Cold Water Suit Options?

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By the time you get a high end enough wetsuit that you might be safe for a short dive, it will cost as much as a basic drysuit.

Just because you were comfortable in a 3mm in cold water doesn't eman you were safe. I can be comfortable in -10F in a cotton T-shirt for a bit. But give it a little more time and the comfortable will turn into unsafe.
 
This might be entertaining and relevant..

 
This might be entertaining and relevant..

I think this convinces me I need a drysuit. I want to have fun like that guy, but without the almost killing myself bit.
 
No question that the proper dry suit is warmer than a wetsuit, but you may be spending 4 or 8 times as much as a MAKO 7 mm suit.
I do like Mako wetsuits, but unfortunately you don't carry any sized for 53" chest polar bears.
 
Been there, done that, and in my foolish youth dove Lake Erie below the thermocline and dealt with 38 degree water (suit was a 1/4" plush lined farmer john with a long sleeve shorty over it custom fit - $600 in early 90's). One (short) dive? Okay.... Second dive, or not a nice and warm day topside? Yikes! Sometimes, used Thermos bottles of warm water to heat things up pre-dive. No more!!!!! Under 55 degrees, it is dry......

I dive a custom made 7mm 1 piece from 70 - 55 if it is a NDL or really warm surface and air situation (but begrudgingly)....

YMMV
 
Think about going to the Toms River NJ flea market in a few months with an experience dry suit diver. You will probably be able to pick up a decent suit with a good zipper and an undergarment for rather less than the cost of a new 7mm wet suit. I passed on one for my sister because I couldn't reach her--for $200, with a good zipper and good seals. I routinely see really good used suits (DUIs, Santis, etc.) with lots of life left in them for $300-$500. What's available there is sometimes spotty, and I know it's a long drive from Erie to take a chance...but it has a reasonable probability of being worth it.
 
I dive a 7mm suit with a 3 mill hooded vest. I wear goretex socks under my wet suit boots and I wear pretty thick gloves. I average about 45 min dives in about 38 to 42F water pretty regularly. Usually two tank charters on the Great Lakes. I wouldn’t say I am comfortable by he end of the dives but it isn’t too bad. I had a 7mm Farmer John before that felt much colder, but may have been due to poor fit.

That being said I am saving for a drysuit. However I see a lot of other divers on the Great Lakes diving wet on every charter I go on.
 
Just in case you missed this post:
I'd really say look for a decent shape used drysuit. Or even an "entry" level new one. There are deals out there, keep an eye out for demo or closeout models. I frequently dive in water temps in the 30's F, a drysuit is a must for most people as it's just too cold for most in a wetsuit.

Call Mike or Chris at Dive Right in Scuba and see if they can find something that'll work for you. They're straight shooters and carry and are familiar with a lot of brands.
Used suits can be just fine. I just sold my oldest one, my first dry suit, to a student for $600. Buying it brand new, with all the added bells and whistles it had, would have cost about $2,500. It works fine--my student used it for 3-4 dive trips before buying to be sure. I think $600 is about all I could have gotten for the suit, so you can save a lot.

Yes, Dive Right in Scuba sells a lot of different dry suit models at a wide variety of prices, and they will give you good advice.

When planning a dry suit purchase, don't forget to include the cost of the undergarments. They can be a lot more than you would expect.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

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