rather quickly

 

[Walter]

You should seriously reconsider the entire concept. Your child, your decision, but I would recommend waiting at least two years before putting him in any dive classes at all. In my opinion (shared by most agencies), it is not safe for 10 and 11 year olds to be diving at all. Yes, I know it's off topic and I know it's your decision, so I won't debate it with you, but researching the concept before putting him in class is an excellent idea.

 

[miketsp]

Without wanting to push the thread off topic I'm 100% with Walter.
A 10 year old diving let alone dry-suit diving? ***?
Also, if you start making this sort of investment he's going to feel he's under an obligation to carry on diving and that's not the sort of pressure you should be applying at this age.

Post edit PS.
Wow - SBs auto censor function kicked in on my comment above. Not often I feel so strongly about a subject that that happens.