wetsuit or drysuit?

[moneysavr]

Not to start a flame thread but Chris your point out or state neoprene is bad due to DIR/DIW what way you look at it.

  My point is to divers that may be going into diving I think a neoprene suit is a OK choice with Bare suits you can start out with $700
diving is just not a sport  for folks with big wallets,trust funds and high paying  technical jobs it has turned into a sport for all. and if you take care of it it will hold some value if you decide to go other ways or dry suits

As said They are tough,and the warmest suit on the market, Oh they do have front entry for you SOLO dudes or folks with no dive pals! And the cost of undies off the shelf what you need for water temp in inexpensive technical fabrics,Polly,Lycra,and so on or just sweats.one bad side is the weight you need but may be just a few pounds more than a good 7mm wet suit,less with steel tank-[tanks]

A shell suit can be had for a bit more than a neo suit,but get several pairs of under wear and you have another $300-600 in it,
To  each his own and your points are well taken but neo is not all bad.
Dive safe,
Brad

[ikkie78]

not to sound dumb but what does DIR and DIW stand for?

[mp4]

If you were in the neighborhood I'd let you try it out.  Where and when are you going to get certified?

[Chris H]

DIR (doing it right)  I can only assume DIW is doing it any other way.  There are books written on the subject, and there have been many heated internet debates about it as well.  will give you the skinny.

[ikkie78]

hey mp4...i'll probably be going through my certification next spring/summer with precision sports in oshkosh (NAUI)...talked to them a few times and they were very helpful and friendly.

[Chris H]

Although the reasons I originally stated can be traced directly to DIR, an expensive piece of gear like a drysuit should probably be purchased correctly the first time.  There is no money saved buying things two or three times.

Another disadvantage to a back zip suit is that the zipper is constantly being abused by the tanks on your back.  A zipper replacement, the last time I checked, is around $250. I didn't mention anything about solo diving.  Self donning suits are also preferred by divers who always dive as members of a team as well.  Being able to get dressed by ourselves gives us a chance to get things sorted out before the dive.  Usually we are struggling with the long hose and trying not to strangle ourselves with it.  A bungeed hose on a pony bottle that you can't reach the valve on seems like it would be so much safer, easier to deploy, and easier to stow after use, but for some reason we keep using those darn 7ft hoses :

Cotton should never be worn as an undergarment or base layer for diving or any other sport for that matter.  Cotton holds moisture. Whether it is from sweat or a leak, if you are wet, you're going to get cold.  Technical insulation can be found at REI or wherever, some of it ought to work fine for diving.  Just make sure that whatever you get isn't so restrictive that you can't reach your valves.

Any suit is only as warm as what you wear under it.  A neoprene suit by itself offers more insulation than a shell suit, but I think the shell is much more versatile and still a better suit overall.  Neoprene is tough, so it isn't all bad, it just isn't right.

I don't know too many who don't have to watch the budget.  Again, buying things one time as opposed to buying four before settling on the right one is as much a part of the DIR equipment selection process as anything.

I recommend going to the DUI DOG days that I think is at Lake Wazee on an annual basis and trying a suit.

[dfreeman]

I know that some of the DUI suits would fit you off the shelf.

Best bet is to go to DUI days and try some suits.  This event is at Lake Wazee in JUne this year.

Check out



for details

Doug

[moneysavr]

.  A bungeed hose on a pony bottle that you can't reach the valve on seems like it would be so much safer, easier to deploy, and easier to stow after use, but for some reason we keep using those darn 7ft hoses :

Err,
I had that one comming,to each his/her own and most importantly dive safe!
  By the way we had a GREAT 2 tanker dive today off Portwashington,Water temp per my DR was 42ish top to bottom,vis 20'-30' and Darn I was snug as a bug in my Neo suit!
But I bet the quarry's are much,much warmer :
Dive safe Boys and Girls!
Brad

[Chris H]

.  A bungeed hose on a pony bottle that you can't reach the valve on seems like it would be so much safer, easier to deploy, and easier to stow after use, but for some reason we keep using those darn 7ft hoses :

Err,
I had that one comming,to each his/her own and most importantly dive safe!
  By the way we had a GREAT 2 tanker dive today off Portwashington,Water temp per my DR was 42ish top to bottom,vis 20'-30' and Darn I was snug as a bug in my Neo suit!
But I bet the quarry's are much,much warmer :
Dive safe Boys and Girls!
Brad
[/quote]

Glad you were able to get out and dive.  What were you diving on?  One of the "regular" PW wrecks, or something else?  I was scheduled to dive the Lakeland tomorrow but the Big pond isn't cooperating.  The quarries aren't any warmer and I much prefer Lake Michigan, but on a crappy day like tomorrow is supposed to be, the quarry is a guaranteed dive.

Did you just get a drysuit?  I thought you were Mr. 7mm wet? 

[matt t.]

Neoprene suits are not the BEST choice due to the reasons above. They are cheaper and they will work. That said I would buy a used shell suit before a new neoprene suit. Now, about that long hose...... >