7mm semi-dry suit opinions please

[interceptorxj]

Hi There
I am considering buying a 7mm semi dry suit (T52 arktic) for UK diving and would value any oppinions on them in comparison to dry suits? I noted Joanna dived at Capernwray in Feb at 3 degrees with no probs, Thank you in advance for any input.

Kev
Mcr. UK

[Dave (Simmo)]

Don't bother, with a semi, if your looking to dive in the UK year round [or even more than just in the summer] -

If you buy a semi now you will just buy a dry in the winter. Thus wasting the money you spent on the semi! Here speakuth the man who did just that.

It's fine until you find yourself on a boat in the late autumn/winter/spring trying to keep warm in a wet suit when the skipper won't let you in the cabin cos you're dripping. Whilst all around you windproof dry suited friends stand around in groups admiring your jogging on the spot to keep warm.

Dave

Ps - don't ask which Dry Suit to buy unless you enjoy reading. The answers will be as varied as they are numerous go talk to your club/LDS/instructor see what they're using and why they use it. I've yet to finally prove it but I suspect there are as many dry suit manufacturers as there are divers. Polar Bears/Oceanic/Ro-Ho all seem to be well regarded [although I have neither] Tri Lam/Neo/Compressed Neo all have as many hate each one as love each one.

The most important factor is it fit's correctly.

[ardhill]

I am considering buying a 7mm semi dry suit (T52 arktic) for UK diving and would value any oppinions on them in comparison to dry suits? I noted Joanna dived at Capernwray in Feb at 3 degrees with no probs, Thank you in advance for any input.
I am not sure who Joanna is, but if she is happy in 3 degrees in a 7mm semi, then she is in the minority. Most people will have problems in that temperature.

The issue is not only how comfortable you feel, but as Dave pointed out - the bits in between dives, but there is a safety aspect as well. When colder, you are more likely to cramp, more likely to dehydrate and more likely to get a DCS hit as you will not off gas as easily or as quickly as you would if you are warm.

Yes, you can use a 7mm semi in the summer months - I have. And as my dry suit is off at 'hospital' at the moment, I would be using my semi if I was going for a dive this weekend. But, I would be cautions on where I went, how many dives I did, the depth I was at and the dive time. I cannot do the same diving in a semi as I do in a dry suit and I am warmer than the average person. If two dives were planned for instance, and the second was after a 30min RIB drive, I wouldn't bother going at all. Because I know that a 30 min trip on a RIB when soaking wet in a semi and I will be so cold that I wouldn't want to go in for my second dive. So I would sit it out for the next 45-60 minutes whilst the others had there dive and I would sit on the RIB whilst hypothermia was slowly setting in. Big coats do help some, but not enough to say it is OK to use a semi even all summer for the majority of divers.

As I said, you will find some people who dive all year round in the UK with a semi, but they are in the minority. If you get a semi instead of a dry suit, you are risking the price of the semi, your health or your diving future. People who don't dive in dry suits in the UK are far more likely to quit diving sooner rather than later.

You may think that you did your training in a semi and it was OK. But generally you are (1) not in the water for as long (2) your heart and breathing are way up anyway as it is all so new (3) you never noticed the cold - because you were too excited as it was all so new.

How do i know all this - cause I have been there too. In all honesty, if you want to dive in the UK, then get a dry suit. Oh BTW, you will hate the dry suit at first - most people do till they master it. Then you will be posting answers like this to others who are thinking of getting a semi :D
.

[Smudge]

But just to prove there is an exception to every rule...
I have stopped using a dry suit and now use a 7mm Scubapro Semi dry with their 5mm hooded shorty on top.

As has been said, in the water I find I'm comparably warm with friends in drysuits, the only bugbear is if you have a dive in the morning then a couple of hours off... putting a wet wetsuit/semi-dry on is not pleasant! :eek:

As to the famous "you'll freeze on the surface", in my experience this is not the case, ok mine fits me very snugly (this is critical) but I've spent a fair bit of time whizzing about on ribs in all weathers and not had a problem. In saying that it is a fool who doesn't take a wooly hat on UK boat dives and a windproof can do no harm either (though as hinted, I've not yet had to use mine). The trick is leave the suit on, and done up. It can then insulate as designed.

