what is semi-dry

[AmyJ]

Please don't laugh cause I am sometimes do spelling mistakes, I am Egyptian and I am working on my english.
Semi-Dry suit is more than 7mm suit and well sealed from arms and legs also the neck, also there is an Isolation on the zipper. This doesn't mean that it is perfectly dry, water still can get in the suit through the newprin itself but this will eleminate the circulation of the water in the suit which will make your body warm this water.
Hope that you got what I mean and I answered your question

Thought your English was fine... wish I could do as well in a second language!!!!

 

[Mo2vation]

They should really call it a Low Water Circulation Suit. The Bare full suit I have has seals. I actually used old drysuit rubber to sew on extra thicker seals in both arms and legs.
The suit gets 100 % wet on the inside but the water circulation is at a minimum to prevent heat from you body escaping with the water as it leaves the suit.

So you don't pee in a Semi Dri suit? This is a legit question.

K

 

[SDAnderson]

Semi-dry = completely wet. Silly compromise, but then I've been known to go ice diving, so what the heck do I know?

 

[Diver0001]

Semi-dry = completely wet. Silly compromise, but then I've been known to go ice diving, so what the heck do I know?

This might help. Here are two pictures. One is a "semi-dry"
wetsuit and one is a drysuit.

Notice that the semi-dry is lacking water-tight seals at the neck, wrists and ankles whereas the drysuit has watertight seals in all three of these places (in fact the boots are integrated).

Also you'll notice that the drysuit has a valve in the middle of the chest where a hose attaches for adding air and a valve on the shoulder for venting air. The semi-dry doesn't have or need this.

R..

 

[Boogie711]

That's only one particular brand, Diver0001. A Mares Isotherm has clearly visible seals at the neck, ankles and wrists. I had to 'burp' mine at the neck seal when I got in the water or it would trap air. I still got wet, most of the time, though.

And Mo2 - no peeing in a semi-dry. That's bad news all around.

 

[Diver0001]

That's only one particular brand, Diver0001. A Mares Isotherm has clearly visible seals at the neck, ankles and wrists. I had to 'burp' mine at the neck seal when I got in the water or it would trap air. I still got wet, most of the time, though.

And Mo2 - no peeing in a semi-dry. That's bad news all around.

Fair enough. Maybe I needed more pictures. The one I showed is typical of what I see around here.... I hope I haven't managed to confuse things then..... <sigh>

R..

 

[gehadoski]

Thanks alot I do appreciate that.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

Semi-drys vary considerably. I have one that uses a rear entry dry suit zipper with neoprene drysuit ankle and wrist seals. It also uses a neck seal of sorts but not one as effective as on a drysuit. This is a good thing though as it would squeeze you if no water could enter. As it is, parts of the suit stay dry throughout the dive and with a cheater hood underneath you never feel any cold water in the suit like you do with a wet suit.

My other semi-dry is essentially a one piece back entry wet suit with some 1 inch nylon one seals added to the arms and legs. The seals reduce water flow compared to a wet suit but not to the level that occurs with my other semi-dry.

At the one extreme semi-drys are just that - semi-dry suits that significantly reduce water flow. At the other they are just wet suits where some additional effort has been made to limit water flow.

Peeing in either though would be bad news. When you get out of the water in either suit what water has entered the suit collects in the legs above the leg seals and it's real easy to visualize what would happen if you peed in the suit.

Semi-dry suits were initially introduced as a means to accomodate a wider range of body types and sizes with a smaller range of suit sizes. The idea being that a poorer fit could be tolerated if seals were used to reduce water flow. This is true only to a very limited extent as a loose spot in a suit, particularly around the shoulders and arms, will function as a powerful pump every time you move and will force water past even the best seals in the suit. So a badly fitting semi-dry will be much colder than a good fitting wetsuit.

 

[diverlady]

I think "sealed suit" or "seal suit" would be a better name than semi-dry.
They don't have to be 7mil. I have a 5/4mil seal suit.

Diverlady

 

[NHColdwater]

Since you've already got plenty of technical advise on the suits, I thought I tell a story. I did an Ice dive this weekend in NH with several people (men and women) who wore semi-dry suits from Mares. I was suprised to see only a few drips of water on them after the dives. My brother was one of them and he did two dives at about 30 minutes each. While he wasn't cold at all, some of the others had differing opinions. All of them did second dives though, so they must have been reasonably comfortable. I personally prefer to drive dry in 32 degree water, you can't beat it.

As for Ice diving. I can't think of anything safer. Show me an open water dive where you and your buddy are connected to a line being monitored at all times by someone on the surface with a rescue diver geared up and ready to go on a moments notice.