Wet or Dry?
ArticleThe drysuit diving becomes more and more popular but many divers still prefer wetsuits.
Most of the temperate water divers are hesitating about drysuit diving. If you have the proper drysuit and undersuit and you are trained to use it, it's a great deal to have one. The cold water isn't that big problem anymore and what's even better, the surface interval is much more comfortable. The boat ride after the dive can be the worst part of the day, sitting in the boat in a damp wetsuit isn't too much fun.
Before you buy your first drysuit, there are some things to consider. First of all: do you really dive that much in cold water? The drysuit will be the most expensive item of your dive equipment, but who wants to spend 1000-1500 USD on a suit what he uses only for 2-3 times per year? And while a small tear won't ruin your wetsuit, your drysuit will be useless if it has even a small leak. You have to take care of the seals, you need to repair them regularly and so on. You have to choose the drysuit carefully, because the crushed neoprene and the trilaminate fabrics' attributes are different. The trilaminate is ideal even in warm water with a thin undersuit, while the bulky crushed neopren can be worn alone. It's strongly recommended to make a drysuit diving course before you use it. So drysuit diving requires more preparation and more money.
I think the drysuit is good for everyone who dive in temperate waters regularly and it's a reasonable investment. But if you don't really need it I'd suggest choosing a good semidry suit instead. Sadly a quality semidry is never cheap. It isn't surprising, if you think about the fabrics or the expensive parts like the watertight zip. It needs some maintenance as well. A good semdry will keep you warm even in cold waters and you don't have to learn new skills when you use it. But I have to confess it doesn't matter how good is your wetsuit, drysuit or semidry, basically our personal decision if we dive in cold water or not. Some people try it and hate it while others love this special environment.
So before you buy any kind of expensive cold water suit, first borrow one and join an experienced buddy for a quarry or a temperate seawater dive. You have to answer the wet or dry question only if you said yes to submerging in chilly waters.
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