drysuit or thick wetsuit for tall diver?

[davelew]

I have 105 dives, most in tropical places (Thailand, Bali, Belize, St. Lucia, Little Cayman, Roatan, Cozumel). I also live just north of Boston, where the water temperature is decidedly NOT tropical. I'd like to do some local diving, but it seems like most of the local divers graduate to drysuits fairly quickly in our 55 or 60 degree water.

Here's the isssue: I'm 6'7" tall, 240 lbs, which means I'm really long, not especially svelte, and standard rental equipment really doesn't fit me. My air consumption dropped by about 10% when I got my first properly-fitting wetsuit, a 3mm full suit custom made by liquidfit. I really have no desire to go back to a suit that's too short in the torso and forces me to hunch or get painfully squeezed, especially a drysuit that's less stretchy than an ill-fitting wetsuit.

I'm not sure how much I'll enjoy local diving, so I don't want to drop $2K on a custom drysuit that I'll only use a few times. What should I do to see if I enjoy diving around here? Should I:

1) rent a 7mm wetsuit that can sort of stretch to fit my long torso,
2) rent a drysuit that doesn't fit me and try to dive while slouching,
3) have liquidfit make me a 7mm custom wetsuit,
4) bite the bullet and buy a drysuit that fits me, cause hey, I haven't found a place with bad diving yet

 

[SteveAD]

Dave

Come on by my shop. We can check out your fitting issues (you might actually find you can comfortably wear a stock DUI). I can get you out for a test dive, and your timing is actually perfect, DUI is going to be in Gloucester next weekend (may 2,3) for their DOG Days rally (160+ suits available to test dive)

 

[SubMariner]

I have 105 dives, most in tropical places (Thailand, Bali, Belize, St. Lucia, Little Cayman, Roatan, Cozumel). I also live just north of Boston, where the water temperature is decidedly NOT tropical. I'd like to do some local diving, but it seems like most of the local divers graduate to drysuits fairly quickly in our 55 or 60 degree water.

Here's the isssue: I'm 6'7" tall, 240 lbs, which means I'm really long, not especially svelte, and standard rental equipment really doesn't fit me. My air consumption dropped by about 10% when I got my first properly-fitting wetsuit, a 3mm full suit custom made by liquidfit. I really have no desire to go back to a suit that's too short in the torso and forces me to hunch or get painfully squeezed, especially a drysuit that's less stretchy than an ill-fitting wetsuit.

I'm not sure how much I'll enjoy local diving, so I don't want to drop $2K on a custom drysuit that I'll only use a few times. What should I do to see if I enjoy diving around here? Should I:

1) rent a 7mm wetsuit that can sort of stretch to fit my long torso,
2) rent a drysuit that doesn't fit me and try to dive while slouching,
3) have liquidfit make me a 7mm custom wetsuit,
4) bite the bullet and buy a drysuit that fits me, cause hey, I haven't found a place with bad diving yet

#4.

Being originally from Canada, most of our local diving was done dry (trilam or crushed/compressed neoprene), with a full 3mm neoprene suit for any tropical diving. That's it.

FYI: my husband is not quite as tall as you, but he's definitely NOT a "stock size" kind of guy.

Bonne chance,

 

[boulderjohn]

I'd like to do some local diving, but it seems like most of the local divers graduate to drysuits fairly quickly in our 55 or 60 degree water.

There's a reason for that.

If you are not sure whether or not you will enjoy diving in 55 degree water, doing it in a wet suit should pretty much ensure that it won't be all that much fun.

You sound an awful lot like me--started out with the intent to dive the tropics, really liked it, wanted to try the local stuff. I now do a lot of local diving in the Colorado/New Mexico area, and I really enoy it. I absolutely use a dry suit for those dives.

 

[ivobj]

I would say number 4, there is no comparison between a 7mm and a drysuit in terms of thermal protection, and no dive is bad if you have the proper equipment...

