newbie norcal diver... straight to drysuit?

[undrwater]

I concur with the recommendation to go straight to dry. I'll add that you should eventually buy a cheap wetsuit so you can truly understand the pain you're avoiding. Oh! It can be a backup too!

 

[Menk]

Thanks, you guys make a great case!

1) Since the difference between 30 and 35lbs isn't too big, I think I'll go ahead with the bpw from DSS!
2) I'll continue to rent a suit from my LDS for my next dives since i get a good deal, and/or pick up a cheap used 7mm off of craigslist until I can sort out which drysuit I want.
3) buy my drysuit and regs, possibly from DRIS on black friday
4) sell my 35# wing on these boards and buy a perfectly sized one if I really can't stand it.

5) keep practicing till I can swim that 50' without fins on one breath and then get my hinder into a GUE fundies class in Monterey!

 

[tbone1004]

I can 100% guarantee you that you won't be able to tell the difference in the wings, just an fyi. The wing will only be fully inflated at the surface, and when you're diving you won't be able to tell if it is 5lbs too big so I wouldn't even consider that. Combine that with a 7mm farmer john having damn near as much buoyancy as a drysuit, so you'll be fine.

 

[Menk]

Check out the Pinnacle Black Ice, you can likely get away with some UnderArmour in that for those temperatures. USIA and the Black Ice are probably the best bang for the buck suits out there, sub $2k, and are well made.

Which USIA do you recommend?

 

[tbone1004]

Techniflex or Technifit. I don't dive them anymore, I have a Rofos which I think is a bit nicer, but it's $1k more at retail. Call Mike or better yet call Rich Padgett at DRiS, they'll be the best ones to steer you in the right direction. They have a lot more experience with the different brands and models than I do.

 

[FinnMom]

Yet another vote for straight to drysuit. I spent money on a good cold water wetsuit, lost money reselling because most folks are not so foolish, missed a LOT of diving and did a lot of needless shivering and wasted time re-learning bouyancy control after switching to dry.
If only I'd put all my suit money into a drysuit from day one how incedibly many dives and euros would have been saved. Now my kid has been diving 5 years and has yet to do her 1st wetsuit dive.
At least I got smarter when I got older.

 

[Menk]

does anyone have any thoughts on the Pinnacle Freedom 3? My LDS is going to buy a bunch since they were discontinued and offer them for a good price. If they can include cert i will be interested....

Oddly, I can't find ANY reviews and few opinions of this suit. What are the drawbacks of the freedom 3?

 

[tbone1004]

first off, you don't need a stupid drysuit diving course, go find someone who knows what they're doing and they'll teach you. Isn't hard. Biggest thing is to make sure you have some legit fins that can push you through the water, jet fins and hollis f1 bat fins are the best for this since they are also rather negative in the water and will keep your feet down, but more importantly, they have the torque to right you if you go feet up.

Not sure if there are any disadvantages to it, but I think it was one of those suits that people ponied up the extra few hundred bucks for the much more durable evolution 2 or another brand.

 

[Menk]

Ah, so it's mainly durability. Cool.
And Good to know about not needing a class.
I've got the f1s, absolutely love them.

 

[elgoog]

And Good to know about not needing a class.

If you want to rent a drysuit from an LDS, they require the C-card for it.