Semi-dry : the best of both world ?

[Srrh]

Hello y'all,

I live in a rether cold climate, and was thinking about getting myself a dry-suit...
But my LDS is partial to Semi-dry suits...

Are those any good ?


many thanks

 

[The Kraken]

Srrh,

Your question generally sparks some lively debate on both sides, yes and no.

But for what it's worth, heheheheh, I have a Sea Elite 7/5 semi-dry that I like very much. I'll dive it to temps down into the mid 50's, but below that I prefer to dive dry.

But do keep in mind, fit is everything.

the K

 

[tstormdiver]

They are essentially a wet suit with seals & a zipper designed to minimize water flushing & thus heat transfer. While there is less flushing of water & less loss of heat; it is a wetsuit & does use water as an insulator. A semi dry is a little more expensive than a regular wet suit, but much cheaper than a drysuit. A drysuit keeps you warm by creating a bubble of gas around you. Water transfers heat 25 times faster than air. Either way with time, you'll eventually get chilled, regardless. The thing to remember is your individual tolerance to the cold. I basically have very little. I still get cold diving dry, especially if both the water & air are cold. Talk to your LDS about why they think semi- dry is the best bet. Then consider your personal tolerance & comfort for the type of diving you plan on doing to make your decision. Good luck to you.

 

[letterboy]

They are essentially a wet suit with seals & a zipper designed to minimize water flushing & thus heat transfer. While there is less flushing of water & less loss of heat; it is a wetsuit & does use water as an insulator. A semi dry is a little more expensive than a regular wet suit, but much cheaper than a drysuit. A drysuit keeps you warm by creating a bubble of gas around you. Water transfers heat 25 times faster than air. Either way with time, you'll eventually get chilled, regardless. The thing to remember is your individual tolerance to the cold. I basically have very little. I still get cold diving dry, especially if both the water & air are cold. Talk to your LDS about why they think semi- dry is the best bet. Then consider your personal tolerance & comfort for the type of diving you plan on doing to make your decision. Good luck to you.

Yeah what she said. . .

Nice post dudette!

 

[Walter]

Semi dry is wet.

 

[letterboy]

Not as wet as a wetsuit thus it is semi-dry. . .

 

[Walter]

A little bit pregnant.

 

[tstormdiver]

Yeah what he said. . .

Nice post dude!

Ahem,.... I happen to be a she:blinking: , but that's OK. It happens all the time (must be the short hair), so I'm used to it. Don't sweat it, it's cool.:14:

 

[ianr33]

it is a wetsuit & does use water as an insulator.

A drysuit keeps you warm by creating a bubble of gas around you.

Sorry but I am going to have to disagree with those comments.

Water is NOT an insulator.The less of it in the suit the better. A semi dry will greatly reduce the amount of water sloshing in and out of the suit,but that does not make water an insulator.

As regards the drysuit and the bubble: if that kept you warm then you would not need any undergarments. The bubble will be at the highest point,anything below that would be freezing cold! It is air in the undergarments that is doing the insulating. Having a big air bubble is a bad thing as it makes bouyancy control harder

 

[tstormdiver]

Good points, I guess I was being a little too general.