New and seeking answers.

[TSDing]

Hi all! I'm fairly new to scuba diving and have ben lurking in the shadows of the forum learning as much as I can about the sport.

I took my o/w back in March in Thailand and I've been hooked ever since. I promised myself that when I returned to Vancouver I would keep diving, maintain the skills I've learned and to learn even more about diving safely.

I have been looking into the AOW curriculum and I have a few questions.

-I'm not yet drysuit certified and was wondering if the AOW covers use of a drysuit or do I need to pay extra for the drysuit cert?

-What kind of hood and gloves do I need? I'm a skinny guy with not much natural insulation.

Thanks in advance and I look forward to diving with some of you in the future.

 

[akirawut]

You need to pay extra for a drysuit cert. Any cold water hood should do, although the specific style you go with will depend on the style of exposure protection you settle on. Same goes for gloves. I use a 5 mm bare gauntlet style glove, very cheap and basic. Lots of people dive dry gloves.

I would lean towards the dry glove if you get cold easily, seems to help with the mobility too. It's on my list for that reason.

 

[rob1967]

I would suggest to speak to the friendly folks at your local dive shop. At this time of year, you could get away with a big thick wet suit or 2, but most of us dive dry, and this allows us to dive all year long. I too learned tropical first, and it takes a while to get the hang of cold water diving, but once you get the hang of it, it can be very rewarding.

I am guessing you could probably arrange with your local dive shop to do the dry suit cert and the AOW together.

 

[oggy666]

I use whites hood and whites 5mm gloves, have not felt cold yet. Hard to get the glove on at first, but it gets easier. Message me if you ever come dive on the island.

 

[TSDing]

Thanks all for the quick responses. I appreciate the input. I can't wait to get wet and try out some of the gear I've been slowly collecting. Any recommendations on which shop I should go with?

 

[Thalassamania]

I favor a latex dry hood that mates up to my suit and a pair of dry gloves.