Semi-dry or thick wet?

[Chris Horn]

Hello folks. I have a question that I am sure will spark mostly opinion, but here goes anyhow. I live in Missouri and want to do some diving in the local springs, they are pretty cold so my normal lake 3mil wont cut it. I don't want to spend the money (read as "my wife will kill me") on a dry suit, so I am leaning toward either a heavy wet suit or a semi-dry suit. Specifically the wet suit I am looking at is at my LDS, it is a two piece farmer john, 6.5mil each piece, so a 13mil torso. The semi-dry I have looked at is on leisure pro, as a closeout deal. It is the Stingray 7mil semi-dry. Both are in the $300 price range. I was wondering if anyone had any real experience with the semi-dry specifically because I would rather buy the thinner suit, if it works. The water temperatures (so I have heard) are in the 40ish degree to as much as 50 sometimes. I appreciate any feed back or other suggestions also. Oh, and I will only be diving these sites a few times a year which is another reason I don't want to drop a couple grand on a dry suit.

 

[cwkline]

If you dive in water temps in the 40's to low 50's wet, you will get cold.
I have a 7mm semi-dry suit that I used to wear in the quarries and on a couple mid Atlantic dives. I got cold on most of the dives I did.
That said, I can tell you that there was a huge difference between my semi-dry and my wet suit. The semi allowed little water to move, so was much warmer.
If I had to do it again, I would save the money I spent on wetsuits and just go dry and be done with it. Or you could move to Hawaii like I did.
Charlie

 

[Chris Horn]

Mmmmm....Hawaii........

 

[Sas]

40-50F you're going to want to have good cold tolerance to dive wet (either wetsuit or semidry)

I would think if you cannot afford a drysuit (not even a second hand one?), get 7mm semi dry and spring some cash for a 5mm undervest.

I imagine though, that if you really get into diving, within a year you will have a drysuit.

 

[Papa_Bear]

GET A DRY SUIT FOR 50'S AND BELOW! TELL HER IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE! I have done 48* in a wet suit and it isn't fun! I was in 61* this weekend and with my dry suite it was perfect!

 

[a22shady]

Get a drysuit. You can find great deals on here for a used drysuit at about what the price of a new wet/semi dry will cost you. Maybe even less.

Give John, From North East Scuba Supply a Call He has a good amount of used/Demo inventory he has some suits that work under 300.00. If your looking for something I am sure he has it at great deals.

(610) 631-2288

 

[mpgunner]

I was diving in my wet suit with my other wet suit buddies in 42 degree water. Since these were shore dives and we kept moving the temp wasn't bad. What was bad was in between dives. I froze my butt off and wanted to get back into the water to warm up (it was 30 degrees out side on a clear day). That is what pushed me to a dry suit but a couple of my buddies still dive wet year round. In the summer, in Seattle, the water gets up to 55 degrees and a dry suit can be too warm.

 

[RJP]

The water temperatures (so I have heard) are in the 40ish degree to as much as 50 sometimes. I appreciate any feed back or other suggestions also. Oh, and I will only be diving these sites a few times a year which is another reason I don't want to drop a couple grand on a dry suit.

Wet = Cold
Dry = Not Cold

PS - no reason to "drop a couple grand" on a dry suit; several nice ones avail for far less; esp used

 

[aquaregia]

I haven't been diving long, so my dives are fairly short (SAC only really allows me 30min or so), but I'm yet to get cold in my 1piece 7mm in ~50F.

 

[mania]

I will not differ from others. Semidry is a waste of money. Double wet suit would probably be better than semidry. But honestly - look for a used dry suit - you may find them for more or less the same amount. And it's way better than anything. PLus - if you decide to expand your diving into more advanced - you would need a dry suit. Thus tell your wife it's a long term investment