What's the least expensive dry suit?

[mnj1233]

Depending on the abrasion factor, meaning how rough you are on a suit Mobeys makes some low end suits you can expect about 150 dives out of. They will leak and the seals will blow sooner than a high end suit. Dry Suits are not the area Id be skimping on!!!! Might I suggest eating in more often or stopping all other activities not related to diving, we all had to and found lots of spare cash!!!!!!

 

[sfbluestar]

Thanks for the inputs.

I've been invited to go snorkel diving this weekend, and need to get a suit real fast if I were to get it.... I did some research myself but am afraid such a rushed research cannot be complete so I hope to leverage your knowledge.

Can you suggest some specific brand names, model names/numbers, and approx. prices for the low/middle/high end dry suits?

I don't know if this info makes any difference in selection but I anticipate 99% of my diving will be near the surface since I don't know scuba diving.

 

[humanFish]

I don't know if this info makes any difference in selection but I anticipate 99% of my diving will be near the surface since I don't know scuba diving.

It makes a lot of difference. Scuba drysuits have two valves..an inflator valve and an exhaust valve. These are built into the suit to allow the diver to add and release air from the suit in order to adjust comfort and control bouyancy.

I think what you want is some sort dry shell suit. Where are you diving? What are the temps? How long will you be in the water? Will you actually be diving below the surface or just floating on top?

 

[Mark Vlahos]

Thanks for the inputs.

I've been invited to go snorkel diving this weekend, and need to get a suit real fast if I were to get it.... I did some research myself but am afraid such a rushed research cannot be complete so I hope to leverage your knowledge.

Can you suggest some specific brand names, model names/numbers, and approx. prices for the low/middle/high end dry suits?

I don't know if this info makes any difference in selection but I anticipate 99% of my diving will be near the surface since I don't know scuba diving.

Based on this message I think you are not a good candidate for a dry suit.

You indicate that you do not know scuba diving but you will be snorkeling, and that 99% of your diving will be near the surface. Based on this, it sounds like you will not be using SCUBA gear. Things like a regulator and a compressed air tank. Thses things are necessary to properly use a dry suit. A real SCUBA dry suit is a specialized piece of equipment designed for SCUBA diving.

If you are snorkeling in really cold water then a thick wetsuit is a far better choice. If you are snorkeling in warmer water a thin wetsuit or perhaps no wetsuit at all, just your swim suit and perhaps a T shrit is all you should need.

I get the impression that from what you want to do, if you buy a real dry suit you well be extremely unhappy because you will have spent at least a few hundred dollars on a suit that is not appropriate for the activity you seem to want to participate in.

If I may ask a few questions...

Will you be using this suit for actual SCUBA diving? Remember, SCUBA diving is a specific activity that requires training, and lots of specialized gear. If you have never SCUBA dived before you will almost certainly not be SCUBA diving on a quick weekend trip with some friends.

Will you be using this suit for snorkeling? Snorkeling is swimming around on the surface while breathing the normal air in the atmosphere, if you want to swim under water you hold your breath. Snorkeling is pretty easy, you can learn how to do this in just a few minutes.

Where will you be doing your chosen activity? Hawaii, Florida, The Carribean, The Mediterranean, California, Alaska, Austrailia, South Africa. The water and air temperatures make a huge difference in the best choice for your equipment.

I am hot trying to come off as some sort of jerk here, I am just a little confused about what you want. If we have a better idea of what you are really after we can provide more appropriate suggestions.

Many thanks,

Mark Vlahos

 

[sfbluestar]

I will be snorkeling at the shores of northern California, Mendecino County to be exact. Water there is very cold, it felt like 50 degrees. I will be hanging around water that is only chest high, but I will certainly submerge down into water completely.

The reason I contemplated dry suit is that, I imagine I can wear more clothes underneath to keep warm. I know wetsuit's performance is being proven by you folks everyday, but the idea of water in my suit is still a bit undesirable.

Plus, will a drysuit make the clean up afterwards easier? Can I take off my drysuit and drive home in dry, comfortable street clothing (although not pressed tuxedo)?

 

[koi]

If you are looking to acquire exposure protection to help dampen the effects of cold while snorkeling, then I would suggest a really nice thick wetsuit (e.g. Henderson Gold Core) or a semi-dry suit (e.g. Mares Isotherm). Sure, you'll still get wet, but these suits will most likely keep you toasty.

As mark mentioned above, a dry suit does require some training to use. You could buy a small pony bottle and use it to inflate a drysuit if you really wanted to go that route. But I think it would be overkill for snorkeling.

 

[humanFish]

I will be snorkeling at the shores of northern California, Mendecino County to be exact. Water there is very cold, it felt like 50 degrees. I will be hanging around water that is only chest high, but I will certainly submerge down into water completely.

dude, if you are going abalone diving why not just say so? Make sure you get a license and follow the regulations.

You don't need a drysuit, you need a wetsuit. If you don't want to get wet, then you've chosen the wrong sport. Just get something with at least a 5 mil thickness. You can always rent something too....stop in a dive shop and tell them what you want to do and they will hook you up.

 

[HNITSUJ]

After some research, I ended up buying the DUI CNSE neoprene suit. It was just under 1000.00 and is great. I know many people who dive em up here in the northeast. I can't say enough good things about it. Definately one of my favorite pieces of gear I have purchased.

 

[Goose75]

I will be snorkeling at the shores of northern California, Mendecino County to be exact. Water there is very cold, it felt like 50 degrees. I will be hanging around water that is only chest high, but I will certainly submerge down into water completely.

The reason I contemplated dry suit is that, I imagine I can wear more clothes underneath to keep warm. I know wetsuit's performance is being proven by you folks everyday, but the idea of water in my suit is still a bit undesirable.

Plus, will a drysuit make the clean up afterwards easier? Can I take off my drysuit and drive home in dry, comfortable street clothing (although not pressed tuxedo)?

I advise getting a 6 or 7mm farmer john wetsuit. A dry suit requires inflation with a low inflator hose. Since you won't have a tank on your back, you can't add and subtract air properly. Also, you won't find training for it outside of scuba. Plus, if you get the neck seal too tight you could pass out.

I dove both wet and dry in Washington (40F) and I was happy with a tight fitting farmer john. It's cold at first but then you stay warm. If you want to avoid the first shock, pour warm water inside your suit and then go snorkeling. Wet suits don't let cold water run through them unless they fit poorly. The water in the suit should stay warmer than the water outside of it.

The best part of diving dry is being dry after the dive. I wouldn't call it "easier" after the dive as much as "not as wet". Your gear is still wet, the difference is you aren't. If you dive/snorkel wet, a big towel and a cup of soup out of a thermos can do wonders to warm you up.

You also need to remember dry suits are expensive, require more care and they can leak.

Dry suit diving is great but it takes practice. I wouldn't snorkel dry. If you really, really want a dry suit, I advise to take a scuba class that starts you out with one. Then you can be properly trained and understand it. If you are going to spend that much money anyway, the scuba class will be money well spent.

 

[jepuskar]

DrBill, I came on to this thread to say the same thing....thats scary.