Probably saved myself $2K today

[Eric Sedletzky]

What's a wet suit?

A drysuit that has sprung a leak.

---------- Post added May 13th, 2014 at 12:23 AM ----------

Part of the reason I got into this thread was to validate and support the OP.
There need to be more balance when it comes to wetsuit/drysuit wars.
I also have a drysuit that I dove for years (surprise surprise!) The zipper finally failed and it will cost me $600 to have it fixed because it's a special heavy duty commercial style one.
The drysuit sits in a box because I can get a pretty decent custom two piece beaver tail wetsuit for that price.

My whole argument is aimed at the people who write off wetsuits because, well maybe their weenies? I don't know. But not everyone's a weenie.
And maybe a few of those individuals don't know the first thing past a cheap wetsuit off the rack because they didn't know where to look or didn't care. When I hear crap like "The best way to save money on a wetsuit is to buy a drysuit" this to me is a very narrow minded and ignorant comment.
These people have no clue what's out there and what can be had in custom wetsuits.
To me there are definite advantages to diving wet that out weigh diving dry.
All the things I listed in my previous post, and also the fact that some people like to be wet underwater. They like the feeling of cool cleansing salt water on their skin. I love how my skin feels after being bathed in sea water.
It's more worth it to me to do a shorter shallower dive wet, than a deeper longer dive dry.
To me the benefits and ease of a wetsuit far outweight the benefits of diving dry. People have the ability to adapt to many things and cold is one of them. I feel energized and renewed when I dive wet.
I also can camp and dive for as many days as I want diving wet. Just rinse off the wetsuit (or maybe not at all) and pull the thing on the next day and keep diving. Never bothered me a bit. With drysuits the guys are hanging them out on special racks trying to get them dry inside again and trying to dry out the undergarmets. After a few days the drysuit stuff starts to stink to high hell because of sweating in it. Wetsuits get cleansed in sea water then can be rinsed with a hose at the end of the day (or not). If their wet, who cares? they're wetsuits.

Wetsuits are also much better for kayak diving, which we do a lot of in our region.
Doing a kayak dive in a drysuit sucks. You have to be fully zipped up and then paddle out getting overheated and the neck seal squeezing your neck making your head turn red and feel like it's going to pop.
In a wetsuit you can paddle out in your bottoms with your arms free to move enjoying the nice sunny day. Pull on your top when you get out there. When you come up you can get on the kayak and pull off your top again and eat lunch and relax instead worrying about filling a drysuit with water if you unzip to cool off and roll it.
I started off wet, then went dry, then wet again.
I have many wetsuits, one is 1/2" thick and It's like diving in a hot tub in water in the 40's
We don't have water in the 30's here so I can't say what that would be like.


So there is you pro wetsuit post for whoever cares.
Long live wetsuits!

 

[Hickdive]

The point that has sailed completely over your head is that drysuits keep you warm, dry and comfortable between dives as well as on the dive.

I dare say that if I lived in a relatively benign climate like California then the period between dives wouldn't matter so much but, where I am, a diver in a wetsuit will become very cold, possibly hypothermic in an open boat 90% of the time.

A diver who turns up for a boat trip in a wetsuit is a diver who won't get invited out on the boat a second time because so many concessions have to be made to keep them warm.

 

[doctormike]

To me there are definite advantages to diving wet that out weigh diving dry.

Best point made in this whole thread!

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

Someone already said it, a dry suit is a tool. A wet suite is a tool. There are variations of each.
1) What is optimal depends on the environment and diver
2) What is good enough depends on your mindset
3) What you can afford depends on your pocketbook
4) How much gear you want to deal with again goes back to your mindset

Ideally, you find someplace where all 4 criteria are met and overlap. Most of us that dive enough end up with a box box full of tools and the tool chosen to use varies from day to day and most of the time there is multiple choices. We all tend to have a favorite tool and don't understand why our favorite tool is not everyone's favorite, they must be stupid or something ;-)

 

[Mike126]

We all tend to have a favorite tool and don't understand why our favorite tool is not everyone's favorite, they must be stupid or something ;-)

That pretty much sums it up! Now for the next debate.... You'll die using a BPW!

 

[mrose]

I don't agree.

