Start with 7mm or just get drysuit

[Edward3c]

I was set...then I wasn’t set....then I was set...then wasn’t...and now I am set again

I just wanted to hear a little encouragement about it being ok from the start.

Regarding price, the Exodry is suprisingly affordable. Certainly cheaper than buying a high end 7mm then getting a drysuit a year later.

Thanks all!

I did 8 years UK diving in an 8mm semi-dry. When I switched to a dry suit I more than doubled the number of dive I did. I still only get about 7 years from a suit before I replace it.

 

[CT-Rich]

If you are going to dive locally (German lakes) buy the drysuit. If you are going to do mostly travel diving, a wetsuit is reasonable. Traveling with a dry suit will include the suit, undergarments, a weight system, like a DUI harness though you will be getting the lead at your destination. A wet suit will pack smaller than a crushed neoprene suit and all the accompanying toys. An no ever had to abort a tropical dive because their wetsuit was leaking at the seals....

Wet suits have some advantages over a dry suit because the amount of lead you need will be significantly less and controlling buoyancy is inherently simpler. If you are never plan on water below 15C and not expecting to go deeper than 20 meters, a 7mm may be fine. I like diving in warm water with a wet suit. My dry suit extends my dive season considerably, but it was a significant investment.

 

[almostDIR]

Wet suits have some advantages over a dry suit because the amount of lead you need will be significantly less

depends on the suit material and undergarments. for me the difference is couple of kilos compared to my 5.5mm wetsuit but not much more than that. depends on how much air you keep in the suit and so on.

wetsuits have the advantage of being completely usable even if damaged. A leaking drysuit pretty much ruins the dive so one needs to be more careful with them

 

[Edward3c]

If you are going to dive locally (German lakes) buy the drysuit. If you are going to do mostly travel diving, a wetsuit is reasonable. Traveling with a dry suit will include the suit, undergarments, a weight system, like a DUI harness though you will be getting the lead at your destination. A wet suit will pack smaller than a crushed neoprene suit and all the accompanying toys. An no ever had to abort a tropical dive because their wetsuit was leaking at the seals....

Wet suits have some advantages over a dry suit because the amount of lead you need will be significantly less and controlling buoyancy is inherently simpler. If you are never plan on water below 15C and not expecting to go deeper than 20 meters, a 7mm may be fine. I like diving in warm water with a wet suit. My dry suit extends my dive season considerably, but it was a significant investment.

When I moved to a dry suit I dropped 1 1/2 kg

 

[dhaines429]

Here on the west coast of Canada most shops bundle ow and drysuit together. I have been in a wetsuit once on a lake dive in the summer just to try it out. I did ow in a drysuit and honestly if you need 7mm wetsuit you might as well go dry.

 

[TMHeimer]

depends on the suit material and undergarments. for me the difference is couple of kilos compared to my 5.5mm wetsuit but not much more than that. depends on how much air you keep in the suit and so on.

wetsuits have the advantage of being completely usable even if damaged. A leaking drysuit pretty much ruins the dive so one needs to be more careful with them

I once saw a seriously leaking drysuit REALLY ruin the day in 33F (+1C) water.....

 

[1atm]

I once saw a seriously leaking drysuit REALLY ruin the day in 33F (+1C) water.....

Now that raises the question: what is worse - a leak in your drysuit or a pee-saster with your p-valve? ;-)

 

[60plus]

Being "caught short" is definitely one advantage of a wetsuit. I face a similar choice to the OP and I just cannot make up my mind. I am considering a neoprene suit from Dry Suit - Seaskin Ultra Drysuit - Seaskin Custom Diving Suits but I am lucky in having several manufacturers within a 2 hour drive. I am comfortable in a 3/2 wetsuit down to less than 14 C. When I ventured deeper and it was 4 C it was my bare hands and head that were the problem not my body inside the suit. I bought a 7mm wetsuit (about £130) to dive in cold water but with hindsight it is too inflexible and needs a lot of weight. I should have bought a 5mm or 5mm semi dry, perhaps a 5mm farmer john.

 

[almostDIR]

Being "caught short" is definitely one advantage of a wetsuit. I face a similar choice to the OP and I just cannot make up my mind. I am considering a neoprene suit from Dry Suit - Seaskin Ultra Drysuit - Seaskin Custom Diving Suits but I am lucky in having several manufacturers within a 2 hour drive. I am comfortable in a 3/2 wetsuit down to less than 14 C. When I ventured deeper and it was 4 C it was my bare hands and head that were the problem not my body inside the suit. I bought a 7mm wetsuit (about £130) to dive in cold water but with hindsight it is too inflexible and needs a lot of weight. I should have bought a 5mm or 5mm semi dry, perhaps a 5mm farmer john.

I originally bought the 5.5mm wetsuit for snorkeling and very basic freediving practicing. Scuba diving came later so I just transferred the suit to that. the 10mm wet hood I also bought before scuba just for snorkeling and transferred it to scuba use later. I did not see much point with the 7mm suit compared to the 5.5mm (would quickly get cold anyway and the numbing fingertips were a real problem with 5mm wet gloves on scuba) so the drysuit was my only realistic option to stay warm I guess

being able to dive almost 12 months a year with drysuit compared to maybe 6 or 7 on wetsuit and also being able to do longer dives... it was absolutely worth it no matter the price

 

[ajduplessis]

Get a drysuit