Wet suits and dry suits

[guruboy]

Does this thread still have a point/topic? If so, can a mod restore the title to something more meaningful?

 

[Colliam7]

Does this thread still have a point/topic? If so, can a mod restore the title to something more meaningful?

In the most general sense it is about exposure suits. It started out life as a 'wetsuit vs drysuit' discussion, a user brought 'birthday suits' into it, etc. It got a bit off-topic, a quarry diving discussion was split off, and the exposure suit discussion continued. Through a rather convoluted set of circumstances, it got re-titled as 'Deleted' which I agree made no sense, and I have fixed that. Otherwise, the discussion can proceed as participants, including the OP, direct.

 

[Saniflush]

Does this thread still have a point/topic? If so, can a mod restore the title to something more meaningful?

I vote for Bluegill Breastfeeding.

 

[Chavodel8en]

Does this thread still have a point/topic? If so, can a mod restore the title to something more meaningful?

At the risk of mis-characterizing, the original post was mainly a report on a divers first "wet" diving. She had always dived dry.

She expressed some of the benefits of wetsuit over drysuit. But the discussion got off on a tangent on the particular merits of quarry diving.

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I have no dog in the quarry issue. But I am interested in the wetsuit v drysuit issue. I dive wet in NorCal, where many folks prefer to dive dry. Its mostly a lack of funds thing for me, but I really dont mind diving wet.

Drysuits just seem like an added hassle to me.

Anybody else dive wet in drysuit country? Im especially interested in folks who own a drysuit, but will still use a wetsuit simpy because they prefer them.

Locally I only do ~1 hour shore dives, not long multi-tank dives, so I just dont see a big need for a drysuit.

Maybe I will get a drysuit someday, but if Im gonna spend money on this hobby, I'd prob buy a boss video system first, and maybe get into kayak diving second, before I'd buy a drysuit.

 

[Marie13]

I know people who dive throughout the winter in a semi dry in a cold, deep Ohio quarry, even in the depths of winter when their equipment is icing over as soon as they get out of the water.

 

[MichaelMc]

I like it warm but dive wet in Monterey, CA, not sure if this is dry suit country, but maybe the border of it. But I have a custom 20/10 farmer john and beavertail. I got into scientific diving here and did not want to add dry suit cost and learning curve at the time. I am happy diving my wet suit here, it seems simpler. I am tempted by dry though. Many days with two one hour dives of 55 degrees ~30' I do not notice much. Some years our students in normal wet suits are quickly worn out from cold. With reef check, a two day local boat trip of six one hour dives to 60' 50 degrees left just the drysuit divers and I still diving. I was beat thought. Those with more normal wetsuits were already frozen in the cabin. Semi dry with ice forming on you, that's tough.

 

[Kevo88]

If funds allowed, I'd be diving dry in anything colder than 60F. Currently I dive an 8/7/6 semi dry, which is comfortable down to 55ish for me. I've worn it as cold as 44F, and it was a shock at first but I settled into it fine for the short time at that temp. On a longer dive, I'd have to go with something warmer though.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

I made 800 dives in wetsuits, including many dives when shivering during long deco stops were the norm. My buddies were all in drysuits so when I was able to afford one I began diving dry. I gave my wetsuit away about 1500 dives ago.

 

[undrwater]

I prefer diving wet, but when the air temps are cold (70f and below), I chose to dive dry. More than one dive a day, I also prefer dry.

 

[Storker]

My only wetsuit diving back home was the pool sessions during my OW class. After that, it's been exclusively dry. I can count on one finger the number of persons I know in the local diving community who dives wet, and we often have to make special accommodations for him on club outings. I doubt if anyone will ever see me diving wet around here. I prefer being dry and warm during the SI.

But it is rather nice to skip the drysuit when I'm diving abroad in warmer waters.