Semi dry recommendations for 20C+ diving?

[LeggoDiveyDivey]

My main goal is to be able to dive in colder waters (20C-25C) comfortably, with the specific locations being Galapagos, Cocos, Soccorro, Egypt etc.

Most that have dived Galapagos say its best in a dry suit, even in the warmer periods like December, mainly because its more comfortable than a 5-7mm. Which I can understand because I had a 5mm once on a liveaboard and disliked the whole experience. I am generally lean with love handles but even then it felt very tight.

Therein lies my conundrum, beyond bucket list destinations, I have no desire to dive in ice cold waters like Iceland's Silfra. So I am reluctant to get a 5-7mm suit, much less get certified to dive in a dry suit. That's when another diver mentioned I should consider semi dry suits as they could be made thinner like 4mm, and still provide good levels of insulation which sounds like a good idea since its cheaper, more comfortable, and sustainable! So my main questions are:

1. Whats the thinnest semi-dry suits available? Google seems to show them at 5mm generally, with 3mm at areas you need to flex.
2. How are their insulation levels like? Have people felt comfortable in a semi dry at about 23C? For reference I was warm in a 5mm at 25C, can skin dive up to 28-29C.
3. Do they come in 2 pieces? Google seems to suggest that this is rare.

Thanks in advance!

 

[formernuke]

Most that have dived Galapagos say its best in a dry suit, even in the warmer periods like December,

There is a reason they say this. Semidry= wet.

Go dry, you can still use it in warm water as well.

 

[Beth3141]

2. How are their insulation levels like? Have people felt comfortable in a semi dry at about 23C? For reference I was warm in a 5mm at 25C, can skin dive up to 28-29C.

I think you would be fine with semi dry if you have layers. I dove the Galapagos this past June wearing a 5 mm Aqualock suit and was fine, though sometimes I used my 3 mm vest and/or my Bare Exowear jacket & leggings. Exowear adds about 1.5 mm of thermal protection. The Aqualock is not a semi dry, but on me the torso stayed fairly dry. Do not recommend, the booties that go with the suit. They get just as wet as other booties, however my feet were warmer in the Aqualock 5 mm booties vs my Neosport 5 mm booties.

If getting a 5 mm wetsuit on is an issue, spraying diluted baby shampoo on the inside of the arms and legs works wonders. The suit slips right on. Many thanks to the crew of the Calipso for showing me that trick. It's an awesome boat. The DMs were great.

I had a bad experience with a 5 mm suit that was too tight, so I dove the Galapagos in May 2022 wearing a 3 mm wetsuit and layers; i.e. vest and Exowear set (the coldest temp. was 20C). I was fine except for my feet. They were like blocks of ice after a 40 minute dive. A male diver on the boat was diving a 5 mm semi dry from Probe Wetsuits in Australia. He loved it.

Hope this info helps.

ETA: There was only one dive at 20C. Other than that one dive, my feet were comfortable. I also should use "comfortable" rather than "fine." Since I dive mostly warm waters and have been comfortable in a wetsuit, I don't want to go with a dry suit.

 

[LeggoDiveyDivey]

If getting a 5 mm wetsuit on is an issue, spraying diluted baby shampoo on the inside of the arms and legs works wonders. The suit slips right on. Many thanks to the crew of the Calipso for showing me that trick. It's an awesome boat. The DMs were great.

My trick is similar, I had lots of aloe vera for skin protection so I just used that as lubrication and at some points my arms just slipped right through!

Another 'official' or common trick is to wear plastic bags or gloves on your feet, saw a DM do that as he got into a dry suit and he was suited up fastest everytime.

Another bit i imagine would just be getting a two piece so you dont feel squeezed from both ends.

 

[Thunder Struck]

This reminds me of hunters balking at the price of a couple boxes of shells/cartridges when they spent just as much for pogue bait on their trip. Never mind the cost of fuel, lodging, guides, etc.

I’ve been happy with my 7mm Aqualock as far as warmth goes. With water temps a little under 60° (freedom units, something like 15° C) it works well. Although for repeated 3 tanks in half a day I’ll start getting chilled.

The Aqualock has double layered wrist and ankle seals such that it makes it a little harder for water to move in and out of those areas.

Where the Aqualock falls short is the wrists and ankles don’t have finished seams. It’s like they just cleaved the neoprene and called it done rather than stitching it properly to prevent it from coming undone over time. After a couple years of diving the wear will start to show, fraying in those areas with the Lycra portion separating from the neoprene. Wouldn’t have taken nothing but two extra minutes per suit to add stitching to those areas to prevent fraying.

If I was to look at replacing my 7mm Aqualock I’d probably look at Scubapro’s offerings. The guys I dive with have them and they have a much better looking finish.

