Semi-dry suit advice

[mrjake]

I called Aquaflite today to order a custom wetsuit due to difficulty finding an off-the-rack suit that would fit. The guy taking my order was very helpful and showed great interest in supplying me a suit that would meet my needs (diving in quarries and lakes in NW OH, IN, and MI ). Among the options that I ordered was their Oceanliner interior lining. I wanted a 7mm full suit with a hooded jacket, but was told that the Oceanliner, in effect, made the suit a semi-dry suit. All of my diving to this point has been in the USVI in 78deg+ water so I am unfamiliar with diving in the cold. Any special or different considerations that I need to be aware of when using a semi-dry suit or diving in cold water. How much weight will I need to add when going from a 3mm full suit in salt water to a 7mm full suit/jacket in fresh water. I weight 260#.

 

[String]

A semi dry suit is a wet suit to all intents and purposes - diving with it is no different.

You will notice far greater buoyancy changes due to suit compression so be aware of it.

General ball park figure for most 7mm divers tends to be in region 25-35lbs.

 

[crpntr133]

Kinda one of those questions that only you will be able to answer accurately. I wear a Mares Semi 6.5 and wear 26lbs. Some say that I am over weighted but if I take 2 off I can't get down.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I wear an XL 7mm semidry and wear around 20-22lbs. 35 lbs is serious overkill and more than I wear with my drysuit. (28-32 lbs depending on underwear.)

 

[mrjake]

Thanks for the info. I hope to have the suit and try it out a week from this Friday barring hurricanes or other interruptions in Florida where it is being made.

 

[grahamsp]

I wear a Mares SemiDry 6.5 mm with 24 lbs. The suit is extremely efficient to the point where I was 40% dry after my first couple of dives. Which brings me to point worth noting (and only discovered after dive 3 to 30 metres). Make sure to put a small amount of water in the suit before you dive and move it around. That way you'll avoid a surprisingly painful case of suit squeeze, something normally confined to under-inflated dry-suits.

 

[mrjake]

I have heard other mentions of remaining very dry while diving a semi-dry suit, but yours is the first to mention suit suqeeze problems. Thanks for the advise. My first dive in the suit will be in a quarry near home so I will be able to adjust weight and other needs easily. The depth of the quarr is 100 ft plus so I plan to test it under varying conditions before heading out on a trip with it. Has anyone else exerienced suit squeeze?

 

[letterboy]

I have dove with the mares isotherm for about four months and i only noticed it when i first dove it. the solution i found was to "burp" the suit before you get in the water much like you would a drysuit, IE crouch down and push all the air out of the neck seal this seems to keep it comfy in the suit. i have had the suit down to 115 ft in bainbridge quarry in PA, with minimual squeze when i do notice some sqeuze i just let some water in through the neck seals.

my .02
John

 

[Tamas]

Ditto on the burping and touch of water in the suit. I also have the Mares 6.5 Isotherm, very nice suit keeps you warm and reasonably dry. I do however find it cooler then the 7mm I used to dive with, perhaps a sign that I need to migrate to a dry suit!

I also wear 25lbs of weight (I am close to 290lbs) with no problems with serious compression or squeeze at depth, BUT you will notice significant differences between the 3mm you are used to a 7mm suit. As already mentioned you just have to be aware of it and it should be ok.

Oh and by the way, welcome the 'cold' side.

 

[Kestrell]

I'll add my $0.02.

I use an XXL 7 mil with a 95 LP and I am fine with 18lbs.