Dry Suit recommendations

[lw395]

I find it easier to get into my wetsuit than my drysuit.
Wetsuit is an O'Neill. Cheap suits have much less give in the fabric. Last time I was looking to buy one, a cheap 'Medium' would have needed tyre levers to get it on, the 'Large' was baggy.
Drysuit fabric is not stretchy, there is a knack to getting it on. Can be amusing in a crowded changing room when I'm dressing for winter RIB duty. My old Typhoon with a long front zip was easier than the current one with a shoulder-to-chest zip. IMHO.
BTW, top purchase for me has been a cheap thin 'wetsuit vest' I wear under the suit, it extends wetsuit sailing into November, which was previously drysuit season.

 

[bikedaft]

Do others agree with this? The main reason I was attracted to a dry suit rather than a wet suit was because I thought it would be easier to get on and off. Although I'm reasonably fit I'm 64, I've had back surgery twice and my hips are a bit iffy so I was worried about doing myself a mischief getting in/out of a wetsuit. If I thought I could manage it that would be my preference.

Usually quicker to get into wetsuit. And you can swim in them too, if that is your thing.

But a dry suit can be v quick if you are in a hurry - once i jumped over to sort out the prop, drysuit on top of jeans and a fleece

 

[ean_p]

Do others agree with this? The main reason I was attracted to a dry suit rather than a wet suit was because I thought it would be easier to get on and off. Although I'm reasonably fit I'm 64, I've had back surgery twice and my hips are a bit iffy so I was worried about doing myself a mischief getting in/out of a wetsuit. If I thought I could manage it that would be my preference.

I think all things been equal that a dry suit is quicker to get into though there wont be a lot in it especially if the wet suit is dry, not having been used for a while! A two piece semi is quicker than a one piece semi too!
You'll need to remember that as a rule dry suits are not of themselves warm while in the water. You will need the thermal underlayer that needs to be kept dry by keeping the suit seals in good order.
A semi dry wetsuit can be very warm if working, indeed believe it or not I have sweated while working hard at plus 30mtrs in the North sea and have often had to crack the suit zip open to cool down a little. As mentioned above if static and feeling cool then you can always turn the 'central heating' on!
The dry suit comes into its own when you leave the water again as they tend to be wind proof and stop you feeling the chill if travelling at any speed in a boat. Wetsuits will be cold when wet unless you don a windproof jacket in similar circumstances.
All in all if you can just stand and do the job without total immersion then I'd plump for the drysuit, especially one fitted with good boots! If wanting to be submerged and manoeuvre under water or the boat, ie lay down or reach horizontal etc then I'd go for the semi dry wetsuit as it has all the benefits and few drawbacks except that mentioned above!

 

[Skylark]

Opinions seem to vary quite considerably. This thread can compete with our very lively “anchor” or “best crusing boat” threads.

Personally, I loath any form of wet suit. Cold, damp, salt, sand, hard to don and doff, yuk, they’re horrible things.

I’ve been a regular UK diver for many years and have done all but 2 dives in the comfort and convenience of a dry suit. As a one-time dinghy sailor, one of my first purchases was a Crewsaver dry suit.

Slightly off topic but given the choice between a wet suit week in the Red Sea or a dry suit week around UK coastline, I’d far rather prefer the dry suit diving.

 

[LadyInBed]

Slightly off topic but given the choice between a wet suit week in the Red Sea or a dry suit week around UK coastline, I’d far rather prefer the dry suit diving.

Have we ever met, as I've met a fair few masochistic divers

 

[thinwater]

Donning time is very suit dependent. I can easily done mine in less than a minute, and have done so during comparison testing to the US Coast Guard immersion suit standard. Dive dry suits and sailing dry suits are different. I also spent 6 hours in it in 0C water once; my core body temperature actually rose.

https://theotherchesapeake.blogspot.com/2016/09/drysuit-ocean-rodeo-soul.html

https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-swjULCg_zP8/VRwwYkTscWI/AAAAAAAAI24/R9Eh-LWQuM8/s1600/Boat%2B3-25-2015%2B060.JPG

More than once, I've pulled the dry suit on over what ever clothes I had on, fixed something with the prop or similar, and then pealed the suit off without a drop of water on me. THAT saves time, vs. the wet suit drill!

I have two wet suits, and they are better for swimming in warmer water. I don't really see them as serving the same purpose.

 

[DinghyMan]

Remember that you can pee in wetsuit to keep it warm , cant do that in a drysuit

You can in a diving drysuit, just fit a pee valve or a convenience zip.

 

[Skylark]

Have we ever met, as I've met a fair few masochistic divers

No, I don't think we've ever met (but I enjoy reading most of your posts so I'd be very happy to share a beer or two). Thinking about it, we couldn't have met as I'm the least masochistic diver imaginable. Trust me, the diving masochists wear those awful wet suit things, the true wimps much prefer the comfort of a dry suit. No competition.

 

[Malabarista]

The best tip i ever received which covers both dry and wetsuits is plastic shopping bags. Putting them over your hands and feet makes getting into either a doddle. With the wetsuit they can be removed through the sleeves and ankles but in my drysuit i just admire the dead persons feet i own when i remove the suit ?