As boulderjohn said, if you dive 55 degree water in a wetsuit, most probably you won't have much fun...

 

[fdog]

I always tell someone agonizing over wetsuit/drysuit: if you are even considering a drysuit, that's telling you something. Get a drysuit.

<snip> I really have no desire to go back to a suit that's too short in the torso and forces me to hunch or get painfully squeezed, especially a drysuit that's less stretchy than an ill-fitting wetsuit.
<snip>

To address your concerns about fit and flexibilty, may I suggest this thread.


All the best, James

 

[FDdiver]

Go dry you will love it. I picked up a drysuit this winter and finally got back in the water last weekend. The water was 44 degrees. It was so nice not to be cold.

 

[CoralSeaMan]

The drysuit is more likely to keep you comfortable. If you are comfortable, you will dive more. The more you dive with it the more economical a drysuit is. I can dive comfortably locally in a wetsuit for 2 months. I do a Carribean trip once a year. For nine months a year I can dive dry.

 

[jjhill]

I would say number 4, there is no comparison between a 7mm and a drysuit in terms of thermal protection, and no dive is bad if you have the proper equipment...

As boulderjohn said, if you dive 55 degree water in a wetsuit, most probably you won't have much fun...

I actually find 55 to be quite comfortable with a 2 - piece 7mm wetsuit.

I've dove wet to a temperature of 38 F but on those dives I'm wishing i had a drysuit.

For me the comfort/ fun factor is around 44 F Below 44 F i'm cold in a wetsuit and am not having as much fun. Above that and I'm good to go.

 

[elan]

I have 105 dives, most in tropical places (Thailand, Bali, Belize, St. Lucia, Little Cayman, Roatan, Cozumel). I also live just north of Boston, where the water temperature is decidedly NOT tropical. I'd like to do some local diving, but it seems like most of the local divers graduate to drysuits fairly quickly in our 55 or 60 degree water.

Here's the isssue: I'm 6'7" tall, 240 lbs, which means I'm really long, not especially svelte, and standard rental equipment really doesn't fit me. My air consumption dropped by about 10% when I got my first properly-fitting wetsuit, a 3mm full suit custom made by liquidfit. I really have no desire to go back to a suit that's too short in the torso and forces me to hunch or get painfully squeezed, especially a drysuit that's less stretchy than an ill-fitting wetsuit.

I'm not sure how much I'll enjoy local diving, so I don't want to drop $2K on a custom drysuit that I'll only use a few times. What should I do to see if I enjoy diving around here? Should I:

1) rent a 7mm wetsuit that can sort of stretch to fit my long torso,
2) rent a drysuit that doesn't fit me and try to dive while slouching,
3) have liquidfit make me a 7mm custom wetsuit,
4) bite the bullet and buy a drysuit that fits me, cause hey, I haven't found a place with bad diving yet

if you like diving and not just looking at corals and all flashy yellow - red - whatever fish you would not regret getting a dry suit and do local diving. I was going through this a year ago. It's a circle - if you do not get a dry suit you might hate diving in our region most of the year. And to get the suit you need to put money in. I decided to risk it and have not had any regrets ever since. Diving is pleasant and comfortable even in mid 30 F water. Ice diving is a lot of fun and you do not think every minute "is it a time to call the dive as I feel that I will start shivering soon.

Dove 2 days ago. 42F, 50 minutes bottom time. Had no discomfort or any cold feeling after the dive.

Few of my friends say ,yes it is possible to dive cold water in 14 mil with warm water put in but you know all divers I see here on our local sites now wear dry suits That might tell something. Besides with the dry suit during the surface interval you do not have to do anything but replace your dry hood with a hat to be warm. No voodoo dancing and redressing as with the wet. Wet will cool down you quickly, with dry you do not care

You can also put it in like this. If you dive dry and nitrox you can get much more diving time and being cold is not going to be your limiting factor. If you love diving dry suit is the right direction.