What is a semi dry wetsuit?

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sylvester

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I what the differance between a semi dry wet suit and a wet suit?
 
A semi dry wetsuit has wrist and neck seals and is designed to limit the amount of water moving through the suit.
 
But unlike a dry suit, you can't inflate or deflate it. Watch out for the squeeze!
 
Arnaud once bubbled...
But unlike a dry suit, you can't inflate or deflate it. Watch out for the squeeze!
That's the second time I've seen reference to semidry squeeze on ScubaBoard in the last few weeks - my first suit was a semidry, and I never experienced any type of squeeze! It is simply a wetsuit, with neck, wrist and ankle seals - being a wetsuit, the suit is already in full contact with your body surface - so where's the squeeze coming from?

:confused:
 
Scubaroo, I guess some semis are dryer than other... Fitting is another probable explanation. A friend of mine has one and loves it. He just doesn't mind the bruises all over his body.

I've never quite gotten the concept of something "semi dry", though. I understand wet and I understand dry. Reminds me of an old Paul Logan's program before he became "Crocodile Dundee". He had invented the first solar powered tanning machine.
 
I have never experience "squeeze" in mine either.

The main advantage is that water doesnt flow in and out of a semi-dry as easily as it does in a wetsuit, therefore once your body warms up the trapped water, it tends to stay warm as it isnt constantly being flushed out.
 
... is a contradiction in terms. Not pssible, kinda like semi-pregnant ... .
Here in the States it usually refers to 7mm wetsuits w/ extra seals on legs and wrists, sometimes neck. Have a Scubapro S-Tec in some closet, the seals worked pretty well. Cold water got in at the neck & zipper, though.

In Europe most manufacturers offer wetsuits with drysuit zippers that are called semi-dry. Same idea, much more efficient. The only suit of that kind I'm aware of in the US market is the Mares Isotherm. Be aware that those suits have to fit just right to work: Too small, they are unconfortable and hard to don & doff, too large they contain too much air(&water), which, without valves, makes them too buyont. When they do fit, though, they're easy and confortable to dive, and warmer than anything but a drysuit.
 
caveseeker7 once bubbled...
In Europe most manufacturers offer wetsuits with drysuit zippers that are called semi-dry. Same idea, much more efficient. The only suit of that kind I'm aware of in the US market is the Mares Isotherm. Be aware that those suits have to fit just right to work: Too small, they are unconfortable and hard to don & doff, too large they contain too much air(&water), which, without valves, makes them too buyont. When they do fit, though, they're easy and confortable to dive, and warmer than anything but a drysuit.

That's the kind I was talking about and that my friend has. I was not aware that some semis didn't have a dry suit zipper.
 

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