how to use a drysuit

[oversea]

I dive on Long Isand in which the water never really gets that warm especially down deep so I've been thinking about a drysuit.
Problem is, I don't know a thing about them. I have a scubapro classic plus bc. Can it be used or do I need a plate and wings, etc. I am trying to figure out what is needed because I already spent a fortune and am hoping to not have to again (the suit is expensive enough). An basic run down of equipmen would be helpful.
Thanks

[chiara]

In my experience owning a drysuit totally changed my life.

I now dive all year round (during full winter I use dry gloves as well) except perhaps for December and January.

I use exactly the same gear I use while diving wet in tropical conditions.

What I would advise, get together with someone who has been diving dry for a while, that will save you money compared to a full certification and will lead to the same results.

It took me about ten dives before I really had the feel.

[nickjb]

Drysuit diving isn't as mystical as some would have you believe. Your BC should work fine. All your other gear should work fine.

You can do the drysuit course but unless you get a good instructor it'll probably feel like a waste of money. Some shops throw the course in when you buy the suit (but they are usually more expensive to begin with)

Finding a willing buddy and taking it slowly is probably the best plan. Do a few shallow dives to get used to it and practice buoyancy and trim stuff.

There is a book that frequently gets recommended. I haven't read it and can't remember the name but its worth checking the archives.

[TwoBitTxn]

I know nothing about your BC.

One huge difference between wet diving and dry diving is the amount of weight you carry.

In my opinion carrying large amounts of weight on a belt is very uncomfortable. A backplate and single tank adaptor (STA) alleviates a good chunk of the weight on a belt.

I recommend taking a dry suit class. Others here don't.

I recommend using the BC as a BC and only put enough air in the suit to offset the squeeze. Once again others here disagree with me.

Good luck,

TwoBit

[oversea]

THANKS FOR ALL YOUR RESPONSES. I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION A JACKET STYLE BC WAS NO GOOD FOR DRY SUIT DIVING. THE OTHER THING I DID NOT UNDERSTAND WAS WHY DO YOU USE A SOURCE OF AIR FOR THE SUIT, BUT NOW IT IS CLEAR TO OFFSET SQUEEZE. I KNEW ARGON WAS USED BECAUSE IT SUPPOSEDLY HELPED THE MAINTAINING OF BODY HEAT, BUT THAT HAS BEEN DISPUTED. MY SHOP HAS A DRY SUIT COURSE, MAYBE I SHOULD CONSDER IT.

[oversea]

ANY SUIT SUGGESTIONS?

[nickjb]

Now, there we can't help you Sorry

We all dive different suits and love them. We can't even agree if neoprene is better than membrane or where the zipper should go.

I think all you can conclude is that 'most suits are good' and 'its a personal thing'. Get one that is a good fit. Pockets are good too.

[jiveturkey]

oversea once bubbled...
THANKS FOR ALL YOUR RESPONSES. I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION A JACKET STYLE BC WAS NO GOOD FOR DRY SUIT DIVING. THE OTHER THING I DID NOT UNDERSTAND WAS WHY DO YOU USE A SOURCE OF AIR FOR THE SUIT, BUT NOW IT IS CLEAR TO OFFSET SQUEEZE. I KNEW ARGON WAS USED BECAUSE IT SUPPOSEDLY HELPED THE MAINTAINING OF BODY HEAT, BUT THAT HAS BEEN DISPUTED. MY SHOP HAS A DRY SUIT COURSE, MAYBE I SHOULD CONSDER IT.

You don't have to shout. Take off the caps lock.

[Soggy]

oversea once bubbled...
ANY SUIT SUGGESTIONS?

It depends on your needs. If durability isn't an issue, there are many "lightweight" suits available, such as the Bare ATR-Lite and NextGen. If you need durable, but inexpensive, you can go with a 7mm neoprene suit, but that will require a significant amount of extra weight. My recommendation is get a durable shell suit. I just ordered a Bare ATR-HD from Divesource.com for $1200 canadian (~$800 US). This price was lower than what my LDS could buy the suit for. www.dansdiveshop.ca also has this suit for that price.

Some major and respected manufacturers of dry suits are:
DUI (some believe to be the ferrari of dry suits...very pricey)
Bare
Diving Concepts - they have great dry gloves
Andy's
Viking makes some of the most durable suits around. They supply the military with combat suits.


There are a few main issues with drysuit diving that differ from wetsuits.

• Shell suits provide NO insulation, they just keep you dry...you layer clothing underneath (or specialized dry suit undergarments).
• Neoprene suits provide some insulation, but also require a bunch of extra weight to compensate for the bouyancy of the neoprene.
• drysuits are an extra airspace to maintain, so task loading is slightly higher, especially on ascent.
• drysuits are not a passive piece of equipment and require training to use properly.

[SueMermaid]

Oversea, I did my first drysuit "dive" in a pool. My friend was gracious enough to let me borrow his to try it out.
It was a great way to get acquainted with it all, and it was an indoor pool, so it was warm and comfy when I was wrestling with the suit. I sat on the bottom for an hour and watched an OW class go through skills. It was fun, and I got the hang of it right off.
You might want to ask your LDS if you can tag along to a pool session and do the same.

Learning to use it was no big thing. Getting the thing over my head was the hard part!
But they are awesome, these people speak truth.