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

[tomfcrist]

My advise is to dive wet until you can't stand being cold anymore.....if that happens. If it does THEN invest in a drysuit

 

[SanDiegoSidemount]

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

It's almost always cool on the water here, even in summer. I'd say in general, 10 degrees colder than the temps ashore, which can get as low as the 40s in winter, but more typically in the 60s. Add wind to that, and it can feel much, much colder.

I have never been on a SoCal boat trip that was "shorts-and-t-shirt" temperature out of the water, except maybe a few fleeting moments at anchor in sheltered near-shore spots. Enroute to dive sites, pretty much everyone aboard wears sweats, hoodies, surf coats or their drysuit undergarments. Wetsuit divers generally need hot showers to warm up between dives, the sun and air are usually not enough.

 

[pasley]

A properly fitted Drysuit with properly fitted (and trimmed) seals will be a joy and keep you dry. IF you drysuit leaks, you probably would still be warmer than in a wetsuit as the water does tends not to flush out again. Drysuits do require maintenance and proper care after each dive day. Replacing neck and wrist seals will run you a few hundred dollars a year and depending on many factors (how often you dive, where you store your drysuit [Ozone and garages shorten the life] you may be replacing your seals annually or every few years. Zippers ($300) will be replaced from time to time depending on how you take care of them. Drysuits are expensive, but, being warm and making dive 3 or 4 and diving year round in water from Canada to Mexico, oh yeah, so worth it.

 

[SCUBA_Phil]

Some things to consider:
1) If just doing one dive per day, a wetsuit is fine. If doing three, such as being on a Catalina dive boat, a drysuit is the way to go.
2) A drysuit opens up the entire year to diving.
3) When switching to a drysuit, it will take ~10 dives to get it under control. ~40 dives to be somewhat proficient diving it (assuming ~40 dives a year). YMMV

 

[AZTinman]

Obviously, opinions vary. Back in the early 90's, I used a really nice drysuit to dive in Northern California. It also came in handy for winter diving in Colorado (fire department stuff). One of the nice things about the suit was that it didn't cost me anything; the fire department paid for it. Of course, that was then and things definitely changed when my life and career took me away from doing fire department stuff.

I use a 7/8 mil Aqualung semi-dry suit. It's seen service in Southern California and the Sea of Cortez (yeah, it gets cold there in the winter). I've not had any problems with getting cold in Southern California waters despite doing 3 and 4 dives during the course of a day. Most of the folks I seen on Southern California dive boats seem to have some kind of boat or surf coats to wear between dives. I've never done the hot shower to warm-up between dives thing.

I've seen guys on dive boats have a really bad day when they tear a wrist seal before or after their first dive. It's probably not a big deal for locals who can dive anytime they feel like it. I'd be more than a little upset if I made a road trip to California and couldn't dive because of an equipment malfunction.

If I could afford to lay out the cash for a dry suit, and spend money to do required yearly maintenance, I'd probably consider buying one. My Aqualung suit works really well and I'd rather spend my money on dive trips... but that's just me.

-AZTinman

 

[markmud]

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?

Hello carolynaznv,

Thanks for starting this thread. I am going through the same process as you.

I have an "off-the-rack" 7 mil wetsuit now (not a high-priced one). In 60+ water I survive. In 50+ water I freeze. I have a different body shape (tooth pick legs with shoulders that are too big proportionally for the rest of my body). I am 6' tall.

Off-the-rack wetsuits have one issue or an another issue: They are too tight in the shoulder region or too loose in the crotch and legs.

My options: Take the plunge and become a drysuit diver or have a custom wetsuit made. I want to start doing some bug'n and halibut hunting. Drysuits can get damaged while hunting and I travel to SoCal for diving. I would become upset while on a multi-day boat trip if a drysuit seal ripped on the first dive (or other issue).

Criteria for a custom wetsuit:
1) it must have leg and arm zippers (fully gusseted) for ease of entry and exit.
2) it must have a built-in hood.
3) it must be made of the best wetsuit material available (for thermal protection and flexibility).
4) it must be custom fitted.
5) it must not restrict my shoulder and arm movement.

Drysuit criteria:
1) must be cheaper than a DUI (I cannot spend $3,000 on a drysuit!)
2) must be made from the most durable drysuit material available (that I can afford).
3) must fit me properly.

It is a tough decision. Each path has its negatives. Each path has its positives.

The smart thing to do is buy the custom wetsuit and just man-up (at my age, the man-up solution becomes difficult as my toughness seems to be diminishing and my recovery period becomes longer).

Or, plan on becoming a non-serious hunter who takes critters when an easy opportunity presents itself (does not happen often). Ripping a drysuit seal on a rock while reaching for a bug would be crappy, or bumping the drysuit inflator while in contact with the ground could be problematic.

I don't know what I am going to do! I can't afford both a DUI and a custom wetsuit at the same time (I can't afford a DUI).

How much better is a custom wetsuit made from the best materials available over my off-the-rack ill-fitting wetsuit? I don't know! Probably a huge difference.

markm

 

[Mark Guccione]

A few (not all) factors to consider:

* tolerance for cold
* average water temperatures where you plan on diving
* frequency of diving (in part related to...)
* cost vs budget
* whether you think this is in fact long term for you

Rent a similar wetsuit and see how you like it. I have >100 dives in cold water in either a 7mm full suit or a 7mm john + shorty in - 43 of them below 50*, another 25 < 60*, as cold as 38* and my overall average 57*. Many people dive cold water in wetsuits.

Take the dry suit course and rent one a few times.

A dry suit is a significant investment, so trying it first might be a good move.

Probably fair to say that everything else aside a dry suit will keep you warmest ESPECIALLY during your SI.

You'll get lots of opinions but the best one is the one you form yourself after trying both.

Great advise!!!

 

[maniago]

My advise is to dive wet until you can't stand being cold anymore.....if that happens. If it does THEN invest in a drysuit

+1. I use a Solafx 8/7 below, and a Surf-fur above water - so does my wife. I suspect your temps are the same as our mid-atlantic temps. If I dove 3 times a week, then, yeah probably I'd go dry - I took the dry class; its ok, not a slam dunk. But if its once a month diving or less, nah - wet is just less fuss for me.

 

[al248005]

The other thing don't forget to take into account is the possibility of adding wrist rings or cuffs to your drysuit. Everyone so far has all said a negative to a drysuit is losing a dive over a busted seal. There's a couple manufacturers out there that make quick change seal rings that allow you to swap out a seal while on the boat in less than 5 mins our so without the mess of all the glue and what not. I personally don't know of many people (atleast the ones I dive with) who haven't gotten the quick change rings on their new suits. Kinda no brainer and they aren't all that expensive.

 

[keithbt]

10 years in all conditions and I never get cold in a 7 mil wetsuit and a hood...sometimes (if less than 60 degrees water temp)I have to wear a hooded vest...I have a good tolerance to cold...but on winter nights, between dives I get cold...So I bought a used drysuit to wear for only those times...