Buy a Drysuit or Log more dives?

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

Hello -

This winter I made a vow to myself. It was in my new years resolution that I will buy a drysuit this season NO MATTER WHAT! Now that the summer is here I am debating if I should skip the drysuit purchase and just spend that money diving North Carolina and Florida which do not require a drysuit. Being in Washington DC area, the only place for which I would need a drysuit is Great Lakes.

Part of me says ... all divers in the world have limited budget! The ones that enjoy diving the most are frequent divers not the "gear collectors." The ones who dive the most in whatever gear they have are better off. Those who save money to buy gear end up diving less in the long run.

Other part of me says ... a new world of diving will open to me if I buy a drysuit. Places that I have never thought of as "dive destinations" like Canada and Maine etc will start existing on my dive map.

Then the first part of me comes back and says ...Yes but this drysuit will leave you with less money to dive the dives you do every year. It will hang in your closet most of the time and those new dive destinations will remain on the map alone.

The second part of me comes back and says ... you learnt to dive because you wanted to go somewhere new. The same instinct is forcing you to buy a drysuit. You may not dive as much but it was never about quantity but quality.

The first part returns and says ... you need 10 dives to even work a drysuit. You would have to spend a lot of time doing learning dives before you are ready to enjoy those dive destinations.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Which voice in my head do I listen to and why?

Thanks so much -

 

[Porkfried]

Well, ten minutes after the time that you would (or would have) gone diving instead of buying a dry suit, you will be on land. Your trip, while a fond memory, most likely will not matter. You will be in an only marginally better situation than had you not dived at all since you will probably already be planning/longing for another dive. Either way you'll just be looking for a new dive, you might as well once in this inevitable situation have a dry suit right?

 

[Bratface]

With 50 to 99 dives, I would go for more diving. Enjoy yourself and become more experienced and more comfortable in different diving environments. Who knows, you may even come into enough money to purchase that dry suit.

 

[noreastDIVER84]

Buying a drysuit will make you log more dives.........Because you will be more comfortable your dive season will be longer. I only stop diving for the months of......oh wait, I did at least one dive every month last year, including one this January in 34 degree water with a 25 degree outside temp and an 18 degree wind chill.

 

[Pegger]

You will have it for many years and will never regret the purchase. If you want to dive the best wrecks in the world (the great lakes), you must have a drysuit. I wouldn't even consider diving a wetsuit in cold water again.

Cheers,

 

[a22shady]

get a drysuit you will be happy. I dive the northeast so typically colder waters but there are places where the surface temp warms up to the 70's still not as nice as florida but easily done in a wetsuit. I got certified in a drysuit when I did OW, I dive in my drysuit all year long. when I go to florida or bahamas or where ever I will be bringing my suit with me. For me personally I like my drysuit I prefer it over the wetsuit. It does get hot on surface when suiting sometimes but nice thing is you can layer appropriate for you to the water temp. Warmer water wear less/colder wear more.

Since I do not dive in a westuit the one comparision I do hear is that even in the warmer waters you will get cold in a wetsuit if doing deep dives or long dives especially which is where a drysuit would be nice. Plus getting in/out of a drysuit is a lot easier then getting in/out a wet wetsuit. I guess for me I prefer the Drysuit. I have some buddies who have both wet/dry they actually prefer there wetsuit over there drysuit (Only warm water diving). I got another buddy who like me only dives drysuit. So I guess it's person preference. Also drysuit does give you an extra safety factor as you have back-up to your BCD if it fails.

 

[fire_diver]

Get the drysuit. The only problem with diving during cold weather is coming up wet. When all your have to do is dry your head off, and step out of your drysuit it makes diving so much better. If the weather or location doesn't need a drysuit, you dont have to use it. Simple as that. More dives, more fun.

 

[BabyDuck]

try for a used suit - then you're not out so much money.

 

[spectrum]

I'd bite the bullet and get the drysuit. I got my first in year 1 and never regretted it. You might sacrifice a little bit of short term travel but you will make up for it in more comfortable and frequent local dives over an extended season and destination freedom.

For the most part it's a 1 time expense so it does not need to brand you a non diving gear collector. Be sure to budget for the suit, garments, maybe a pair of fins......

For what it's worth you can easily enjoy a good wetsuit up here from July though mid September.

Pete

 

[Scuba_Aaron]

Go for the drysuit. I am cold blooded by nature and have enjoyed diving much more when I am comfortable.