What is the difference between dry/wet suits?How can you tell the size?Price?

[kristy_1117]

Hi there i am just interested in what the difference beteween the two types are?How can i tell by looking/feeling them?Also how can i tell what size they are?As well as how much is the price generally for each different type used?

 

[dannobee]

Well, in general terms for scuba, if it has booties/boots attached to the suit and a funny looking valve right in the center of the chest, it's a drysuit.

Most of the suits you'll see are wetsuits-unless you happen to be diving in a really cold area.

Drysuits require a separate set of underwear as the suit rarely provides adequate insulation. With a wetsuit, the thickness of the suit is the insulation. Wetsuits are generally good to about 55 degrees. Anthing colder and you'd be more comfortable in a drysuit.

The cost difference is substantial. Wetsuits cost anywhere from about $80 or so on up to about $500 for a high quality thick wetsuit. A drysuit could set you back $2000, not including the underwear, which can cost as much as an entire wetsuit.

Surf through the scuba section of E-bay for pictures of all kinds of different wetsuits and drysuits.

 

[Mo2vation]

Hi there i am just interested in what the difference beteween the two types are?How can i tell by looking/feeling them?Also how can i tell what size they are?As well as how much is the price generally for each different type used?

You might want to fill in your ScubaBoard profile so we can all say hey!

Drysuits generally seal around your neck and wrists - so your core stays dry, and only your hands and head gets wet. There are variants - dry gloves (dry hands!) and even dry hoods. You wear fuzzy pajamas under them and stay dry.

Wetsuits, as you can surmise, offer thermal protection through a thick layer of neoprene. You get wet, but you stay warm.

There are plusses and minuses to each. Where you dive, how you dive and your dive objectives usually dictate which type of exposure suit you use.

I'm in SoCal. I dive dry 90% of the time. I only dive wet when I'm lobster hunting. The rest of the time, I LOVE my drysuit and my dry gloves.

Welcome!

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Ken

 

[kristy_1117]

i am just wondering cause i myself do not dive and i do not really have any intentions to myself(unless you are allowed to do it at white rock beach in bc,canada.)But i was given these suits to me by my brother as he had to move to alberta and thought i could use the extra cash if i sold them...thus needing to know what it is exactly that i have and how to tell their sizes etc.Is there anyway i could attach some photos andc you could maybe let me know what exactly i have and what they are worth if i did sell them?thanx

 

[Mo2vation]

i am just wondering cause i myself do not dive and i do not really have any intentions to myself(unless you are allowed to do it at white rock beach in bc,canada.)But i was given these suits to me by my brother as he had to move to alberta and thought i could use the extra cash if i sold them...thus needing to know what it is exactly that i have and how to tell their sizes etc.Is there anyway i could attach some photos andc you could maybe let me know what exactly i have and what they are worth if i did sell them?thanx

I'm sell TONS of gear every week. I'd be happy to walk you through what you have, the best palces to sell it and what you can expect to get for it. Send me a Private Message and I'll get you started.

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Ken

 

[ChrisA]

Hi there i am just interested in what the difference beteween the two types are?How can i tell by looking/feeling them?Also how can i tell what size they are?As well as how much is the price generally for each different type used?

Others have coverd the basics but a few things more: Wetsuits have to fit such that there is not space between the suit and your skin. Drysuits typically have a looser fit with an airspace inside. So you can tell at a distance what a diver is using by how the suit fits. Also if you see a wetsuit up close the zipper will look like the same kind they use a heavy duty duffel bags while a drysuit zipper is unmistakable. (the drysuit zipper alone can cost $300, more then most wetsuits.) All wetsuits are made of neoprene foam but drysuits can be made of other materials like nylon fabric and non-foam neoprene or combinations.

But the biggest difference is that drysuits have an airspace inside. the diver needs to learn to manage and control the volume of air in theis space while diving.

 

[ChrisA]

i am just wondering cause i myself do not dive and i do not really have any intentions to myself(unless you are allowed to do it at white rock beach in bc,canada.)But i was given these suits to me by my brother as he had to move to alberta and thought i could use the extra cash if i sold them...thus needing to know what it is exactly that i have and how to tell their sizes etc.Is there anyway i could attach some photos andc you could maybe let me know what exactly i have and what they are worth if i did sell them?thanx

I'll bet you a few beers that you _CAN_ dive at your local beach and there there is cool stuff to see under water there. BC has some great diving. Most divers there would be using a drysuit as water temps almost require it.

I'm sure others will offer too. but you can send me a PM and we will figure it out I just went through teh process of buying a used drysuit and have an opinion about prices.

What matters is the brand and the model and then the three "C" Condition, Condition, and Condidtin. Prices range from well over $1K to "junk" however the fact that they were given away might be an indicator of their value I don't know. Take good photos of any labels or logos that are on the inside or outside. and closeups of the wrists, any valves, some overall shots. Send a PM and I'm tell you how to send the photos