Dry vs Semi-dry suit

[Bowler800]

I'm looking to dive Lake Michigan which is 40-60 degree water. Am I kidding myself to think a semi-dry suit will keep me warm enough? I'm either looking at a DUI TLS350 Or Scubapro new 6.5mm semidry suit. what are your thoughts.

 

[Paco]

I have dived Lake Michigan wet and dry. In my opinion, it's not so bad doing one dive wet, but if you want to enjoy the second dive, it is best done dry. If you intend to dive it regularly and extend your diving season on the inland lakes, go dry.

 

[GotNoOcean]

First of all, welcome to diving! From your profile, it's still early yet in your diving career. Try some dives in a rental wetsuit to see how it goes, (yes, semi-dry means wet!) If you're really liking diving but find the cold detracts from the experience, the drysuit might be worth your while.

I switched last year to a drysuit for California diving, I'd never go back!

Cheers,

 

[spectrum]

A semi-dry is essentially a very good wetsuit and since it relies on the neoprene alone for all of the warmth protection rolls off with depth and usage. Dives to 40F will be possible but your stay will be limited. It will not be a suit you want to spend a surface interval in during cold times except maybe in a dive parka.

I don't know what the price of that SP suit is but I suspect it has you approaching the cost of a midrange drysuit. For the diving you describe going with the TLS350 is justified if you can swing the $$ especially you you plan to dive outside of the June - September time frame.

Pete

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I have mixed feelings and it depends on the conditions

1. In large deep lakes late in the summer with several thermoclines from derhaps 65-70 degree water on the surface to 35-39 degree water on the bottom, I actually prefer a semi-dry. On a moderate run time deep dive where half the dive is deco, a dry suit warm enough to keep you toasty on the bottom, will be uncomfortably warm at the 20' and 10' stops. With a semi dry you feel the cold a bit at the bottom but quickly warm up in the warmer layers, and if you get too hot at the shallow stops, you can flush some water through the suit - not an option with a dry suit.

2. Early or late in the season where there is less temperature differential and surface temps of only 50-60 degrees with the same 35-39 degree bottom temps, a dry suit is nice to have.

I also agree spending big bucks on a SP suit is perhaps not money well spent. Not much more money (around $500) will get you a 7/5mm O'Neil neoprene dry suit. If you get it properly sized (snug with lightweight underwear) it works perfect for 90% of the season and still swims very much like a wet suit with a lot less squeeze and air movement than a trilam. And, if you get even a serious leak on a wreck, you still have a very efficient semi-dry rather than a very wet, and very cold flooded trilam.

 

[AZ Desert Diver]

Go dry and leave the wet suit for tropic temps or close to them. You will be must happier if you plan on diving all day long in 40 deg. water.

 

[micklock]

I would go with the drysuit. I use mine a lot more than my 7mm two piece. Easier to don and doff.

 

[Hockeynut]

I dove a semi dry for a couple years because I couldn't afford a drysuit. It wasn't all that bad and I did a bunch of dives with bottom temps of 35-38 degrees. The real problem is the air temp. If you don't warm up between dives, the second dive just sux. Now that I have a drysuit, I'll never go back. So, if you can afford it, go dry.

 

[msg]

Go dry. You will not regret it. If you are going to dive in cold water, dive in comfort.

 

[fdog]

The difference between dry and semi-dry is:

warm and semi-warm.


All the best, James