wet suit vs. dry suit

[Sas]

Saspotato,

I dive year round. The temperature of our water is between 48 and 55 degrees Fahrenheit (9 to 13 degrees Celsius). Occasionally we get colder, like on December 12th the water was 41 degrees (5 Celsius), and on that dive we were underwater 50 minutes, the deepest part of our dive being 45 feet (15 meters). It was far too cold to be diving in a wetsuit, but we only do a couple of dives a year at this temperature, so it's not worth buying a drysuit, since I like diving in my wetsuit.

As I said, we dive year round, usually weekly, but at least every other week. We go to our Newport/South Beach/Yaquina Bay South Jetty (1 1/2 hours from home and we're in the water). We usually dive 2 dives unless it is really crazy surge or vis is 0 (if it's 4 ft/over 1 meter, we dive the 2nd). Our dives are about 50 minutes, sometimes a hour, depending on the depth - we come up for air! I dive a 100 cf steel hp 3442. On December 5th, our 2 dives were at 50 degrees, and 50 minutes and 1:00, with the maximum depth of 34 feet (11 meters).

Well in a drysuit I usually do about 90mins+ on shore dives to about 10m max depth (and 45mins on boats, which tends to be the maximum run time imposed on a lot of the dives) in winter. Temperatures in winter can drop to 9C. And I might do three a day, without getting cold. So fair enough if your wetsuit works for you but it most definitely isn't the ideal for cold water diving as evidenced by your runtimes.

Not knocking that you like to use a wetsuit - I much prefer it myself - but just that a drysuit enables one to dive a lot longer and more times a day, which is why I think it should always be recommended for someone in cold water. But I do know a few people who would rather do shorter dives and fewer of them, than get a drysuit. But it is always good to push it I think - I wish (and most of my friends also) I had gone dry earlier, just for the huge amount of extra dive time I've been able to do.

 

[tstormdiver]

I dive my drysuit year round. Even in the dead of summer at 90+ degrees. Instead of insulating undergarments, I just wear Under Armor underneath to prevent pinching. I personally hate doing the "neoprene dance".

 

[tomfcrist]

wish i could afford a darn dry suit....never needed one till this winter when i moved from florida to virginia, but a 7mm wetsuit just aint cutting it for me. As soon as i have the bread saved up im going dry.

 

[doctormike]

wish i could afford a darn dry suit....never needed one till this winter when i moved from florida to virginia, but a 7mm wetsuit just aint cutting it for me. As soon as i have the bread saved up im going dry.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

I loaned my wetsuit to a buddy a couple of years ago. Occassionally he asks me when he can return it, but I never answer. I can't imagine diving without a drysuit again.

 

[drdaddy]

Well in a drysuit I usually do about 90mins+ on shore dives to about 10m max depth (and 45mins on boats, which tends to be the maximum run time imposed on a lot of the dives) in winter. Temperatures in winter can drop to 9C. And I might do three a day, without getting cold. So fair enough if your wetsuit works for you but it most definitely isn't the ideal for cold water diving as evidenced by your runtimes.

Not knocking that you like to use a wetsuit - I much prefer it myself - but just that a drysuit enables one to dive a lot longer and more times a day, which is why I think it should always be recommended for someone in cold water. But I do know a few people who would rather do shorter dives and fewer of them, than get a drysuit. But it is always good to push it I think - I wish (and most of my friends also) I had gone dry earlier, just for the huge amount of extra dive time I've been able to do.

Saspotato,

The only reason I come up is that my air is out. Not because I'm cold. Also, on jetty dives we have current and surge that we have to fight and play with - makes it more fun and exciting. I dive 2 dives back to back (come up to put another steel 100 on), so my total time is about 2 hours. How do you stay down so long? Are you using doubles? Or, on the shore dive you actually are quite shallow much of the time, so air used slowly at shallow.

 

[Sas]

Saspotato,

The only reason I come up is that my air is out. Not because I'm cold. Also, on jetty dives we have current and surge that we have to fight and play with - makes it more fun and exciting. I dive 2 dives back to back (come up to put another steel 100 on), so my total time is about 2 hours. How do you stay down so long? Are you using doubles? Or, on the shore dive you actually are quite shallow much of the time, so air used slowly at shallow.

My drysuit dropped my SAC by about 3-4L/min Even though I can do a number of dives in my wetsuit in winter, and not feel that cold, it does make a big difference to my air consumption. Surge and current is common here, as are shallow shore dives, so you can do fairly long dives despite rough conditions. But even so, drysuit leads to lower air consumption all other things equal which leads to longer dive times in my experience.

Just curious, have you tried a drysuit, ideally a few times?

 

[Kingpatzer]

A good drysuit is generally less expensive than an equal quality wetsuit. They last longer and the cost per dive is generally less. Not always, but generally.

Diving dry is simply a better experience.

I am of the opinion there are only two types of diving conditions: dry and shorty. And there's nothing in between.

 

[paddler3d]

A good drysuit is generally less expensive than an equal quality wetsuit.

Where are you shopping? Please share.

 

[ft.lauderdale diver]

Water Temps below 72 = drysuit
Water temps 72-80 = 3mm wetsuit
above 80 = 0.5mm wetsuit

I dive a Whites fusion - most of the time it's like diving my 3mm suit. In the past 18 months I have approx 120 dives, 79 of them in my drysuit.

There is no way I would ever put a 7mm suit back on - actually, I don't think I would ever even go back to a 5mm suit. I can adjust my level of thermal protection easily with one suit and I do know people who dive drysuits up to 80 degrees with very little thermal underneath - why not? If your suit can accomodate, it's really kind of worth it.

I Agree...even in South Florida water temps get below 72. that's why I am pulling out the drysuit..being cold on a dive is so miserable it's not worth going on. Once you wear a drysuit you will never wear a wetsuit (unless water temps are in the 70's or higher)