Question on 7mm wetsuit...vs dry suit
- Thread starter calabash digger
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Coldest I've been in a 7mm wetsuit is 46F. I don't recommend it, but it's better than not diving. Just got a drysuit and haven't been in the water with it yet. The other drysuit I tried didn't fit well, but did save my life when my inflator gasket catostrophically failed on the second dive I ever did dry.
drk5036
Contributor
This year I dove 59 f / 15 C in a 8/7 mm semidry, and even that I wouldn’t recommend. Anything below like 65 f is clear drysuit for me.
[Edit: Wrong thread]
OP
calabash digger
Contributor
I dove two 1 1/2 hours dives down to 25 feet in 65 deg water Thursday in my new Pinnacle Tempo.....I was comfortable (warm) and it was very doable for me. I will keep you guys updated as to when I switch over to dry because of cold....BTW surface temp was 70...
One key difference between diving a 7mm and a drysuit is the boat ride back.
A wet wetsuit is going to cool you down quick unless you either take it off or cover up more. A drysuit will still keep you warm, and you can add more air to it for insulation if need be.
A wet wetsuit is going to cool you down quick unless you either take it off or cover up more. A drysuit will still keep you warm, and you can add more air to it for insulation if need be.
I have 2 drysuits and 2 7mm wetsuits. Plus 5, 3, and 1.5mm wetsuits. If the water is mid-60s or warmer, I'm going to dive wet (unless it's a tech dive where I need redundant buoyancy). 5mm or thinner.
But, if it is too cold for a 5mm wetsuit, then I will go dry every time. 7mm wetsuits suck! (to me, of course)
I think anyone that prefers a 7mm wetsuit to a drysuit just hasn't had a good drysuit. If your drysuit is too heavy, get a lighter one. If it bugs you that you can't pee, get a pee valve. Once you have the pee valve and accessories that are needed in order to use the pee valve, it is awesome! (unless you're a girl. I don't know about that, but it sounds a lot less pleasant than the guy experience) If your drysuit is restrictive, get one that fits better.
But, if it is too cold for a 5mm wetsuit, then I will go dry every time. 7mm wetsuits suck! (to me, of course)
I think anyone that prefers a 7mm wetsuit to a drysuit just hasn't had a good drysuit. If your drysuit is too heavy, get a lighter one. If it bugs you that you can't pee, get a pee valve. Once you have the pee valve and accessories that are needed in order to use the pee valve, it is awesome! (unless you're a girl. I don't know about that, but it sounds a lot less pleasant than the guy experience) If your drysuit is restrictive, get one that fits better.
Agree, I think some anti dry sentiment comes with there being a learning curve with a drysuit and to often people try such an ill fitting suit that they get overwhelmed and give up. I like my Hollis neotek and the front zip is very handy but it just doesn’t keep me warm enough as I rarely encounter water warm enough to use it and taking it off is such a pain, I’ve considered putting zippers in the legs.
OP
calabash digger
Contributor
It will be interesting to see how my dry suit dives this year. I have lost 25 pounds and I am planning on taking it down even more. I was just thinking the other day when I was donning THE 7 mill wetsuit that I think getting into my dry suit was easier....I was hoping to dive a wetsuit down into the 50s hoping that it would be more comfortable than my dry suit but I am on the fence at this point. I will dive my dry suit in the next few weeks and see how it compares in comfort to the 7mm wetsuit . I hope it is way better because I have lost some weight....
Congrats on the weight loss, it's easy to gain and hard to lose....
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