Please help me select a semi dry suit.

[Limoges Diver]

I have been looking at 3 different semi-dry wetsuits. The criteria I want is integrated hood, and warm enough to dive in 41 degree water or warmer. I have selected 3 models from a supplier, but I would like some help in comparing the three models. Please ignore the price differences - I'm looking for what you think is the better of the 3 suits.

Fist one is an O'Neill J-Series:
web site: click here
youtube review: click here

Of note: the J-series has an integrated inner layer - I like this idea.

The next 2 are Xcel:

Xcel Mens Cold Water Scuba Diving Wetsuit Polar Quad 8mm / 7mm / 6mm / 5mm
Web site with video review: click here

Of note: this has a double neck layer - channels the water down your arms.

And this one:
Xcel Infiniti X-Zip 5/4/3 mm Mens Wetsuit
web site only, no video on the hooded one: click here

Now I know the last one is mostly likely not as warm as the other 2, but its rating is actually 1 degree cooler - weird.

Thanking you in advance.

 

[Limoges Diver]

Anyone able to offer even a bit of advice? I would really appreciate it.

 

[Slamfire]

I can't offer you advice on the brands/models you are specifically asking for because I've never tried them. I have dove down to 43 F in a Bare Arctic. I have a couple of hundred dives in the Arctic in the Canadian west coast. For me I find dives are doable in all seasons, rain, shine, or snow. Drysuits are comfortable when wetsuits are just doable. The term "semi-dry" has always sounded like "semi-pregnant" to me. In my mind there's only drysuits and wetsuits.

I maybe wrong, but I suspect the Bare Arctic may qualify as "semi-dry". There are internal seals in the wrists and ankles, as well as a sealing tab all along the back zipper. I don't come out of the water "semi-dry", I come "all-wet". The seals may help reduce water circulation, but there's nothing dry about it. Even drysuits are more along the lines of damp suits.

BTW the youtube review mentions that the Oneill provides 12mm at the core. The Bare Arctic with its integrated hooded vest gives you 14mm at the core and 7mm in the arms and legs.

 

[Limoges Diver]

I can't offer you advice on the brands/models you are specifically asking for because I've never tried them. I have dove down to 43 F in a Bare Arctic. I have a couple of hundred dives in the Arctic in the Canadian west coast. For me I find dives are doable in all seasons, rain, shine, or snow. Drysuits are comfortable when wetsuits are just doable. The term "semi-dry" has always sounded like "semi-pregnant" to me. In my mind there's only drysuits and wetsuits.

I maybe wrong, but I suspect the Bare Arctic may qualify as "semi-dry". There are internal seals in the wrists and ankles, as well as a sealing tab all along the back zipper. I don't come out of the water "semi-dry", I come "all-wet". The seals may help reduce water circulation, but there's nothing dry about it. Even drysuits are more along the lines of damp suits.

BTW the youtube review mentions that the Oneill provides 12mm at the core. The Bare Arctic with its integrated hooded vest gives you 14mm at the core and 7mm in the arms and legs.

Thanks for your reply,

From how I read it, semi dry wetsuits have better seals at the wrists ankles, better zippers, as well as deal with the neck in various ways, so only a small amount of water enters the suit. In the O'Neill, it appears that water that enters the suit, stays between the inner and outer layers, and exits through a couple of drainage holes.
The Bare Arctic is a combination of 2 suits, and it ends up being fairly buoyant (more weights), heavier to deal with when exiting the water, etc...

 

[a22shady]

Save your money and get a real drysuit. Semi dry's IMO only offer marginal protection over a wet suit. I have a buddy that dives a semi-dry and not a big difference. Still does shorter dives in colder water. For about the Price of a new semi-dry you can most likely find a nice used DrySuit here on SB.

If you decide to go with Semidry you will like I said be a little warmer then if you had a straight wetsuit but your still going to get wet. and at that point it's only a matter of time before you get cold. plus service intervals when wet will still be same. So IMO I would look into getting a used dry-suit or saving for a new one. There is a night and day difference between them. You are a lot more comfrotable/warmer when your dry. Service intervals are nicer when topside weather is cold.

 

[johnboywalton]

What about the Aqua Lung SolAfx? I have to put in a disclaimer here that I don't own one and have never worn it, but some of the local divers I know do own one and swear by it. According to them, the suit is good for a half hour dive in temperatures as low as 7 or 8 C.

 

[ajtoady]

I just purchased a Camaro 7mm semi-dry with a hooded vest. I am currently diving a Scuba-Max 6.5 mm farmer john. The biggest thing in staying warm in a wetsuit is the fit. The looser the fit the more water that will exchange. The fit is too tight and it is not comfortable or easy to move. I have been in 33 degree F water for 35-40 minutes at about 50-60' comfortably. My biggest problem is keeping the hands warm. I am probably going to invest in a used drysuit and training this year. Good luck in your quest.

 

[Limoges Diver]

Save your money and get a real drysuit. Semi dry's IMO only offer marginal protection over a wet suit. I have a buddy that dives a semi-dry and not a big difference. Still does shorter dives in colder water. For about the Price of a new semi-dry you can most likely find a nice used DrySuit here on SB.

If you decide to go with Semidry you will like I said be a little warmer then if you had a straight wetsuit but your still going to get wet. and at that point it's only a matter of time before you get cold. plus service intervals when wet will still be same. So IMO I would look into getting a used dry-suit or saving for a new one. There is a night and day difference between them. You are a lot more comfortable/warmer when your dry. Service intervals are nicer when topside weather is cold.

My take on diving gear is simple: the more expensive it is new, the better reason to buy new. So with a drysuit, it's imperative for me to have it fit perfectly, and have all the features I want. So I will be buying my drysuit new, and not second hand.

So, in the meantime, I think a semi dry will suit my needs just fine for my Canadian diving. I can then switch to my regular 7mil or even a 3 mil if I find the waters here warming up.

 

[Limoges Diver]

Maybe I should have selected a different title for this thread, like "Please help me choose from these 3 wet suits".

I'm really just wanting to see which features of these 3 suits have that you prefer.

 

[a22shady]

Well I looked at the three suits above to atleast give an opion but not sure since I have not seen them in person. The ones i have seen and people wear are the Bare Arctic / Pinnacle Merino Lined Kodiak. From what I heard these are the two warmest wetsuits you can get. Again I have not dove these suits myself just giving opinon from the people spoke with about the suits. These 2 suits seemed to be built very nicly and quality made.

Again though I only offered a drysuit as I way to save money. It is more expensive in the begingin but one wil lonly assume that you purchase a Drysuit eventually and You "SemiDry" will be sitting in the closet or selling to someone. Personally If it was my decision I would skip the semi save the money and get the drysuit when I could. Better to buy once and be done with the it the buy twice and cost more money.

Pinnacle Kodiak 8/6mm Merino Lined Semi-Dry - Dive Right In Scuba - Plainfield, IL