Once you go dry, any reason to go back to wet even in warm water?

[liuk3]

While I absolutely love my drysuit, there are still instances in which I will use my wetsuit including:
1) Tropical vacation diving in 80+ degree F water
2) Rough rocky beach entry dives which may result in high probability of scraping up my exposure suit
3) Lobster hunting which tends to be rougher potentially on the exposure suit
4) Situation where dry suit is out of commission and being repaired
5) Shallow rocky or sandy beach dives with long approaches

Definitely don't throw out that wetsuit.

 

[Van Isle]

OP,
I wouldn't throw out a wetsuit if I had one. I'd keep the wetsuit in the quiver for whichever occasion it may work. But drysuits are way more versatile than the uninitiated give them credit for. If I was to go on a long tropical trip, I'd probably spend my money on a pee valve for the drysuit rather than a tropical wetsuit. Besides, my fusion packs smaller than my buddy's 5/3mm wetsuit he wears. AND I don't have to have different boot/fin combos to make it all fit. Plus redundant buoyancy, same equipment and procedues, yadda yadda. AND when I get out of the drysuit, I make sure my collared shirt is tucked in, and I'm off to the nice restaurant at the resort, I don't have to stay poolside in my speedo until I shower and get changed. You know, 007 style! ( )

YMMV

VI

 

[Scott L]

I am in a .5mil skin only until October-November. Steel tank, BP/wing - no weights and no drag...

 

[jenaddyman23]

i personally prefer to dive in a wetsuit. ive just started diving in the UK (out of the 90 dives ive done, 80 of them have been in the tropics lol) and absouluty hate wearing a drysuit. i miss diving wet. i find drysuits such a pain in the arse. and if its a nice day and the only place to kit up is far away from the enty point, i melt in a drysuit!!

 

[Cave Bum]

Why would you need a pee valve for a wet suit?

Believe it or not, a good many people don't like to spend an hour or more soaking in their own urine.

Yup! but then there are some out there that might enjoy it... not me, however...

just flush it out and you dont need to soak in your own pee. just put your octo in your next opening and purge. you wetsuit will fill with bubbles and vent out from your feet (just make sure your wetsuit isnt tucked into your booties)

That won't really work in a cave and on a 2+ hour dive... and we're talking about folks who dive five to ten times a week on these long dives so their wet suits get more use then someone just doing recreational dives once or twice a year.

Each to their own, but for the price of a catheter, I'd opt for doing without that 'warm fuzzy feeling' you get...

 

[vinegarbiscuit]

After watching so many customers get chilled in air temps of 70-75f and water of 79, my fave dive boat captain in the Keys decided to invest in a DUI 30/30 drysuit. He's 100% sold on the suit, pointing out that daily repetitive diving and the wind chill factor getting to/from the dive-sites (plus surface intervals) will have most people feeling cold in their wet 3 mm suits. I admit to feeling a bit jealous of the 30/30 tropical drysuit, but I've resolved to resist diving dry until we return home to New York (where diving even semi-dry is a chilly experience for me). Only then will I submit to the humilation of bulk-buying Depends undergarments or purchasing shares in She-Pee!

 

[hawkenph]

How tough is the material, how much does it breathe? Is it like GoreTex? I wonder if DUI would make one to measure, can't fit off the rack :depressed:

I few months ago. Just before the Global Recession stuff. I had a look at a 30/30 Explorer the suit was just over a 1 yr old with alot of wreck dives on it. I forgot how many dives he had done on it ( I know over 50). And it was still in very good shape. The only problem I saw and he pointed out was the liner on the inside was starting to wear out. And at that time he had no leaks or any other problems. But, all he did was praise how comfortable he was in it with the Temps (daytime mid to upper 80's) in the Philippines just standing around in it.
Just thought I would share that with u.. Personel I am still torn between the Fusion and the 30/30 Explorer..
Kurt in Cebu