Semi Dry Suits

[Bruce B]

thanks guys
I was looking for feed back on the suit j have not been on any public dive boats since i bought my first boat about 15 years ago and the semi dry suit was not a common item and our dive shop did not sell them i have been diving long enough that I have worn out about a dozen custom wet suits

 

[guyharrisonphoto]

Just dove with my Mares Isotherm Semi-Dry. It is great, best "wetsuit" I have ever seen. Review is on a separate thread.

 

[right_on]

i also dove in a semi dry last week, scuba pro nova scotia 6.5 - review also in a separate thread.

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ex...view-scuba-pro-nova-scotia-6-5m-semi-dry.html

 

[guyharrisonphoto]

I think the consensus from me and right_on is that the semi-drys are excellent. I think they might be ideal for water from 55 degrees (shorter dives) to 75 degrees (multi-hour dives).

I just bought a used drysuit which I should be trying very soon for comparison.

 

[ScubaND]

I'm selling my aqualung solafx that is basically new. If your interested pm me.

I will also second that I dive in colder water and the solafx is an awesome suit. I am actually ordering another one just different color is the only reason I am selling it

 

[Scuba.com]

Scuba.com is having a sale on the Mares Isotherm 6.5mm semi-dry wetsuit including the Isotherm 6.5mm hood, for $199.00.

This is absolutely unheard of. I snapped up two of them, one each for my wife and I.

This particular suit seems to have an excellent reputation in reviews and by users on this board as one of the "driest" semi-dry suit ever made, and several users claim it is excellent even down to water temps of 50 degrees.

jump on it!!!

Hey thanks for the shout out! We do have a few of these left! Mares 6.5mm Isotherm Semi Dry Jumpsuit / Wetsuit 482049 with reviews at scuba.com

While the Mares Isotherm 6.5mm semi-dry has been discontinued, it received some pretty good reviews. If you are considering the Mares Semi Dry, there is another thread about it here on SB: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ex...m-trilastic-isotherm-semi-dry-jumpsuit-2.html

Cheers,

 

[elwaupo]

I got a good deal on an unworn Mares semi-dry suit last year. Being a dry suit diver, my buddies would give me a bad time for using a dry-suit so I thought I would meet them half way. The fit was so comfortable and it felt like a good wet suit, didn't care for the rear entry. I've never used a semi-dry before so I just weighted myself down and went diving, what a laugh I must have been. I could not stay under water if you gave my the Titanic's anchor. I gave up on that project and got on YouTube for advice and this site. You have to "burp" them just like a dry suit. The seals kept me pretty dry with only minor leakage around my ankle seals. Yes there was a little extra room which created air pockets to keep me a float. I love my dry-suit but I like my semi-dry suit as well. I'm planning on conquering this suit!

 

[kaerius]

I got a second hand, barely used, mares 7mm semi-dry, with matching 5mm shortie with hood, to go on top. I would class it as a moist suit, I was wearing a t-shirt underneath on a dive and it became moist, similarly to a shirt worn under a rainjacket, more sweat than leaks, the seals were very good. That said it was barely-tolerable in 7°C/45°F for a half-hour dive, mainly because the hands and feet get wet, and I don't have a full-face mask, so my face was pretty cold around my mask and mouth. I wouldn't personally like to dive in it again in anything under 15°C/59°F, but it would be good from there up to about 25°C/77°F before becoming uncomfortably warm instead.

 

[maniago]

Both my wife and I have Aqualung Solafx 8/7s semi-drys. They are our first "wetsuits". We've dove them in 84 down to 43 deg water. Bit hot in the summer out of the water, but totally great once in. In the cold, I was good to about 48, but at 43 on my second dive of the day, I was cold, but mostly just hands and feet. I also wear a dive skin under it (as does she) and that makes getting it on easier (for a wetsuit). I also do the shopping bag thing for legs and arms and that makes it one more notch easier. It does have lots of float, so you'll need a good bit of lead, though with my steel 100 and pony, I only have 7lbs of extra lead, down from the 18 I started diving with. We're both diving the suits today, though different places - water in the high 40's low 50's regardless. I don't expect any issues. And they are about half the price of the cheapest Whites Fusion; you could buy 5 for the price of a DUI. I really don't expect to have to buy another wetsuit ever (say 20yrs). Maybe seems odd, but its pretty tough (cuts and bad abrasions not withstanding).

 

[D-Rail]

I just put 8 dives on my Scubapro Nova Scotia 6.5mm Semi-Dry. Temp range 48-58 degrees. I found the suit very easy to get in and out of, but help is required to zip on/off. Water never penetrated beyond the elbows or knees, and the water that did penetrate was minimal. Arms, legs and torso were minimally damp from sweat. I was very comfortable during the SI's with the top pulled down to waist and adding a fleece jacket and knit cap in 55-65 degree surface temps with light winds. I did not take my Deep See 5mm boots off and my feet and ankles did begin to chill during the SI on the colder days. Once in the water, I had to burp the suit at the neck to release air pockets. I was able to get the hang of this after a few dives so that maximum air was released without water infiltration. Cool water did come in on the first few attempts, but warmed up immediately. I will be looking forward to letting a splash of water into the suit as the surface temps warm up. If you are prone to heating up, in surface temps above 65 degrees with sunshine, you'll want be be in the water as soon as possible after donning your hood, gloves and bcd. At depth, I was able to burp additional water from my wrist seal without water infiltration, but note that I have the Scubapro 5mm gloves overlap the inner wrist seal, then fold down the outer wrist flap over that. Under water, there were no issues with comfort or flexibility. I do have a complaint about the hood that comes with the suit. After the first 2 dives, 3 small 1/2" tears appeared around the jawline on the interior of the hood. My LDS will be addressing this issue with Scubapro this coming week.
I am 6'4" and 140lbs. I purchased the XL. Fits great.
For marketing purposes, "semi dry" sounds much cooler than "not as wet" which is the reality of this suit. And "not as wet" is greatly appreciated during the SI's.
I will be doing multiple deep water dives over the next few weeks. Temps in the mid 40's are expected. I am debating on whether I should test the warmth of this suit at these temps, or add something like a Lavacore Polytherm beneath the Scubapro? Has anyone added a layer beneath a semi dry, and how well did it work for you?
And if anyone ordered an XL and it just didn't work out for you, contact me if you want to sell it. I'm always looking for a deal. Who knows how long these suits will remain on the market? I might want a couple of spares!