I don't mind my 3 mm shorty for the Caribbean, but I really can't stand heavy wetsuits - hot, tight and uncomfortable on the surface or the boat deck, and they lose warmth at depth. Also, they take me a long time to put on (but it has been a long time since I was in a 7 mm wetsuit - maybe they have gotten better).

Wetsuits have come a long way. My dive buddy has a standard, stiff 7MM that is a bear to put on for the first dive and nearly impossible to put on for the second dive. My Aquaflex 7MM is almost as easy to put on as my 3MM. I've seen other manufacturers with very nice 7MMs, but the Aquflex fit me the best. It's definitely pricey at around $400, but if you prefer diving wet, it's a great option. My problem is that with my drysuit, I may never again use the Aquaflex except as a drysuit backup...

 

[doctormike]

Wetsuits have come a long way. My dive buddy has a standard, stiff 7MM that is a bear to put on for the first dive and nearly impossible to put on for the second dive. My Aquaflex 7MM is almost as easy to put on as my 3MM. I've seen other manufacturers with very nice 7MMs, but the Aquflex fit me the best. It's definitely pricey at around $400, but if you prefer diving wet, it's a great option. My problem is that with my drysuit, I may never again use the Aquaflex except as a drysuit backup...

OK, I'll take your word for it. My Henderson Hyperflex 5 mm is very easy to put on and off. But even if the new 7mm suits are easier to put on than the old ones, they still have the same thermal characteristics, right (assuming proper fit).

In any case, this really wasn't a dis to wetsuits, they are fine, one of many tools that I use for diving. I just didn't agree that we would always prefer to be diving wet, and that a dry suit was a less than optimal accommodation to colder temperatures... I just wore mine in Florida!

 

[eelnoraa]

..... I just didn't agree that we would always prefer to be diving wet, and that a dry suit was a less than optimal accommodation to colder temperatures... I just wore mine in Florida!

Not prefer diving wet as in general but prefer diving wet when the situation calls for wetsuit diving. And prefer drysuit when situational calls for drysuit diving. Since I own a drysuit, I found the situation that I prefer or willing to dive wet is very limited. Cold is one thing, redundant buoyancy is also a big part. And cold is a relative term. I wished I have my drysuit in my 10 day Thailand live aboard when water temp is 80F, especially for the 2nd half.

 

[doctormike]

.... I just didn't agree that we would always prefer to be diving wet, and that a dry suit was a less than optimal accommodation to colder temperatures... I just wore mine in Florida!

Not prefer diving wet as in general but prefer diving wet when the situation calls for wetsuit diving. And prefer drysuit when situational calls for drysuit diving. Since I own a drysuit, I found the situation that I prefer or willing to dive wet is very limited. Cold is one thing, redundant buoyancy is also a big part. And cold is a relative term. I wished I have my drysuit in my 10 day Thailand live aboard when water temp is 80F, especially for the 2nd half.

I was just responding to another post that said: "I think we all agree most would prefer to dive wet if they could."

But now that I think about it, technically I guess I WOULD agree that MOST prefer to dive wet. Even if I personally don't prefer that...

 

[FinnMom]

I always felt that an excellent semi-dry worked just great for staying warm underwater. BUT: the minute you got out of the water in chilly temps you can experience a world of hurt, esp. in a nice nippy wind. You gotta get darn near naked before you can get dry again and be ready to drive home. That's quite time consuming and uncomfortable at freezing temperatures. With a drysuit you can put on the undersuit in the comfort of your own bedroom and wear it all day if you like. Those of us that undress on site still never need to expose more to the winter winds than our wooly long johns. That's a far sight warmer than trying to towel off wet, bare skin. I remember all to clearly the wonderously refreshing sensations of being a wetsuit diver! makes my lips fel blue just thinking about it.

as for price, my drysuit & undersuit cost more like $1300 brand new, not 2000. And many folks I know have suits they bought used for more like $600-900. when cared for well a drysuit may also last longer and retain it's resale value better than a wetsuit.
Buying a drysuit doubled my number of dives per year and truely gave me a 365 day diving season. I've also found that a membrane suit with just technical long underwear as an undersuit (bare head and hands) is perfectly comfortable at temperatures like those in an indoor pool.