Incidentally I have done a 15 minute hang (friends computer wouldn't clear, we had planned on about 4 mins iirc!) in 8 deg water and whilst cooler than usual I wasn't chilled at all and it certainly wasn't at the stage of being uncomfortable.

So don't rule it completely out, just beware of the limitations/dangers.

Smudge :)

ps. Whilst on the subject, at a club dive a friend who shall remain nameless was ribbing me all morning about how cold I would be and how I should have a nice snuggly drysuit like him. When we surfaced I discovered he had only been in the water for about 5 mins as opposed to my buddy and I at about 35. On enquiring why, in his noce warm drysuit? We discovered that his neck seal hadn't been folded over properly so after a couple of minutes his drysuit turned into a VERY wetsuit :eek: :eek:
We didn't laugh.... much :D ;)
btw, if you read this and recognise yourself, sorry, but it did make me laugh ;)

[interceptorxj]

Thank you for your detailed replys it is very much appreciated, I think drysuit it is!

Regards Kev

[mirrocraft]

good idea drysuit is the way to go i had a wet suit and semi dry and a drysuit i like the dry best of all

[Gasgow]

In my honest opinion:
a dry suit is dryer
anything else is wetter
When your wet you get colder quicker - either in the water or out!
I have dived in both, and for me I have gone with a semi dry, when I'm in the water I can't really says theres much differance in my body temp, yes you do suffer from wind chill when you get out but I just stick on an old thick hoody which keps the wind off.
Personally I don't like to dive in a dry suit - it is too restrictive, and the air movement within the suit gets on my t*ts, unless you can afford a top clas one, IMO, don't bother.

Whilst people will say that the options are endless with drysuit because you can wear as much or as little underneath as the weather dictates, the same can be said of wet/semi-dry suits, I have a 7mm semi dry, 0.5mm neoprene rash vests, a 3mm neoprene vest with hood and a 5mm shorty, so I can dive in 7.5mm in the warmer uk months, a 5mm shorty when in the Red sea, and have as much as 15.5mm in the winter chill - I am happy with that! an will dive to 30mtrs for 30mins twice, with a break in the middle, and really don't worry too much about the cold.

As far as costs go, here's a run down:

Good Dry suit (new)- £500+
Hood - £40
Undersuit - £40
Gloves - £25
Total - £605+


Good Semi dry - £160+
Shorty - £50
Gloves - £25
Hooded vest - £40
Boots - £ 35
Rash vest - £25
Total - £335+

It is a case of each to there own - you will get some very one sided advice on this site for 1 verses the other, hire them both and see what you think.

I have taken the option to have a more flexible set up and spent the other £270 on further training and boat trips, which personally I feel give me more enjoyment of our sport.:D

Please don't shout at me this is just an opinion!!!!!

[Andy (treerat)]

If I had to pick one I'd go for a dry suit. I do however use a 7mm wet suit for single day dives once the water hits 14 degrees. As Dave said though if you're out on a boat for a whole day with surface intervals the dry suit is the way forward for all the reasons he states.

Mind you he used to look good in a wetsuit!!

There are plenty of dry suit manufacturers about. It'll depend on you budget, location and club as to which one to get. I like and use Polar Bear suits but plenty of people will giv eyou other options.


Andy

[Joanna]

Hi There
I noted Joanna dived at Capernwray in Feb at 3 degrees with no probs, Thank you in advance for any input.

Kev
Mcr. UK

must've got soft, would not do it now. Buy a dry suit, will be cheaper in the long run cos if you carry on diving you will buy one anyway.

My 7mm was a waterproof and is a great semi.

[stuartknowles]

Hi i bought a beauchat 7mm semi dry last year and i used it in capernwray in feb 3 degrees but i also wore a 5mm shortie over the top. It kept me warm and i have been very happy with it but all the same i am now looking for a drysuit because you do still fell the cold when you take it off and your all wet in the freezing cold wind.

