What suits do colder climates wear?

[jmsdiver]

I know a couple of people from the UK that just dive in a good 7mm wetsuit/farmerjohn getup. However, they are considering moving to dry. I personally dive dry; did the wesuit thing for awhile until I had enough money for a "semi-dry" (read leaking drysuit) and saved a few more pennies and finally bought a Viking. The temps around here are a crisp 34-68 depending on location, time of year, and weather patterns, and they swing during the "season" as well.

I would strongly recommend a drysuit, a good quality shell suit works well. Neoprene is an alright choice if its crushed neoprene (less to no compression at depth than regular neoprene) and it may hold up to the rigors of wreck diving better, but I do have any data to that account since I've been doing wrecks in a shell suit for years and have had no complications.

As far as a learning curve, sure there is that. Is it for newbies? Sure. Many courses offer that in the regular open water course due to location. Up in Alaska they utilize drysuits in their entry level courses (according to an article in Rodale's or was it Skin Diver?). They teach the buoyancy sections using the drysuit as well as the BC (for those times when you don't need a drysuit). Its a pretty easy thing to learn if you've been using them through the course. However, if that has not been the case, then I would recommend doing your OW dives wet then move on to a course that deals specifically with a drysuit because there are some additional skills and knowledge necessary to use them.

Cheers

 

[DivingGal]

Originally posted by DameDykker
... There's also another advantage to drysuits I'd like to mention. When you change into divegear you only hve to get out of your overcoat or simliar and wearing your innersuit beneath you just slip into the tri-lam. That takes a lot out of the hassel when you stand at the sea shore or similar in sleet. Thats where the wet suit /semi dry people are really goint to envy you when they stand there in their wet bathing gear...

I always get a chuckle over this image, it is soooo true. Sure they may call us CADs but when you can be WARM AND DRY in just a few moments... I'll take the title.

Take the time to learn how to dive, then take the time to learn how to dive in a drysuit and go diving. Then come over to Canada, and we'll go diving.

 

[Heads Up]

Originally posted by jmsdiver

As far as a learning curve, sure there is that. Is it for newbies? Sure. Many courses offer that in the regular open water course due to location. Up in Alaska they utilize drysuits in their entry level courses (according to an article in Rodale's or was it Skin Diver?). They teach the buoyancy sections using the drysuit as well as the BC (for those times when you don't need a drysuit). Its a pretty easy thing to learn if you've been using them through the course. However, if that has not been the case, then I would recommend doing your OW dives wet then move on to a course that deals specifically with a drysuit because there are some additional skills and knowledge necessary to use them.

Cheers

I wouldn't get too hung up about it being a steep learning curve diving in a dry suit. I think this opinion comes from those of us who did our initial training in a wetsuit, got used to buoyancy control using a BCD etc THEN had to cope with the technical changes involved in diving in a dry suit. By doing so, the skills we had mastered went to pot and we had to remaster them. This probably makes learning to dive 'dry' seem a steep learning curve but I don't think this is the case for newbies who do all OW training in a dry suit from day one.

Our LDS instructs ALL classes in dry suits (obviously incorporating the PADI dry suit cert and all it entails) and to be honest, the students are no more phased than those I have been with in warmer climes.

I say this because I would hate Brit Girl and others reading this to convince themselves they have a huge mountain to climb in learning to dive in the UK or other cold water countries.

I say go for it girl and see you in Stoney Cove in February. I'll bring the thermos if you supply the biscuits!!

 

[Brit Girl]

Thanks to all for your relies to my dry suit/ neoprene question. Having my first lesson last week I didn't think that I would need to buy a suit for ages but after talking to the instructor I will be ready for my o/w dive at stoney cove about feb/march. I think I have decided on a membrane suit but only if my finances allow as I will also have to buy a jacket, regulator etc so I know what will be on my xmas pressie list!
Thanks for the offer of a thermos Heads Up I think I shall need it. You will be able to recognise me as I will be the one that's very blue and dithering! Think I shall have to emigrate to somewhere warm!

 

[DiverDave]

Hi BritGirl,

Stoney in Winter is definately Dry Suit time, but I'm sure you'll have a great time. I did my OW in Dorset in January and had a ball.

Good dry suits are far from cheap. I have a compressed neoprene O'Three thats not much change from a grand. Some dive schools have dry suits available for rental to students, and I wold strongly recommend you try this route until you are sure that you will continue to dive in colder climes, before you blow a considerable sum of cash.

Let us know how you get on.

Fellow BritDiver,

DiverDave

 

[DameDykker]

Now look here DiverDave

For a moment it looked like you were implying that it is possible to exclude cold water diving. But that couldn't be true.

You wouldn't want to exclude a large part of the dive opportunities based on a small thing like temperature - now would you.

You could even turn into a CAD :cold:

 

[scubaturek]

Apparently you UK divers can just jump right in the water in February. Here in Colorado, we have to WORK to get wet (er, in our drysuits). Here are some pictures:

Dale's ice diving pics

In the top picture, that's me on the right; I'm wearing my drysuit undergarment to stay warm on the surface. Air temp is 2C. Water temp is 1C. The ice is 56cm thick. It took about 3 hours to cut the hole. Also, the altitude here is 9201 feet (2804 meters).

I can't wait for February!

Joe