Wetsuit options for cool water

[hfx]

Hi everyone,

I'm trying to navigate wet suit options for rec diving in cool water, specifically Monterey for the next year and then Ontario lakes and rivers when I move back to Canada. Should I be going for a semi-dry 8/7/6, or is a two-piece (john and jacket) warmer? Or is a regular 7mm with hood sufficient?

Is the cheaper Neosport 7mm 2-piece worth considering over something like a Hollis Neotek? Is doffing a semi-dry suit a problem with the integrated hood?

I've dived in Monterey once so far with a 7mm in the fall, it didn't seem that bad but my hands got cold before anything else. Also dry doesn't seem like a viable option due to cost and extra training required, I kinda just want to get diving as soon as possible.

Appreciate any insights.

 

[Edward3c]

I dived 8 years in a 8mm wetsuit, with 16mm over my torso. I often made excuses not to do a 2nd dive. Once I switched to a drysuit, I’d happily do 3 dives.

Go for a drysuit.

 

[kinoons]

I have dove cold twice - once in Lake Tahoe for two dives and at blue hole in NM for one dive. 7mm wetsuit both times. Wore a hood for Tahoe, and a neoprene beanie for blue hole.

Tahoe was no fun. 52 deg at 42ft in early June. Didn’t see much and froze my ass off. Dreaded the second dive.

Blue hole was okay. Knew what I was getting myself into (62 deg year round) and dove in the summer when the air temps were in the high 90s.

If I was going to dive cold on the regular I’d absolutely go dry. For two or three dives once a year I’ll go with a good fitting 7mm semi dry wetsuit with gloves and a beanie (I get OE with a hood) and still I’ll only do it if it’s pretty hot out to warm up between dives.

 

[rjack321]

Neosport is super cheap and not warm neoprene at all.

The 8/7/6 is ok ish, with a vest on top. Your dives will be short and 2nd dives skipped. Drysuit is the way

 

[34109411]

i am diving in the st lawrence from beginning of may til november i use a 7 mm i could stand 65 F.

 

[tridacna]

Stay away from Neosport. Poorly constructed with seams that don’t last. Absolutely worst choice you could make. I used to work in a dive shop and those were our most frequently returned item.

 

[justinthedeeps]

Drysuits cost way less than motorbikes

Actually funny story, my first drysuit got paid for by an insurance check from a really nice policy I had on a high end turbocharged Aprilia motorscooter. So far the drysuit has been a much safer and longer lived investment

 

[hfx]

My worry about the dry suit is that it's a lot of money to spend on something I may not be using much after this year, I may be fooling myself about how much diving I would actually do in the summer in Canada. Not to mention I'm still shopping for gear like a reg set (and just bought a bpw).

Also, it seems like a lot to figure out with all the custom options available (looking at Seaskin here). And wetsuits just seem like a simpler all-in-one solution for single tank dives, no?

 

[sea_ledford]

WETSUITS

www.wettie.co.nz

 

[lostsheep]

I am a Monterey diver (also dive Tahoe) and have been for a few years. I’ve dived poorly fitting 2 piece rentals , cheap 7mm with hoods or vest, hooded semi drys, and drysuits. We tell all of our students the #1 bit of gear that will keep you diving is a good exposure suit so that you are comfortable. If you’re not comfy, you won’t keep diving.

Everyone is different wrt temperatures but for most people a hooded semi dry is just fine for NDL dives. I was cold for years until I got the neotek , it made a huge difference. I would occasionally wear a 1mm base layer underneath and that helped but it wasn’t necessary.

I now dive dry. Would I dive wet here anymore? That’s a resounding no. I put my time in wet and I’m not going back.

If money is the concern, remember there are several drysuit that don’t cost much more than the nice semi drys and used might be an option.