Wetsuit, Semi dry suit or Dry suit

[SmileMon]

Hi,

I'm considering getting another suit, my 3mm is ok for shallow dives but the more I experience thermoclines the more I think I should get a warmer suit.

I'm also planning to start deep diving soon so I'm a bit confused by the selection.

If I go with the Wetsuit or Semi Dry, I'll have to start diving double bladder, if I use the dry suit, I can use its bouyancy for that right?

With a dry suit I'll need a lot more weights.

You see where is my confusion?

I don't know how cold it gets deeper in Florida so it leaves me with a lot of questions.

I'll appreciate your opinions.

 

[PerroneFord]

Dry. No contest. And you won't necessarily need a lot more weights to dive dry. The shell suit has no buoyancy on it's own, so it's merely up to what you wear underneath it. Fleece is not super buoyant. Underarmor isn't either and that's probably what I'll be wearing under mine when I dive the springs. That's what I dive in anyway a lot of the time so if the suit floods, I'll just exit at a leisurely pace.

 

[onfloat]

Why would you need a double bladder?
When you say deep diving, what depth's are you talking about?
Semi-Dry=Wet. A thickner suit will require more weight than a thin one.
Why would you need more weight with a dry suit?
What are the other divers in your area using?

 

[HowardE]

Hi,

I'm considering getting another suit, my 3mm is ok for shallow dives but the more I experience thermoclines the more I think I should get a warmer suit.

I'm also planning to start deep diving soon so I'm a bit confused by the selection.

If I go with the Wetsuit or Semi Dry, I'll have to start diving double bladder, if I use the dry suit, I can use its bouyancy for that right?

With a dry suit I'll need a lot more weights.

You see where is my confusion?

I don't know how cold it gets deeper in Florida so it leaves me with a lot of questions.

I'll appreciate your opinions.

I dive dry in the winter in Florida. Dry suit diving is great. Love it - it's better than wet IMO. I like the buoyancy control much more. However, you will need probably at least 2X if not more - the weight you have to carry when you dive a 3mm. Yes the DS is where you add the air to adjust your buoyancy.

I also dive a 7mm between the time that I wear my 3mm and my DS. I require about 6 more pounds when I wear my 7 than my 3

Also, let me say that the thermocline that you're speaking of - the one that was there about 2-3 weeks ago, is unusual.

 

[SmileMon]

For now I think 150' is the next course.

I thought I'll need more weight because I thought a dry suit is like one big bladder.. if it has air inside, it will have extreme bouyancy, right?

About the double bladder, I assumed that if everyone dives with dry suit and a wing, they will have redundant bouyancy devices (although in some places I read they recommended not to use the dry suit as bouyancy device), so if I skip the dry suit, I'll need also redundancy, or I'm on the wrong wave here?

Excuse me if it sounds like a complete dumb question, but its better to ask than to make mistakes..

 

[SmileMon]

Howard, how cold does it at at about 150-200 feet?

 

[SmileMon]

PerroneFord, I've been with 3mm at the springs and it froze my ...

However, I don't think I'm ready for dry suit, it seems like one more task load I don't need to add at the moment, but if I have to, I'll spend the time needed at the pool to get it right, that's why I'm considering a semi-dry suit.

And I know semi dry means wet, just the less water transfer during the dive might keep me warmer.

 

[HowardE]

For now I think 150' is the next course.

I thought I'll need more weight because I thought a dry suit is like one big bladder.. if it has air inside, it will have extreme bouyancy, right?

About the double bladder, I assumed that if everyone dives with dry suit and a wing, they will have redundant bouyancy devices (although in some places I read they recommended not to use the dry suit as bouyancy device), so if I skip the dry suit, I'll need also redundancy, or I'm on the wrong wave here?

Excuse me if it sounds like a complete dumb question, but its better to ask than to make mistakes..

150' is the Rec-Trimix course. AOW is still to 130' where generally, the water isn't but a few degrees cooler at depth.

I dive my DS with my jacket BCD, and have absolutely no problems at all.

If you're only diving a few times a month, a 7mm and a good hood may be the appropriate course of action for you. A DS is a large financial commitment, and in FL, you really want to be diving a lot to get the useage out of it. I put about 70 dives on my DS over the winter.

 

[onfloat]

I agree with what Perrone said. I actually lost 6 lbs going from wet to dry. (7mm to shell). The weight really depends on what you are wearing under it.
The dry suit it to protect you from the elements, not provide bouyancy. If you are too bouyant from air in the suit or bladder let some air out, not add more weight. Weight is adjusted to keep you neuteral with an empty (500 psi) tank and no air in your wing or suit. If you are diving heavy steel tanks at the begining of the dive and have a wing failure, that's when you need that redundancy. Dry suit is far better than the 2nd bladder, for that.

 

[limeyx]

I agree with what Perrone said. I actually lost 6 lbs going from wet to dry. (7mm to shell). The weight really depends on what you are wearing under it.
...

I've seen this in more than one place now, and I only wish my body worked that way.
What are you wearing under the d/suit ?

In a 7MM wetsuit, I used 6 lb plate + 8 pounds on my belt with an HP100 steel tank.
I can probably use 6 on the belt.

Same tank, DUI TlS-350 and 300G fleeced, and I need at least 14 on the belt.