A year down the road, here is what I ended up with (cold water drysuit setup)

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Matt S.

Contributor
Messages
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Location
Kirkland, WA
# of dives
100 - 199
It's been almost exactly a year since I started diving. I started dry, changed suits once, messed around with insulation, and have finally found a great combo for my cold water diving needs.

When I was starting, I dug up every piece of info this forum had to offer. I thought I would post my experiences for the benefit of future searchers.

My water is 45F-55F depending on the time of year. I am also a person who is apparently slightly more cold tolerant than average, so if you get cold easily, take that into account.

First suit
Material: 4mm compressed neoprene

Inherent insulation
: Good but not great

Insulation required for multi-dive comfort
: In the beginning, a Capilene wicking layer on torso, plus light weight fleece overall. Later, changed to only a Tilos 1-piece 100 g Polartec jumper.

Feet:
Plain old cotton gym socks, nothing special. My feet were fine because the rest of me was fine.

Hood: Bare drysuit hood. (3mm neoprene? Not very thick but warm.)

Weight: Backplate, big steel tank, and 14 lbs extra in a harness.

Notes: I really liked that the suit was warm enough to use a very light undergarment even in cold water. Sometimes I'd add a Capilene layer to the torso but it didn't seem to make a lot of difference.
But, I didn't like the fit of my used suit, or the weight. So I got a new suit...

Second Suit

Material: Trilam/cordura (Pinnacle Evo 2)

Inherent insulation
: zero

Insulation required for multi-give comfort
:

I began with ghetto layers: My Tilos 100 g Polartec jumper, then the Capilene top, a thin wool sweater over that, and a casual wear REI fleece over that! Later I learned that the topmost fleece layer was not needed. But managing 3 layers sucks, so I bought a better solution.

Currently, I am using only a fleece jumper. It's the "200 g three layer quilted" job you see on ebay. (The specs list it as 240 g.) There is a whole thread dedicated to that seller, I won't rehash that, but I am satisfied and I am not wishing I bought something thicker.

Today I was in 48F water for 50 minutes, with mostly light activity, and I was comfortable. I could have stayed down much longer. I was "cool" when the dive was over but started to warm up quickly when I got out--I bet I would have had to break the seal and vent before an hour was up. I didn't do a second dive but I wouldn't have hesitated. I am optimistic that this garment will do well down to 45F, but I can always put the Capilene top on underneath it if I have to.

Feet: I bought a pair of 75% merino boot socks at a sporting goods store, and my feet are toasty. I'm really happy with them and I can wear them on cold days outside too, unlike drysuit specific booties.

Hood: Pinnacle merino drysuit hood. Noticeably warmer than the Bare hood I used to use, but not by a miraculous amount. Doesn't fit quite as well though, probably because it doesn't employ a zipper. Those Bare hoods are nice.

Weight: The garment is puffier, though the suit itself is less buoyant... I ended up wearing 20 lbs (+6 compared to the compressed neoprene suit). I may be able to take 2 lbs off that.

Notes: I am done screwing around with insulation for the time being. :)

Dry Gloves
Make: SI-Tech ("smurf" gloves)

Inherent insulation: zero

Best insulation I found
: the ugly yellow knit liners that come with the gloves! They can also be bought separately (fisherman's supply store) if you have another system. Toasty even after long dives.

Notes: I tried some other liners of various sorts, from thin polypropylene to lightweight polartec outdoors gloves--which barely fit into the smurf glove. The stock yellow ones had the best combination of dexterity and warmth. Interestingly, the Polartec gloves kept my hard fairly warm even with a glove leak. If I could find an even thinner version, I'd try it, but the one I have is just too bulky since it's made for fooling around in the snow or something like that.

The yellow liners extend too far down the wrist, so I have to stuff the excess up inside the glove before I can mount the glove on the ring. It's not so bad, but I do plan on trimming the glove's cuff, once I find someone with a sewing machine. (I am sure that the knit will fray if it isn't stitched at the cut.)

I hope this helps someone down the road.
 
Your post was very helpful, thanks. I am waiting for my Evo2 to show up, and will also be diving a local training quarry, where the temps should not get below 40.
A couple of questions for you if you don't mind:
1. Are you wearing the merino socks inside the Evo2 "molded" attached boots? Did you have to go up one size on those molded boots?
2. Is your 20 pounds with a standard BC, and standard AL80?
3. How are you liking the Evo2 underwater, for drying out, and for packing?
Thanks,
Tom
 
...
3. How are you liking the Evo2 underwater, for drying out, and for packing?
Thanks,
Tom

After a dozen dives, I can give the following final info about the above questions. :D

Underwater (and above) the suit feels and is very sturdy and rugged. I came to appreciate it on several occasions where I had waves throwing me around while I was trying to remove the fins and climb out, over rocks.

It dries quick, but it doesn't fold easy (or turn inside out) and it doesn't pack half as nice as a regular trilam suit. I just observed a friend of mine rolling his this weekend, I can only dream of doing that, especially with reinforced knees with even more cordura. The suit is more stiff, don't doubt it. It does not cause movement problems, but forget about packing small, even more so if you went with attached rubber boots.

I like it, the packaging thing is a non issue for me.
 
1. Yes, merino socks inside the molded boots, and I did go up one shoe size. That's the recommended path for these suits, the shoes come small.

2. The 20 lbs became 18 today. :) However that is with a steel 119, a 6lb steel backplace, and a 2 lb STA -- so I am very far from the traditional BCD/Al80.

3. I basically agree with the above, though I would still travel with the suit--I'd just check it in a hard sided suitcase. I am very happy with the suit and you will be too. :)
 
Thanks, Matt. Yeah I figured you have to be using a steel tank and/or backplate, because 20 pounds just did not seem like enough weight by itself. Sounds like a good setup. Can't wait to get mine.
 
After going through guitars and golf and photography as gear-intensive hobbies, I came to diving with one, key realization that I think would serve most divers well:

"Buy the second one first."

- will actually decrease your overall spending on gear
- will definitely increase your overall enjoyment of the sport
 
RJP, what does that mean?! :)

You mean buy the second, more expensive option first because you will just end up selling the first option after a couple of months?

As far as photography - I'm selling my canon L lenses to fund my diving purchases (not that I need to, but I feel frivolous) - do you wanna buy a couple :wink:
 
RJP I generally agree with that. But sometimes, the choices are so complex that you don't know what the second one will be. Drysuits, for example... shell or neoprene? Most people have to try both first. Instead of renting, I decided to buy a used suit, which I'll get most of my money back on.
 
RJP, what does that mean?! :)

You mean buy the second, more expensive option first because you will just end up selling the first option after a couple of months?

The "second one" is not necessarily the "more expensive" option. The most expensive gear you can buy is the stuff you bought INSTEAD of what you should have bought, irrespective of price.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

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