What to wear, what to wear...

[SteveFass]

Hey all - Going shopping but I first really need your opinions. I'd like to get into local diving over the warmer months.

As you know, depending on the dive site the conditions can vary greatly affecting suit compression and temperature. Boat wreck dives are often 100 feet, shore dives are less than 30 feet. Dutch Springs is just cold if you go deep enough.

My preferences are all the obvious ones: I don't want to spend more than I have to, comfortable but not too warm, prefer to use as little weight as possible, it should be easy to get into and out of. My sensitivity to temperature seems to be about average for men and my body shape is about average too.

Have you found a one-piece wetsuit that will do it all? Shallow water and deeper?

If a one-piece, does it need to be a semi-dry? Those are pretty pricey.

The "cold water" one-piece suits vary in thickness, from 6.5mm for the Mares Isotherm to 9mm for the Xcel SCS Polar Tri. There must be a difference, no?

I'd be grateful for any insights or suggestions you can give me. Thanks much.

Steve

 

[Spratman]

Consider checking out the Pinnacle line of semi-dries. The Arctic looks like a good choice, however, if you are planning on 100ft ocean divers, probably a hooded vest to go with it. Or, if you are the average guy, check out Ebay for dry suits. Plenty of large size suits, the really difficult ones are 2X and 3X.

I was diving on the Pinta the 4th of July. I dive a well used Akona 6.5 FJ. It was 45 degrees at 85 ft, and I was good for about 35 minutes. Same suit I use for diving Dutch Springs most of the year. I didn't dive Dec or Feb, the rest I did wet. Mucho freezo!

Choose wisely, wheathopper....

 

[grouchyturtle]

3mm Goldcore one piece (use it locally for shallow dives, shore or Dutch above 30-40')

Everything else -DRYSUIT!

 

[AquaHump]

I know you don't want to hear it, but its time to go dry. Dive Rite 905 is a great suit. not that pricy either

 

[SteveFass]

Aquahump - I was told at Pan Aqua that this time of year most folks on the boats are diving wet. 5 mil boots and gloves, a 7 mil full suit, and a 5 mil extra on the core (like a hooded vest). I think I'd be happy limited to diving June-October, so WHY DRY?

 

[RJP]

Aquahump - I was told at Pan Aqua that this time of year most folks on the boats are diving wet. 5 mil boots and gloves, a 7 mil full suit, and a 5 mil extra on the core (like a hooded vest). I think I'd be happy limited to diving June-October, so WHY DRY?

Not sure what boats Pan Aqua is running on, but wet divers are probably about less than 20% of what I see out there. In fact, most times there are NO wet divers on the boats I've been on. Last week out of 13 divers on the Dina Dee only one was wet.

In my Wreck Diver course (2nd week of July) one of the guys had to bail on the course because he was SO cold he couldn't complete the second dive of the day.

 

[Spratman]

Aaahhh....he was a wuss!

If you can afford a dry suit go for it. Diving wet doesn't bother me, however, Nov. thru Mar can be pretty freakin cold. Feb or Mar, I'm getting a dry suit....

 

[RJP]

Aaahhh....he was a wuss!

Yeah, but he was cold too!

:-0

 

[SteveFass]

RJP3 - you're making me so confused !

Today I was talking to someone, seemed to really know diving, a new salesperson at Leisure Pro. He said for summer boat diving here all you want is a good inexpensive 7 mil one piece, 3 mil gloves, and a separate hood, if all you want to do is twice per month for the summer only. He said the only guys that dive dry now are those that are in the water all the time, like him.

I'm still amazed that there are two LDSs here that do not have any customers that do cold water diving.

 

[RJP]

RJP3 - you're making me so confused !

Today I was talking to someone, seemed to really know diving, a new salesperson at Leisure Pro. He said for summer boat diving here all you want is a good inexpensive 7 mil one piece, 3 mil gloves, and a separate hood, if all you want to do is twice per month for the summer only. He said the only guys that dive dry now are those that are in the water all the time, like him.

I'm still amazed that there are two LDSs here that do not have any customers that do cold water diving.

LOL!

Yes, you can dive wet. And some do. But if these two LDS (LP not really an LDS) are telling you they have NO customers that dive dry in the summer, then *I* am not the one confusing you.



BTW - I dive 5mm gloves and at the end of the second dive my hands are cold at depth. There is NO WAY IN HELL that anyone who knows what they are talking about can recommend 3mm gloves for diving in this area.