Wet suits vs Dry suits

[Dive-aholic]

I did a dive in 42F water last year. I was in my dry suit and called the dive after 25 minutes because my lips and my fingertips got too cold to be in the water any longer. Followed it with a 45 minute dive in 52F (not as deep so didn't hit that last thermocline). The temperature was much more tolerable. Personally, I wear a dry suit for 95% of my dives. The water was to be in the high 70s for me to consider a wet suit. But I'm a wimp when it comes to cold water.

 

[mathauck0814]

Wetsuit divers are insane. If I can't do it in board shorts, I'm doing it dry.

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

I love my dry suit, especially in winter. When air and water are both above 55 though, it simply not worth the hassle and I revert to wet suit. D/S are a hassle, its like driving an expensive sports car. It's cool, its fun but you have to be willing to spend the extra money, spend the extra time on maintenance and put up with some limitations (more lead, occasional leaks, etc...)

 

[mathauck0814]

I love my dry suit, especially in winter. When air and water are both above 55 though, it simply not worth the hassle and I revert to wet suit. D/S are a hassle, its like driving an expensive sports car. It's cool, its fun but you have to be willing to spend the extra money, spend the extra time on maintenance and put up with some limitations (more lead, occasional leaks, etc...)

It's probably a matter of frequency. I frankly wear my drysuit more often than I wear shoes. Once the drysuit is acquired, there's no extra money to spend. Maintenance, if preventative, isn't much of a hassle (and even then, having a spare drysuit for when yours goes down unexpectedly isn't outside the realm of reality for those of us who dive enough to justify it) and the limitations are fewer than in a wetsuit (IMO). I carry no lead with my kit, don't have issues with leaks, etc.

Perhaps best of all, when I get out of the water I'm instantly out of my suit and back to my shorts and flip flops for the hour or so surface interval where the wetsuit divers are shivering and sucking down hot tea. I'm glad there are those of you out there hardy enough to dive wet - I'm not one of them (at least not until the water is in the high 70s).

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

It's probably a matter of frequency. I frankly wear my drysuit more often than I wear shoes. Once the drysuit is acquired, there's no extra money to spend. Maintenance, if preventative, isn't much of a hassle (and even then, having a spare drysuit for when yours goes down unexpectedly isn't outside the realm of reality for those of us who dive enough to justify it) and the limitations are fewer than in a wetsuit (IMO). I carry no lead with my kit, don't have issues with leaks, etc.

Perhaps best of all, when I get out of the water I'm instantly out of my suit and back to my shorts and flip flops for the hour or so surface interval where the wetsuit divers are shivering and sucking down hot tea. I'm glad there are those of you out there hardy enough to dive wet - I'm not one of them (at least not until the water is in the high 70s).

Nice to know you have it perfected, I agree, dive often enough and it does become second nature. Something I will not experience in Texas with my trips to NH and So Cal happening only once a month. Seals and zippers are wear items though. If you talking about having a spare suit for when your suit goes down then you are admitting it is unreliable and needs professional maintenance, neither of which are needed with a w/s.

I went dry after 30 years, a series of 43-45F dives, in winter with snow on the ground. Even a 50,000BTU propane heater failed to warm me up (core temp dropped and I was miserable for hours). It is a nice tool to have, just not my preferred tool.

 

[mathauck0814]

Nice to know you have it perfected, I agree, dive often enough and it does become second nature. Something I will not experience in Texas with my trips to NH and So Cal happening only once a month. Seals and zippers are wear items though. If you talking about having a spare suit for when your suit goes down then you are admitting it is unreliable and needs professional maintenance, neither of which are needed with a w/s.

I went dry after 30 years, a series of 43-45F dives, in winter with snow on the ground. Even a 50,000BTU propane heater failed to warm me up (core temp dropped and I was miserable for hours). It is a nice tool to have, just not my preferred tool.

Precisely why I left New England