dkatchalov
Contributor
Lol, I did consider writing "get a DS" as well, but thought that is absolute and utter crap 
Do you have to use a wet suit?
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sorry MD, RJP's post takes the cake for me
I have to agree... I laughed so hard I cried.....
My wife swears by the spray on stuff, basically baby shampoo and H2O as stated in NoBoundries post, her suit does go on easier with it.
Personally I can get in and out of my wetsuits with almost no effort- takes time/practice of course my dry suit goes on pretty slick too.....
Personally I can get in and out of my wetsuits with almost no effort- takes time/practice of course my dry suit goes on pretty slick too.....
redrover
Guest
You might try a Henderson Hyperstretch, they are soooo much easier to get into and a pleasure to wear. Maybe look at a core Warmer, I’ve got a Henderson and a DM borrowed it, woulda never thunk that guy could have, :11: really stretches.
I had a zip front shortie (lost it somewhere) that was easy to get into and not like the full wetsuit feeling. Pretty cheap, a Deep Sea I think. Worked ok for snorkeling but by diving I was acclimated enough here I got a wetsuit pronto. It might work for your cold tolerance being in Michigan and all. I see people here with no suit or skins.
Oh, definitely read the funniest thread, you are not alone.
I had a zip front shortie (lost it somewhere) that was easy to get into and not like the full wetsuit feeling. Pretty cheap, a Deep Sea I think. Worked ok for snorkeling but by diving I was acclimated enough here I got a wetsuit pronto. It might work for your cold tolerance being in Michigan and all. I see people here with no suit or skins.
Oh, definitely read the funniest thread, you are not alone.
diver 85
Contributor
Buy a dive skin! They work to protect you from Hydroids and if you wear a wet suit it will help it slide on or off!
Agree....I dove almost 15 years in the Caribbean with only skins before getting my 1st 2 mm shortie......
Yeah, that post from RJP is funny as hell, one of the best!
Back on topic- when the Gulf hits 82F I'm perfectly happy diving gym shorts, BP/W and nothing else, but...I'm a jelly fish magnet and that spoils the fun of skin diving. I'm allergic, and jelly fish stings look like I've been hit with a bullwhip.
Back on topic- when the Gulf hits 82F I'm perfectly happy diving gym shorts, BP/W and nothing else, but...I'm a jelly fish magnet and that spoils the fun of skin diving. I'm allergic, and jelly fish stings look like I've been hit with a bullwhip.
For my tropical diving I used my surfing wetsuit (Rip Curl e-bomb 3-mil), which is extra stretchy and very easy to get on and off. Personally, I'd never dive without a full wetsuit in the tropics because of sunburn, but I'm sure others will disagree with that.
Hi Kevin,
If you intend to get anywhere with "this dive thing" you will need to deal with wetsuits or drysuits at some point. The good news is that correctly donning and doffing the right suit is not difficult, strenuous of frustrating at all. Whatever shop you last visited apparently didn't do you any favors in the form of instruction of presenting the correct size suits to try.
Here is a recent post where I describe how to get into a suit. With a little practice it becomes a back ground task while talking with your dive buddies.
The other possibility is that you are not an off the rack sort of guy. In that case search this forum for "custom wetsuits" there are a number of companies that can set you up with a custom fitted suit for the price of a premium off the rack item. When it comes to wetsuits fit is the most important thing for thermal performance and ease of use.
Pete
As noted, everyone is different. I don't feel the cold like some people and I don't wear a wetsuit unless absolutely necessary. Which to me means a 2pce 5mm in water 70 deg or below, it gets down to about 63 deg where I am and its all I've ever needed for 1 and 2 dives. Around 72 deg I get away with a 2mm shorty and can dive all day and be totally comfortable. Above that and its shorts and a t-shirt rashy, mainly to stop the BC scratching my back, jellyfish and stinging coral aren't a problem and I don't bounce across reefs
So my advice is, especially if you are thinking of diving in summer in 80 deg water (warm bath if you ask me), just try it. It adds tremendously to my enjoyment of diving, plus its a lot less gear to cart around and wash. The best bit, apart from not having to muck around with wetsuits and extra weight, is that your bouyancy hardly changes at all with depth. You can get your gear on and off in a minute or two, and there is NOTHING like the freedom of being down there "at one" with the water, free to move around without a constrictive wetsuit on!
So my advice is, especially if you are thinking of diving in summer in 80 deg water (warm bath if you ask me), just try it. It adds tremendously to my enjoyment of diving, plus its a lot less gear to cart around and wash. The best bit, apart from not having to muck around with wetsuits and extra weight, is that your bouyancy hardly changes at all with depth. You can get your gear on and off in a minute or two, and there is NOTHING like the freedom of being down there "at one" with the water, free to move around without a constrictive wetsuit on!
fisherdvm
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My guess is you're going to be fine without a wetsuit. Might bring along a warm jacket just in case the surface interval is chilly when it rains. A 3 mm hyperflex full suit is nice, if it is just to protect you from scrapes and bumps. A shortie is nice for the thermal protection, and is easy to get on and off. I have a 7 mm corewarmer that is quick and fast to put on, and kept me warm even when I dove in 75 degree water with a 55 degree surface temperature in the Keys.
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