Which is more buoyant?
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Crush
Contributor
Short answer - about the same, but it will vary.
Drysuit - neoprene, crushed neoprene, or laminate?
Buoyancy - for trilaminate, the drysuit will be less buoyant if you use very thin undergarments. For modest to thick undergarments, remember the undergarment will be compressed by the suit to some degree. I do not believe it is possible to keep the exact same volume of air in your drysuit at all times; so it depends on how much "squeeze" (if any) you want to feel. I had to add a few pounds of weight (relative to my 7 mm x two piece wetsuit) to my 400-weight undergarment/drysuit combo, but my buddy actually dropped some weight.
Drysuit - neoprene, crushed neoprene, or laminate?
Buoyancy - for trilaminate, the drysuit will be less buoyant if you use very thin undergarments. For modest to thick undergarments, remember the undergarment will be compressed by the suit to some degree. I do not believe it is possible to keep the exact same volume of air in your drysuit at all times; so it depends on how much "squeeze" (if any) you want to feel. I had to add a few pounds of weight (relative to my 7 mm x two piece wetsuit) to my 400-weight undergarment/drysuit combo, but my buddy actually dropped some weight.
Last edited:
Jorgy
Contributor
What size farmer john's?
If you are talking a XXXL suit that is a lot of neoprene.........which is buoyant on the surface no matter what....
Other than crushed or compressed neoprene drysuits the "shell" suits have little if any buoyancy.......
Now with "high tech" materials many undergarments are getting "thin" so less buoyant.....
Finally, on the surface where a farmer john is most buoyant you can let all the air out of the drysuit for less buoyancy.......
Therefore I would guess a drysuit is less buoyant......
M
If you are talking a XXXL suit that is a lot of neoprene.........which is buoyant on the surface no matter what....
Other than crushed or compressed neoprene drysuits the "shell" suits have little if any buoyancy.......
Now with "high tech" materials many undergarments are getting "thin" so less buoyant.....
Finally, on the surface where a farmer john is most buoyant you can let all the air out of the drysuit for less buoyancy.......
Therefore I would guess a drysuit is less buoyant......
M
RonFrank
Contributor
There are so many variable involved here that there is really no good answer. If you were to compare specific suit we *might* be able to come up with an answer.
A better question maybe which is more comfortable to dive. Diving in a 14mm core with 7mm overall is a bit like wearing cement!
Seriously, some folks may say they find it comfortable, but put on such a contraption compared to a drysuit, and there is no comparison. The drysuit wins hands-down.
IMO, the ONLY reason to dive even a 7mm wetsuit is $$$.
Drysuits do take a bit of practice, but IMO if you are diving sub 70 water on a regular basis dry is the only way to go.
A better question maybe which is more comfortable to dive. Diving in a 14mm core with 7mm overall is a bit like wearing cement!
Seriously, some folks may say they find it comfortable, but put on such a contraption compared to a drysuit, and there is no comparison. The drysuit wins hands-down.
IMO, the ONLY reason to dive even a 7mm wetsuit is $$$.
Drysuits do take a bit of practice, but IMO if you are diving sub 70 water on a regular basis dry is the only way to go.
If you're talking about diving locally, you need to be thinking about dry.
The buoyancy question on the drysuit depends on what material you're talking about. Neoprene is more buoyant than compressed neoprene which is more buoyant than crushed neoprene which is more buoyant than trilaminate. However, you'll need warmer undergarments with thinner suit materials, and that usually means thicker undergarments which usually means more buoyancy.
Simple, really.
:shocked2:
I have both, and they tend to be fairly close, with the edge going to the dry suit...
Going from a 7mm to a trilam drysuit, I only added 4 pounds. So at the surface, I'd bet on the 2x7mm wetsuit being more buoyant than the purged drysuit.
Not that it really matters, as I always inflate a bit extra at the surface.
And the wetsuit will compress at depth and loose buoyancy.
In other words: between a shark and a lion on the moon, who would win?
Not that it really matters, as I always inflate a bit extra at the surface.
And the wetsuit will compress at depth and loose buoyancy.
In other words: between a shark and a lion on the moon, who would win?
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