Drysuit Cert vs. AOW

[Sas]

I did consider diving dry without the cert but unfortunatly most of my LDSs wont let you take specialties dry unless you have the drysuit cert.

This is... odd. I know shops who do OW with their students in drysuits, I just don't think drysuits are difficult enough to warrant a certification... I think a shop should be ok with you doing specialties if you have some experience already in a drysuit, even without a cert card. If not find another store. Anyway, I think you should get a drysuit, get someone who has one to show you the ropes, do a bunch of dives in that til you are comfortable and then if you think you need it, do your advanced. Basically, drysuits are easy to learn and they are awesome to dive in if you dive in temperate or cold water. That would be my priority as you will enjoy diving so much more if you are warm

AOW is rarely that useful for a diver. There are a few instructors who run great courses but they are really rare. Just doing AOW to the standards given by PADI or SSI or whatever, does not teach you a lot. I think the main reason to get AOW is so you have a cert card to show charters who require it for deeper dives or if you do not have experienced divers to dive with and want a few more dives with an instructor until you get comfortable. I learned a great deal more just going diving, than I have done in my AOW class. If you don't know anybody experienced, post in your local forum here - I have met tonnes of experienced people on diving forums to dive with

 

[elan]

$30 is a bargain price for a dry suit here it costs $60-$80.

You can kill to birds and have the dry suit cert as part of the AOW. Only 2 specs are mandatory - deep and nav. You can pick up others yourself.

 

[diveandclimb]

$30 is a bargain price for a dry suit here it costs $60-$80.

You can kill to birds and have the dry suit cert as part of the AOW. Only 2 specs are mandatory - deep and nav. You can pick up others yourself.

$30 is the price for a wetsuit its $75 for a drysuit. Anyway, thanks for the feedback everybody. I will continue to ponder but I'm leaning towards getting a drysuit and having someone teach it to me and holdign off on my AOW for another year anyway.

 

[Peter Guy]

To add to Liger's points -- You learn to dive by diving, something I think we all can and do agree upon. For those of us who dive in colder waters, comfort (warmth) is a huge factor in determining whether we dive. If you aren't comfortable (warm) during your dive you won't dive or if you do, it will be short.

A drysuit is not necessarily warmer than a good wetsuit -- FOR THE FIRST DIVE, but, at least around here, it is MUCH warmer for subsequent ones. And doing two, or more, dives a day is when you start to learn to dive -- not to mention doing longer dives which allow you to actually try some things while you dive to see how they work.

Me, I'm voting for getting a used drysuit even if you then have to put some money into it (new seals for example). It will permit you to dive and by diving, you'll learn how to dive.

 

[diveandclimb]

I always do two dive days. I never saw the point in lugging out all your gear for forty minutes underwater. So today I did two dives which were each around an hour long plus some surface swimming in high forties/low fifties and I was managably chilly. Although I don't think that I will dive less if I stay wet I will definatly call my dives sooner than if I dive dry. Anyway, I have enough money to get a used drysuit so if anybody has one which would fit a 5'11" 120lbs size 11 foot guy send me a PM.

 

[on_two_wheels]

I didn't read everything but here's my thought: do the aow first. Then, if/when you can afford a drysuit, buy at a shop that has instruction. Just before you buy, work a drysuit class into the deal!! I currently use the same suit/vest combo you do. I'm buying dry this week. I talked cppike into teaching me but offered to pay for a day of boat diving. However, I night get the class included anyway.

 

[Sas]

I didn't read everything but here's my thought: do the aow first.

What is your reason for suggesting this?

 

[elan]

For the price of the AOW class you can almost buy a used suit or pay half of a bill for a new suit like Bare Next Gen. Having dry suit will make you diving more as you will feel warm and nice. Having AOW card will not make you diving cold water

 

[elan]

I did consider diving dry without the cert but unfortunatly most of my LDSs wont let you take specialties dry unless you have the drysuit cert.

Honestly I have never heard such a thing. You do not need any certifications to dive dry suit. You need it if you want to rent. If you have a dry suit and put some dives on it and feel comfortable in the water I personally (but who of them care, right ?) see no reason to deny the training. Moreover if you have the dry suit cert card and cert dives is all you have done I would bet that you will have problems with buoyancy control and purging air properly. I might be dumb or slow learner but even after my 37th dive in a dry suit I still work on those. My buddy was not comfortable and was diving almost upside down 1 st dive after his dry suit cert.
If dry suit is required for diving in your area comfy, go for dry suit. Buy a used,, or new whatever you can afford. You do not have to take the certification class. Read the Internet how do dive the dry suit talk to people who know how to dive, do 4-5 pool sessions by yourself practice air purging flooding, "leg up position", play with the valves. Then go shallow OW and practice there. If you can manage the suit at 15' you will not have any probs at 60' or even deeper. No need to spend money if you are in a situation now where you can not squeeze much money that the most logical path I can see. Dry suit is mostly about practice. PADI dry suit course will not teach you magic. You need to practice no matter if you have got the course or not.

 

[on_two_wheels]

What is your reason for suggesting this?

Because it's my opinion....as he requested.