But it’s a non-issue now since I pulled the trigger on a drysuit. Was diving 68° (or what the communists would call 20°) waters with a Coldpruf base layer and thin sweatsuit. I was quite comfortable.

If you are looking at this trip as a bucket list trip, spend a few extra bucks (or European Pesos) on the proper exposure suit. It will make your trip much more enjoyable if you are comfortable on your dives. It’s one thing to tough it out on a few dives. But diving a liveaboard with 5 dives/day your core temperature will drop quick unless you do it right.

In my younger years I could get away with it. But having hit the half century mark my tolerance for cold has decreased in direct proportion with my tolerance for BS.

There’s a number of folks here that have been ordering the Seaskin dry suits. They seem to be a fair bit cheaper than others. Where the differences are I don’t know but they seem to be quite pleased with them.

Buy once cry once. What is the value of your comfort?

 

[Brett Hatch]

Most that have dived Galapagos say its best in a dry suit, even in the warmer periods like December, mainly because its more comfortable than a 5-7mm. Which I can understand because I had a 5mm once on a liveaboard and disliked the whole experience. I am generally lean with love handles but even then it felt very tight.

What did you dislike about the experience? What were the water temps on that trip, and how many dives per day?

 

[LeggoDiveyDivey]

What did you dislike about the experience? What were the water temps on that trip, and how many dives per day?

Just the hassle of putting it on and how it felt. It was my first time putting on a 5mm, and it was a rental. It felt built for tall slender males and not short folks with thicker legs, so I had to roll up certain sections. So generally it felt like a hassle, I needed the boat crew almost everytime.

It was about 3 dives of anything from 23C-26C

 

[Brett Hatch]

Just the hassle of putting it on and how it felt. It was my first time putting on a 5mm, and it was a rental. It felt built for tall slender males and not short folks with thicker legs, so I had to roll up certain sections. So generally it felt like a hassle, I needed the boat crew almost everytime.

It was about 3 dives of anything from 23C-26C

Yeah, sounds like you had the main problem most people have with wetsuits: poor fit. Too tight in some places which makes it hard to put on, too long in places will make it cold. A good fit is the most important attribute in a wetsuit. That temperature range is right around where 5mm's are the best tool for the job, or a 7mm if you get cold very easily. Personally, that's a little too cold for me in my 3mm, but some other divers would be fine in a 3mm.

It sounds like your time would be well spent by going to a few dive shops in your area, and trying on a variety of wetsuits. If you can find one that fits well, it will be a lot easier than the bad fit you had on that liveaboard. And warmer too, since you won't have the rolls trapping cold water inside. If you can't find one on the shelf that fits you well, a custom wetsuit isn't terribly expensive, and it will fit great.

That being said, the Galapagos can get as cold as 12C, which is in drysuit territory for me, especially if doing multiple dives a day. My drysuit was made by SeaSkin up in Leeds. They do all custom made-to-fit drysuits, and a very nice one can be had for a lot less than their competitors. Mine came out to £997 in 2019, and that's with a bunch of pricey bells and whistles. So, you might check them out, and you can find a lot of positive reviews for them here on ScubaBoard.

 

[iliketopetsharks]

Generally i would recommend the Waterproof brand, i love my 7mm semidry.

But drysuit is the way to go honestly. I was reluctant too, but once i tried it, i was sold. Changing is easier and you're much warmer for pretty much unlimited time.

And remember: being cold is not only uncomfortable, it's also hazardous since it increases your DCS risk!

 

[stuartv]

The thinnest semi-dry I know of is the new(-ish?) Hollis Neotek 4/3.

But, like its thicker sibling, the Hollis has an attached hood. I really do not like nor want an attached hood. That is one more part of the suit to have not fit right. Plus, I don't like wearing a hood all that much and like to be able to take it off as soon as I get out of the water. Pulling it back/down, so that it is bunched up around my neck is very often uncomfortable, to me.

Waterproof just came out with a new semi-dry, the SD Neoflex. I have a Waterproof W7 5mm, which I think is the "wet" version of the semi-dry. The SD looks really nice, to me and, though I already have 3 drysuits and 4 or 5 wetsuits, I'm thinking of getting the SD for when my 5mm is not warm enough, but I don't want to bother with a drysuit.

The SD does not have an attached hood (which is good, in my book). It does have pockets like my W7, which are nice. Not really big. But, stretchy, so when they're empty they don't flop around at all.

It's 7mm thick, but my W7 5mm is very stretchy. I expect the 7mm would still be quite comfy.

And, an advantage of a semi-dry versus drysuit - you don't really have to worry about ripping seals. Not like on a drysuit where a torn seal pretty much has to be fixed before you dive in it.