So Cal divers what are you wearing

[ChasingRichard]

I live in So Cal and dive anywhere from SD to Catalina and want to know what divers are wearing. I am buying suits for me and my daughter and have been looking at Xcel 765 wetsuits with a vest to DUI drysuits.
Thank you in advance for you comments.

 

[Mo2vation]

So Cal Ken here.

Catalina is my second home. Dove 7mm for the last 4 years. Just purchased DUI drysuits for my wife and I this October. They arrived in November. Never going back.

Its extending our season (we used to only dive from May/June through November) and surely has extended our comfort.

If you can swing a drysuit, I highly recommend it. If its not in the cards yet, 7mm is the best way to go.

We had 1 piece O'Neill seconds. I couldn't see doing 2 or 3 piece...just too much loss of range of motion. The O'Neills we're durable and lasted us 4+ years. I eBay-ed them in October for about 2/3 of what we paid for them 4 years earlier.

If you want any other info, PM me and we can get into details. No sense in having people's heads bounce off their monitors as we talk about So Cal diving....

K

 

[Ziggys_Friend]

So Cal Paul here too

I’ll ditto that – diving an O’Neill 1 piece 7mm without any problem, but will probably upgrade to a drysuit soon (either DUI or 5th D). I’ve dove Catalina in December with the O’Neill without problems – only cold spot was sitting on the bottom waiting for some others.

Ken – good 2 know the O’Neill has good ebay value! (Have a great dive this weekend) – see U in 2.

~<//><

 

[trymixdiver]

I havent dove a Wet suit in almost 10 years. I dive La Jolla almost every weekend.

Drysuit if you can if not go with the 7 mil from what the reasons the other So Cal divers have posted.

Andy

DID ( doing it dry )

 

[wolfpack]

I ahve lived in socal all my life, and basicall live at the island during the summer, I dove a 7 MM farmer john, but once I went to a drysuit nowI will never go back. I jump in the water and no cold feeling at all, it the best thing since, well you know. 55 degree water is a no brainer, Water temperature just does not matter anymore

 

[Mo2vation]

55 Degree water. What are you, some kind of girlie-man? Why, where we're from, we quarry/river/ice/slush dive with nothing at all but a GI3 speedo and smile. We dive uphill in the snow, both ways. You've never had it so good. 55 degrees...our hottubs aren't even 55 degrees....

You So Cal guys - Weenies.





OK - now everyone east of I-605 can put down your keyboards.


Ken


PS: Welcome to the board Wolfpack. But if you're gonna be So Cal, you gotta represent, dude. Come in soft and you'll get killed.

 

[trymixdiver]

55 aint bad

Year round in La Jolla canyon its 43 - 50 below 150'. The hard part is putting on your drysuit UG for a dive of that temp in the summer time.

Thats why i am an at the beach suiting up at first light.

Andy

55, ha i take colder showers.

 

[ChasingRichard]

Well I just got a DUI TLS 350 Drysuit off of Ebay and now need to buy some undergarments. I was thinking 200 would do for Catalina what do you Catalina divers think is 200 thick enough seems to be from the posts I have read. I was going to get an Xcel wetsuit but not now. My daughter is getting one though unless she wants to spring for the xtra cash for a drysuit and search on Ebay everyday for a suit. Needless to say she has drysuit envy now. These new suits look very nice from Xcel and I was almost thinking she could get away with 5 mil and a hooded vest since they look like they really fit well and restrict water flow.
And here is something really strange was looking for a dive buddy in So Cal met her on the internet for diving and now have a dive buddy and a girl friend. Talk about being a happy diver.

 

[kelpmermaid]

If she is going wet, I'd recommend going with the 7 mil and a hooded vest, particularly if she is going to be doing multiple dives. Just my experience, but women seem to be more sensitive to the cold (less muscle mass?) and you want her dives to be enjoyable.
If you are talking about Polartec undies, 200 should be fine.
You might want to get some moisture wicking thermals for a light layer underneath if you need it. I do, but I just don't like the feel of Polartec directly against my skin.

As to the water temperature debate, the testosterone level is getting kind of high in here. Sheesh! " I used to walk five miles to school in the snow...."

 

[trymixdiver]

Kelp

Wasnt that up hill both ways as well ?

Andy