Tropical Dive Suit?

[diver 85]

Also look into the 2mm hooded vest-see below link- ~$30US from Divers Direct...personally I use skins under the chicken vest with a 2 mm shorty for all my Caribbean diving......that way you can 'layer' when necessary......

EVO Unisex 2mm Hooded Vest at Divers Direct - Scuba gear & equipment online dive catalog!

 

[sruddock]

Definately not too big!! I am usually exhausted after getting it on. I think the dry suit is the way to go. Thanks to everyone for their input and advice. Looking forward to being warm on my next dive trip already!

 

[treywilly]

A Dry Suit Is Great. If You Have The Cert And The Money. I Purchased A Semi-dry To Dive In The North East. It Works Very Well Contrary To What Others Have Said. I've Been In 43 Deg Water At 61 Feet With My Semi And Was Extremely Warm. I Am Planning To Get A 3mm Semi, To Deal With My Being Cold On A Second Dive. As For Now I Have A 2mm Core Warmer............if That Helps.

 

[ucfdiver]

And your reason being?

I simply find dry suits more comfortable, and you can migrate to heavy steel tanks when the time comes. Just dove mine in 80 degree water today with only shorts and a tee shirt, and when I go diving up north here in a few weeks where the springs are 65-68 degrees, I'll dive the same suit with different undergarments.

 

[Melicertes]

I simply find dry suits more comfortable, and you can migrate to heavy steel tanks when the time comes. Just dove mine in 80 degree water today with only shorts and a tee shirt, and when I go diving up north here in a few weeks where the springs are 65-68 degrees, I'll dive the same suit with different undergarments.

Which does not mean a semi-dry(wet) suit should be ignored if all the OP is looking for is a little extra heat retention. I agree a drysuit is tempting - I'm getting mine in a few days - but that does not necessarily mean there are only two options in exposure protection: wetsuits and drysuits. Although the name semi-dry is a bit of a misnomer it does nonetheless present options to many divers, including myself, to consider, especially where cost is considered. If the OP is never/seldomly going to do multiple deep dives or dives in really cold water, but stays in temperate tropical latitudes, I fail to see a justification of only going dry without considering other, potentially cheaper options, that may well still meet the OP's requirements.

I'm not arguing semi-dry is the best thing to sliced cheese, they have their limitations, and many here will argue that it's a marketing gimmick. If so, then I guess I probably got subliminally indoctrinated sufficiently to not bother being too cold on my last 50-60 degree dives. The only reason I am now going dry is because I am consistently doing more and more multiple dives in this temperature range with depths in excess of 90'. In that, yes they [edit: (drysuits)] are more comfortable, and the safety aspect with regards to DCI is also a plus.

 

[RJP]

Repost of something I put up a few weeks ago. Search this forum for thread entitled "You don't have to be COLD to be DRY!" to see further discussion/info on the topic. I'm very pleased with the DUI 30/30 - possibly the best "bang for the buck" money I've ever spent on scuba gear - and am happy to answer any specific questions here or via PM.

----------------------------

Just got back from a week of diving dry in Bonaire (33 dives in 6 days), where my buddy and I were teased relentlessly by nearly every other diver on the island. Even the folks that cut their own Town Pier night dives short because they were cold made fun of my DUI 30/30 "tropical" dry suit!

As comfortable in 80F UNDER water...

...as it is in 85F ABOVE water!

My trusty DUI 30/30 has now been to Florida (3x), Hawaii (2x), St Kitts, Grand Cayman, Little Cayman, Cayman Brac, Curacao and now Bonaire. After more than 75 or so dives in ~80F water with the suit I can assure you that dry is the only way to dive! (In fact, since buying the 30/30 the only time I've worn a wetsuit has been in The Scuba Connection's heated pool!)

I've been surprised from the very beginning how comfortable the 30/30 is ABOVE water. Have worn it in full-sun 90F+ with no problem. In fact I've been much hotter and more uncomfortable in a 3mm wetsuit while gearing up and waiting to enter than I've ever been in the DUI.

DUI touts the material as a "breathable" trilam (DUI's "Tropical Dry" technology) and it really seems to work as advertised. As you can see in the picture above, laying in the noon sun at +85F with the top of the suit simply zipped down is plenty comfortable. In fact, I never once sweated in the thing the whole week in Bonaire. That includes jaunts up and down 1,000 Steps, Karapata, and rock-climbing in and out of sites like Bise Morto and some other unmarked sites up in the park and elsewhere.

The thin Capilene 3 top and bottom I wear underneath (as well as DUI's Stretchliner) is great on the surface because it allows wind to flow through and sweat to evaporate, but blocks the sun effectively.

If you like diving dry in the Northeast, I can wholeheartedly recommend doing it everywhere else!

 

[robzr]

The thin Capilene 3 top and bottom I wear underneath (as well as DUI's Stretchliner) is great on the surface because it allows wind to flow through and sweat to evaporate, but blocks the sun effectively.

If you like diving dry in the Northeast, I can wholeheartedly recommend doing it everywhere else!

Do you wear the Capilene under or instead of the Stretchliner in the carribean? Patagonia insulation stuff is great, I use it for snowboarding.

I also have a DUI 30/30 + Stretchliner and like the guy above me I highly recommend it. In hot weather when other people are sweating during their surface interval I'm totally comfy. A big part of it I think is the ankle seals, I can kick off my wetsuit boots and theres no worry about sweaty feet. Relaxing! The drysuit is somewhat tight fitting though, so it won't do well with thick undergarments. That said I tried mine on with Xerotherm Arctics and it looks like it will be a workable solution for Saturday since my regular drysuit has a leaky zipper. I hope those 7mm booties I ordered 2nd day air come in time though.

To the OP if you can swing it financially, strongly consider the 30/30 - you would love it. I got mine with seals in mint shape for $500 on eBay. I think there is a somewhat limited market for it, so not too many bidders/buyers out there - as evidenced when jepuskar (sp) sold his XL on here a month ago or so.

Rob

 

[RJP]

Do you wear the Capilene under or instead of the Stretchliner in the carribean? Patagonia insulation stuff is great, I use it for snowboarding.

Yup. It's an either/or kinda thing.

 

[farsidefan1]

Lot of pizza and beer. Build your own heat retention outfit (infit?).