what is a dry zipper?

[SteveFass]

I'm shopping for my first colder water wetsuit and need lots of help. A local LDS recommended the semi-dry Pinnacle Extreme. It is an 8 mill and has a "dry zipper" . The Mares Isotherm semi-dry also has a dry zipper. Is this an important feature?

 

[Meng_Tze]

Dry zipper is a zipper that does not let water through.

A semi dry suit will have arm and/or leg seals that also lock out water. What happens is that water will fill the suit and your body will warm it up. Since the water can not flush through.... it is relatively warm once your body has warmed it up. With a normal wetsuit, water can flush through and your body needs to keep warming that up.

Thats the short of it..

 

[RJP]

Being dry is like being pregnant - either you ARE or you ARE NOT.

There is no SEMI!



Dry zippers are important features, but I'll take mine on a DRY suit.

 

[Bluey]

A dry zipper will lessen the exchange of water in the suit with cold water outside. This means you will be warmer.
Many people report (and I also experience in my isotherm) that parts of the body get wet from leaks but some places stay very dry. I think this justifies the semi-dry name. I find the water enters so slowly that I don't even realize that I am wet until I get out of the water.