i need suggestions for a Semidry wetsuit

[hilljo88]

I have Hollis semidry... toasty, but need an extra 10 lbs to sink it.

 

[EireDiver606]

OP if I was buying my semi dry again, I wouldn’t get a conventional scuba wetsuit, I would get a tight fitting but thinner 5mm apnea suit what has no zips.

 

[muzikbiz22]

Aqualung SolaFex with built in hood. Hands down best thick wetsuit/semi-dry I've owned.

 

[lexvil]

You would probably be better off going dry, look at Seaskin, custom made drysuit complete for not much more than the better semi dry suits. Buy it now and you should have it before the weather turns.

 

[Trailboss123]

I am a dry suit diver for cold water, but, if I were in the market for a semi dry wetsuit, I would be looking at this: Hollis NeoTek Men's Semidry 8/7/6mm Suit

 

[tc]

I’ve got the Hollis Neotek. VERY warm suit, mid 50’s I don’t even feel it.

 

[ryanski]

A buddy of mine lent me this suit a couple times and I love it. As a South Florida cold water wuss it's great down into the 70's which is cold for me. It happened to be on clearance so I ordered one yesterday.

Henderson Thermoprene 8/7mm Semi-Dry, Closeout

that was one of the suits i was looking at. thanks for the info.

 

[ajduplessis]

SP Nova Scotia

 

[Bierstadt]

You would probably be better off going dry, look at Seaskin, custom made drysuit complete for not much more than the better semi dry suits. Buy it now and you should have it before the weather turns.

With some semi-drysuits one can indeed pay as much as a Seaskin custom drysuit. However, most people trying to dive cold but avoid drysuit pricing are going to try and find a sale or one of the less expensive models. Ebay/used semi-drys can save hundreds of dollars if one is confident in the sizing or is willing to resell a great deal that didn't quite fit right. Finally, most people buying a custom drysuit are going to opt for at least a few options over the bare bones version as long as they are spending that much money, and still would need undergarments and training or time in the water to learn how not to get dragged to the surface feetfirst in their new drysuit.

A new Hollis is about $450; add $75 for new gloves and boots. A used Hollis semi-dry can be had for $250-ish.

A basic used drysuit may be found for $500-700 with time and effort; call it $600 for a basic Seaskin. Add $125 for gloves, boots, and hood, then $200 for undergarments, then $200-ish for normal upgrades like a p-valve and pockets if you want them. Now, this is a much, much better price than buying a DUI or an Aqualung drysuit, but it is still a lot more than a basic or used semidry.

If the choice is between a full-price Aqualung SolAfx (for example, $570) and a basic, no-frills Seaskin for which you already have some suitable baselayers, then I'd go with the Seaskin, sure. But it's a lot harder to justify going dry when you can get away with a used semidry for $250. As always, personal preferences, tolerances, budget, etc, etc, etc, etc, etc.

 

[lexvil]

With some semi-drysuits one can indeed pay as much as a Seaskin custom drysuit. However, most people trying to dive cold but avoid drysuit pricing are going to try and find a sale or one of the less expensive models. Ebay/used semi-drys can save hundreds of dollars if one is confident in the sizing or is willing to resell a great deal that didn't quite fit right. Finally, most people buying a custom drysuit are going to opt for at least a few options over the bare bones version as long as they are spending that much money, and still would need undergarments and training or time in the water to learn how not to get dragged to the surface feetfirst in their new drysuit.

A new Hollis is about $450; add $75 for new gloves and boots. A used Hollis semi-dry can be had for $250-ish.

A basic used drysuit may be found for $500-700 with time and effort; call it $600 for a basic Seaskin. Add $125 for gloves, boots, and hood, then $200 for undergarments, then $200-ish for normal upgrades like a p-valve and pockets if you want them. Now, this is a much, much better price than buying a DUI or an Aqualung drysuit, but it is still a lot more than a basic or used semidry.

If the choice is between a full-price Aqualung SolAfx (for example, $570) and a basic, no-frills Seaskin for which you already have some suitable baselayers, then I'd go with the Seaskin, sure. But it's a lot harder to justify going dry when you can get away with a used semidry for $250. As always, personal preferences, tolerances, budget, etc, etc, etc, etc, etc.

I always considered the choice as being warm or not, I have the Hollis, great wetsuit, love diving it but I have to go to SoCal to use it or wait for freak local temps to exceed 60°f, it doesn’t get much use. When I was younger I had great cold tolerance but it’s been dropping off since entering my 60’s.