Any cons of using a surfing wetsuit for tropic diving?

[speuci]

Was at LP the other day and asked, was told that the materials are very different and that I should avoid only use a diving wetsuit (exposure suit). Two questions:

1) What are the key material differences?



2) What are the disadvantages of diving with a surfing wetsuit?



Thanks!

 

[Van Isle]

As long as it's warm enough and comfortable, no worries. It might experience wear in un-planned places, but if it's only for a few dives (or more likely, even after lots of dives) it's not a big worry. An attached hood (as some surf suits have) might be an annoyance, but my friend dove with his hood both on and off his head in Puerto Vallarta with no problems. 5/3mm surf with attached hood in 72F water for 40+ minutes.

Methinks your LDS *might* be feeding you some sales pitch...

VI

 

[Indian Valley Scuba]

We sell both wetsuits for diving and wetsuits for board & paddle sports from a number of manufacturers. The key difference that makes a suit not appropriate for scuba diving is compression memory. Once you go down and repeatedly compress the neoprene it does not return to it's original dimensional thickness.

For a couple of warm water dives does it matter? Maybe not. But with tropical suits retailing for well under $100 how much are you saving by going with a board suit?

 

[Splitlip]

We sell both wetsuits for diving and wetsuits for board & paddle sports from a number of manufacturers. The key difference that makes a suit not appropriate for scuba diving is compression memory. Once you go down and repeatedly compress the neoprene it does not return to it's original dimensional thickness.

For a couple of warm water dives does it matter? Maybe not. But with tropical suits retailing for well under $100 how much are you saving by going with a board suit?

Compression memory is the biggy as I understand it.
In addition, I think that the "paddle zones" in a surfing suit also offer less protection than the rest of the suit.

 

[The Great Kazoo]

I have been Surfing for 31yrs and wear a wetsuit that accommodates both diving and surfing. I surf Huntington to Santa Cruz. Do what you are comfortable with. The LDS tried to sell me on some BS about only one is good for one thing, but I love my wetsuits and am comfortable.

 

[scubadoguk]

used a surf suit for scuba for 4 yrs never had a issue with it

 

[Splitlip]

I have been Surfing for 31yrs and wear a wetsuit that accommodates both diving and surfing. I surf Huntington to Santa Cruz. Do what you are comfortable with. The LDS tried to sell me on some BS about only one is good for one thing, but I love my wetsuits and am comfortable.

Well, not sure if I would call it BS, particulary if your surf shop tells you a surf suit is better than a dive suit fore surfing.

I can tell you, without hesitation, that my diving wetsuits are not as comfortable for surfing. The surfing suits are more flexible than the dive suits. Does that come at the expense of more compressible material? So they say and it seems logical.

I can also say without hesitation that my Oceanic and DeepSea 3 mils are warmer at depth than my Quicksilver suit of the same thickness. My new Bare Progeressive stretch 3 mil is not as warm as the other two dive suits, but warmer than the Quicksilver.

Perhaps the lines are blurring with respect to thermal protection being sacrificed for flexibilty.

 

[The Great Kazoo]

Well, not sure if I would call it BS, particulary if your surf shop tells you a surf suit is better than a dive suit fore surfing.

I can tell you, without hesitation, that my diving wetsuits are not as comfortable for surfing. The surfing suits are more flexible than the dive suits. Does that come at the expense of more compressible material? So they say and it seems logical.

I can also say without hesitation that my Oceanic and DeepSea 3 mils are warmer at depth than my Quicksilver suit of the same thickness. My new Bare Progeressive stretch 3 mil is not as warm as the other two dive suits, but warmer than the Quicksilver.

Perhaps the lines are blurring with respect to thermal protection being sacrificed for flexibilty.

Whatever floats your boat. Wear what YOU are comfortable with. I don't get cold with my BodyGloves or ONeill's. The water and air are much warmer in Fl than Ca. I have surfed the tiny waves of Fl in winter and summer. I never needed a wetsuit, just Board Shorts. I had a Henderson and AquaLung, they were poor quality. I got cold.
http://360guide.info/wetsuits/complete-wetsuit-guide.html?Itemid=58h
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wetsuit#Suit_creator_history

 

[girlgonediving]

There is a big difference between the two. The surf suit is made to be more flexible and not concerned about compression factors since it is an above water sport. A wetsuit for diving is designed to keep you warm below the surface and to not loose warmth because of compression. Therefore diving suits are not as compressible as surfing suits.

If you are mainly a surfer and you are going to dive occasionally, then you might be OK with a surf suit. But if you dive a lot in your surf suit, you are going to compress it and it will loose a lot of its supper stretchiness and become less flexible.

I hope this post was not confusing!!!

 

[Splitlip]

Whatever floats your boat. Wear what YOU are comfortable with. I don't get cold with my BodyGloves or ONeill's. The water and air are much warmer in Fl than Ca. I have surfed the tiny waves of Fl in winter and summer. I never needed a wetsuit, just Board Shorts. I had a Henderson and AquaLung, they were poor quality. I got cold.
360Guide - 360Guide
Wetsuit - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hmmm. Please explain to us how the size of right coast waves have any bearing on the discussion. I sure would like to know.

Now, maybe the fact that you can surf (comfortably?) in < 70 degree air/water means you are more tolerant to cold. Perhaps that has some bearing on the discussion.