Should I buy a drysuit or is a 8/7 a good choice as well?

[Vegan Shark]

Most if not everyone started diving (OW cert) in CA with a wetsuit. A lot of them actually dive here for a short time afterward and stop. Those who continue to dive and dive often eventually move to drysuit, altought this group is usually a small percentage of the original OW divers.

That's certainly true that a lot of the divers one sees aren't regulars, but I've also met quite a few California diving fanatics who have stuck to wetsuits for decades. DrBill too, if I remember correctly, dives wet even though he dives very often. Personally, I can't stand cold water (refusing to even get into many swimming pools) but still am warm in a wetsuit for 2 hour dives, and multiple dives per day. If one is really sensitive to cold, can just add a 5mm hooded vest or semi-john underneath. Still much cheaper than a drysuit for those who won't be diving very often.

I really look forward to getting myself a drysuit, for the redundant buoyancy and being able to vacation north, so don't think I'm just a drysuit hater

 

[Chocula]

I have an Aqualung Solafx 8/7 and use this for Southern California, mostly north of LA. I am sensitive to cold and this suit was quite comfortable all year round, if not a bit overly warm in the fall. The coldest I have dove with this suit was 52 degrees and I was fine. One drawback to consider is this suit takes a lot of lead to sink (more than my dry-suit) and takes up a lot of room in my dive bag (not as much as my dry-suit, but close).

I prefer the Solafx 8/7 when shore diving, but that is just my preference.

-Chocula

 

[SanDiegoSidemount]

DrBill too, if I remember correctly, dives wet even though he dives very often.

DrBill doesn't count. He's half sea lion.

Yes, there certainly is a contingent of dedicated SoCal wetsuit fanatics. A lot of them happen to be hunters. They want exposure protection that can take a serious beating, and/or they just don't want the care and maintenance hassles of drysuits. They move around enough in their quest for game that they don't get as cold as the sightseers do. Wetsuits also make it easy to switch from scuba to snorkeling and back.

 

[drbill]

IMHO the answer is far too subjective for me to give an adequate response to. Personally, I find diving in even my ancient "crushed" neoprene 7/5 wetsuits to be fine down to 50 F but know others who can get chilled even in a dry suit. My preference for California diving is a wetsuit as I don't feel the temperatures are generally THAT cold for me to put up with the added burdens of diving a dry suit (reduced mobility, greater attention to air distribution, etc.). I have heard that the Aqualungs are awfully good (warm) wetsuits though.

---------- Post added January 20th, 2014 at 05:02 PM ----------

but most people who are serious about the sport end up diving dry pretty quickly.

Hmmm... I've always felt after 50+ years of diving and thousands of dives that I was pretty serious about the activity. The only time I dove my dry suit was the wettest dive of my life... and therefore it hangs in my dive locker while I wear out wetsuit after wetsuit. I've known a number of dry suit divers who have not been happy with some dry suit issues!

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

If is California that you want then yes you could get away with a wetsuit. But diving dry would still hold some advantages. A few years ago I was pondering the same question of whether to go dry or not. I live in DC area and all I wanted was to extend my local dive season to winter months as well. After getting my drysuit I am considering diving in locations I had never ever thought. Great Lakes, Massachusetts coast, Maine, Iceland, Alaska etc. A new world opens up the moment you go dry. Now I wish I should have made the transition sooner.

 

[beaverdivers]

Hi I would like to do some more diving in southern California and maybe northern California. Should I buy a drysuit or the aqua lung 8/7 wetsuit? Some reviews I have read say that the aqua lung is great and it keeps them warm so.. I dont know. What do you think?

I would recommend taking a drysuit course. Try diving dry, you will love it.

 

[SanDiegoSidemount]

Hmmm... I've always felt after 50+ years of diving and thousands of dives that I was pretty serious about the activity.

Like I said, you're half sea lion!

I have utmost respect for those who can do a 4-dive winter boat day in California in a wetsuit, in comfort, all day. You're probably one of them.

As I discovered last February, I am not. Even with a nice 7/8/9mm Excel Polar Quad wetsuit. The only thing that saved me and my wife from freezing to death was the Peace's hot tub. Pretty much everyone else on the boat was diving dry.

 

[Vegan Shark]

Aren't the Channel Islands in the mid 70s topside even in winter?

 

[SanDiegoSidemount]

Aren't the Channel Islands in the mid 70s topside even in winter?

No, my computer logs from Santa Cruz Island in winter are showing 60° at the surface, 54° at ~60 feet.

 

[Vegan Shark]

I meant air temperature, for the concern of not warming up during surface intervals.