I'll be spending a fair amount of my diving time in So Cal this year. I'm replacing my cold water exposure suit, and I'm trying to make a decision whether to go wet or dry given that whatever suit I buy will most like see action only in So Cal, since at home (Arizona), in Mexico and in the Caribbean, I use a warm water wet suit.
Since I'm not too familiar with the diving sites in So Cal yet, I can't say exactly what my diving plans are (if that would affect opinions). However, at the extreme end of activities, I'll probably be doing deeper dives and some wreck diving.
With this in mind, are the waters in So Cal cold enough to warrant the investment in a drysuit, or is a 7mm wetsuit sufficient? I don't mind spending the money on a drysuit, but if the only real benefit of going dry is that....I'll be dry at the end of the dive, then I'm just as happy going wet. However, if the water is sufficiently chilly that I'll be wishing I bought a drysuit, then I'd rather go dry.
Thanks in advance for opinions.
Since I'm not too familiar with the diving sites in So Cal yet, I can't say exactly what my diving plans are (if that would affect opinions). However, at the extreme end of activities, I'll probably be doing deeper dives and some wreck diving.
With this in mind, are the waters in So Cal cold enough to warrant the investment in a drysuit, or is a 7mm wetsuit sufficient? I don't mind spending the money on a drysuit, but if the only real benefit of going dry is that....I'll be dry at the end of the dive, then I'm just as happy going wet. However, if the water is sufficiently chilly that I'll be wishing I bought a drysuit, then I'd rather go dry.
Thanks in advance for opinions.