Dry, Wet or Semi?

[Shark Bait]

Just depends on what you will be using it for. I use a 2 peice semi and for what I do its perfect almost all year round,
I usually only do 1 dive at a time but if I were to begin doing 2 or more dives during the day then I'd say a Dry suit would be far better.

As far as the wet suit is concerned I wouldnt even consider it sure it may be cheaper but for the bigger range over the U.K season its got to be one of the other two.

Plus if youre going some place warm you can just take the "shortie" part of your semi dry and have no bother getting a warm water suit.

[Kalahari Diver]

I use a 7mm semi, too mean/broke for a dry suit. They don't go wrong either. You know it will leak so you expect it!

David.

[mark g]

i took my drysuit to the red sea in march, the wind chill was quite something for the wet folks, plus you just dry your hair and get a cup of tea no faffing drying and putting warm clothes on

[recurve]

I'm a real 'semi' advocate, but even then, a week up in the orkneys was quite tough during the surface intervals, but then it was two or three dives a day in not the warmest time of year. Only the best skipper and crew in the world (thanks H&H) stopped me getting chilled to the bone.

My advice is try before you buy, you might be happy in a semi, and for most of the time I am (and you can pick up a good semi for less than a hundred notes s/h). You can always sell again on that well known auction site if you find you're not warm enough.

Just my two drachma

[mark g]

forgot to mention i have a spare suit to flog, its a poseidon technica neoprene to fit 6 foot to 6 foot two around 14-15 stone in good nick and cheap! if you want to take it and try it, thats ok with me

[ha5mth]

I thought about this too.
I opted for a good 2 piece semi (7 mm) - beaver icelandic ultra
I dont feel the cold too much and its fine for most of the year in the uk, plus i can just take 1 piece on my hols.

A dry suit is great for diving all year round... BUT that comes at a price!
AND when it leaks (which it will do eventually) it can be bloody expensive to fix.
A dry suit is also a bit more difficult to dive in (i find anyway). But like all things it takes practice.

I sugest trying out a few before you buy

[sidthejedi]

I'd say a drysuit but thats what I've done all my diving in. Given I find it impossible to get anything out of a stab pocket underwater without a lot of faff I know I'd be a christmas tree without my drysuit pockets.

One problem I found was trying to find someone with one that I could try on, given that I was a wee bit taller than those people I knew who were the same build as me, or I was the same height but *ahem* bigger boned :embarrassed:.

[jimny14]

I'd suggest if your gonna dive in uk more than once or twice a year (in summer) get a dry suit! Yes they are expensive, but look after it and it will last years and years (unless your like an instructor friend of mine who is buying his 3rd poseidon neoprene dry suit in as many years cos he slashed both of them with his dive knife while packing the van!). I've dived all year round dry, from 3-20 celcius. Once you get used to it, it becomes second nature (like the rest of diving). If your gonna rent a few in britain your gonna need a cert, but if your buying one the guys dont seem to bother bout certs. Im 6'5 and not really thin, and i managed to get an off the peg suit from otter, an otter skin 2+2 (2" extra on arms and legs) this does the job for me and fits really well. Some say its a little restrictive over semi/wet but i'd rather be warm and place my kit where i can get it, ive never found it a problem diving dry and i've always enjoyed it, especially diving in the summer with a few guys in semis, after the dive hanging round the beach they get cold very quickly where as us dry guys jus hang about have a tea and a sarnie etc while contemplating the next dive without having to worry about keeping warm and getting the feeling in to your hands.

[Usurper]

Still using my Scubapro scotia semidry as of a week ago, and have yet to be cold.

[DAFFY]

[never found it a problem diving dry and i've always enjoyed it, especially diving in the summer with a few guys in semis, after the dive hanging round the beach they get cold very quickly where as us dry guys jus hang about have a tea and a sarnie etc while contemplating the next dive without having to worry about keeping warm and getting the feeling in to your hands.[/quote]


what, in the summer!!! must admit have never seen any of my mates who use semi's having to get the feeling back in their hands after a dive in the summer either from the shore, rib or hardboat. Obviously your friend don't have ready brek for breakfast