To Drysuit or Not

[Minion_Diver]

I have been thinking about investing into a dry suit in the next year or so, but not sure if I should or not. I currently dive with a 7/5 with 3mm hood and gloves and I am quite comfortable in the water with them on in water to 55-60. I am moving down south and need a lighter wetsuit so I dont get burnt up as bad. I was wondering that with a drysuit would it provide the range of warmth that I would need, from cold (50-60) to warm water (70-80)?

Also what other drysuit companies do demo days other than DUI?

 

[Tigerman]

A shellsuit can be quite flexible with regards to temprature, based on your undergarments. If the air temprature is high I would not recommend spending a lot of time between getting the suit on and getting in the water though...

 

[krawlings]

When you say down south do you mean Florida ? Do you plan on diving ocean / Gulf? or do you also plan on diving quarries and lakes ? If you only plan on diving ocean / Gulf The only real benefit I see with a dry suit is helping you stay warm on your surface intervals . Especially if you do multiple dive a day 3 to 4 or more . Know if you plan on diving in all (Ocean ,Gulf , quarries , Lakes). The dry suit will be very beneficial . Quarries and lakes will stay below 50* in depths below 60' to 70'. I live in Atlanta Georgia and I dive all year in all types of conditions and all water types (warm ,cold , no viz , low viz , deep, shallow) so I have both . I like diving wet but if the weather and or the dive location / plan call for more warmth I dive the dry suit . So it is going to depend mostly how much you will dive ,where you will dive . and how much are you willing to spend / invest

 

[Minion_Diver]

I am moving to Arkansas in July. So I would be diving in and around that area. Im comfortable with my wetsuit in warm water but it burns me up too much during surface intervals. Been thinking if it would be beneficial to get a drysuit instead of a lighter wetsuit ~3mm.

 

[TONY CHANEY]

If you are comfortable then no need to go dry. If you think that you are too warm during surface intervales with a wet suit, you will be rather miserable in a dry suit. Today we were diving in NC at the quarry where the temps below 25 fsw are in the 40's. Surface temp was around 82 degrees f. We were sweating in our drysuits just getting geared up to include scooters, deco tanks, camera, etc. In Fl we usually wait to get into our drysuits at the last minute due to burning up on the surface but we do need the drysuits in the winter and on long dives in the caves. IOW, if it isn't broke then don't fix it.

 

[Lafrules]

i agree with tony if you are comfortable at home with a 7/5mm with 3mm hood and glove you dont need to go dry. dry is good for cold water and extend the dive season when you live in canada like me. i do use my drysuit sometime in summer when its hot outside with nothing under but really a wet suit is more convenient in warm water. i would buy a 3 mm if i was you. but no matter what suit you have its always good to gear down during surface interval


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[The Kraken]

Sounds to me as if you're good to go with that which you already have.

A big thing about a dry suit is that you want to keep it as dry as possible INSIDE.

In the south during the summer, a dry suit can become awfully wet with perspiration. Makes it wet, heavy and stinky. So now you have another thing with which to contend, eliminating any perspiration odor if it has occurred.

Safe dives. . . . .
Safer ascents . .

the K

 

[maniago]

I went for my dry suit cert, but in the end I never bought one. I like diving wet for the most part. If its hot, no reason you cant hang out in the water during the surface interval - mask fins & snorkel...

 

[industrious95]

Do you mean you're too warm underwater, or during the surface interval? You can take the top of the wetsuit off during your surface interval, if you're hot. Save yourself $1000+

 

[eelnoraa]

If you are comfortable with 7/5mm + hood, I don't see why getting a drysuit for warmth. If you need redundant buoyancy because you dive with a lot of gas, then it is a good reason