What to wear under dry suit

[jonnythan]

Just stick with a warm wetsuit and you'll be OK. Forget about the drysuit for now.

 

[SubMariner]

Hi,
I am getting open water certified and my open water classes are going to be in a cold lake in Chicago with the temperature of about 55-60 degrees. I am moving to Australia in a year along the Great Barrier Reef so I am not to concerned about buying a dry suit and all that goes with it, like the thermal underwear. Iwas curious if there is any cheap way to stay warm during the 2 five hours dives I will be making in the lake. I know I can rent a dry suit, but can I wear just normal long underwear under this to stay warm or do I need something more specific to dry suits. Thanks for all and any help!
Sarah

A drysuit is NOT just another passive piece of equipment like a pair of fins that you buy, then go dive with; you need qualified instruction as to how to use the suit safely & effectively.

Please do not even consider getting a suit without taking a drysuit course.

 

[vtown7]

I agree with the above poster... when I was doing a drysuit dive for the first time this summer* I found that there was alot to deal with. It's not the easiest thing to use, as evidenced with the guy who was in the pool at the same time who was diving for the first time in five years I found out later - he didn't like the idea of wet suit diving so he took off.

Ryan.

*I lived in Newfoundland. Drysuit diving in the summer is the hip thing, kids.

 

[DiveExtreme22]

I am almost positive that is what my instructor wants to do. First we will do all the classroom and pool work and then he is going to take us out on the lake for one 5 hour dive on both a Saturday and a Sunday. Does this seem like too much or too little? I really don't know that much I guess!

thats pretty scary that you didnt know that you cant dive for five hours, what are they teaching you in that class? i guess the recreational dive planners were left at home?

 

[sarahbethday]

Thanks for the help. There was some confusion I must say with what my instructor was telling us. We did end up using 6.5 mil wetsuits with 1 mil suits underneath. We were out in the water for about 5 hours each day, but not diving the whole time. We completed our confined dives in the shallow part of the quarry and then moved to the deeper part for the open water courses. So after freezing my bones for 2 days I am now certified! Yeah!

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Congrats Sarah Beth ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[SubMariner]

:wave-smil: ^5, Saraheth. :wave-smil:

Congrats!

 

[Poogweese]

So after freezing my bones for 2 days I am now certified! Yeah![/QUOTE]

Congrats on your class-you will have a great time in Australia. In the meantime...consider taking advantage of where you are now in Chicago. Lake Michigan and Superior have some great wrecks to explore and you can start right there at home. I seem to remember a charter taking people out wreck diving as near as Lake Forest. Think about taking a drysuit class too-opens up some new areas that might be too chilly for a wetsuit (New Zealand?) Anyway...have fun!

Poog