[Richard Whitcombe]

If the only way i'd be allowed to dive in the UK was in a wetsuit i'd quit diving. There isnt a single month of the year i'd class it warm enough to go wet.

Ive seen many trainees quit diving after 1 or 2 open water dives due to being utterly cold and miserable in wetsuits, have seen other situations where its been bordering on dangerous letting people dive when they're that cold as well.

[Dave Whitlow]

If the only way i'd be allowed to dive in the UK was in a wetsuit i'd quit diving. There isnt a single month of the year i'd class it warm enough to go wet.
Whatever happened to the tough image of the UK diver?

You are either very sensitive to the cold or have just got too attached to your drysuit and you've not tried wet in the UK for a long time. I must confess that was my feeling until I was forced to fit new seals on my suit mid-season and had the choice of wetsuit or not diving :eek:

When forced to use it I found the wetsuit quite liberating on the RIB although I did miss the extra buoyancy and it just didn't quite feel right with the twinset.

Once the drysuit returned normal service was resumed :D

I suggest next season when it has warmed up you have a try with the wetsuit. You may be pleasantly surprised.

[Richard Whitcombe]

Whatever happened to the tough image of the UK diver?

I don't care about tough image. I dive for fun. Im not having fun if im uncomfortable and cold.

Anything < 20c for me is a drysuit - diving is something i do because i enjoy it and making myself cold isnt enjoyable.

Ive also seen many students near hypothermic or worse as a result of being forced to train in the winter in wetsuits.

[Dave Whitlow]

I don't care about tough image. I dive for fun. Im not having fun if im uncomfortable and cold.

Anything < 20c for me is a drysuit - diving is something i do because i enjoy it and making myself cold isnt enjoyable.

Ive also seen many students near hypothermic or worse as a result of being forced to train in the winter in wetsuits.
I dive for fun too and found 15c was Ok in 5mm semi but then that is me. I must agree I have also seen some sorry sights in wetsuits when it was just too cold. I also got pretty cold myself on Sunday when my drysuit failed to justify the name.:(

[bigjo]

I dive for fun too and found 15c was Ok in 5mm semi but then that is me. I must agree I have also seen some sorry sights in wetsuits when it was just too cold. I also got pretty cold myself on Sunday when my drysuit failed to justify the name.:(
anyone got an opinion on the article in Diver magazine that suggests a freediving wetsuit as an alternative? apparantely they are constructed differently and closer fitting than a normal wetsuit and are much warmer even out of the water

[bakerstreet]

If the only way i'd be allowed to dive in the UK was in a wetsuit i'd quit diving. There isnt a single month of the year i'd class it warm enough to go wet.

Ive seen many trainees quit diving after 1 or 2 open water dives due to being utterly cold and miserable in wetsuits, have seen other situations where its been bordering on dangerous letting people dive when they're that cold as well.

Agree 100%

I have met these people who claim to be 'fine' in 3/4 degrees in semi drys. In fact I had a convo with chap in feb at Stoney COve a couple of years ago.

The conversation was tricky as his lips were a bit bklue, he looked very cold and was struggling to get his change out to pay for his bacon roll cos his hands were shivering. He was apparently fine. Load of crap IMO.

A well known dve company uased to take their trainees to stoney in the depths iof winter and they all used to walk out in their wet suits and all looked terrible and certainly not keene for dive number 2.

No one in our club dives in a semi dry. All dry suits.

I'm getting bit bullish about this sort of thing. IMO the semi dry just isn't the right way to do it in the UK.

[minos]

In my opinion you are a liability to your buddy. If things go wrong I have to depend on a diver whose ability to stay in the water is vastly decreased from a dry suit diver. These semi-dry divers are always talking about how its fine, they can manage the cold, I can't see them surviving a 3+hour stranded at sea ordeal. Get a dry suit and don't add to the already very long list of things that can and do go wrong (hypothermia).

[tony J]

anyone got an opinion on the article in Diver magazine that suggests a freediving wetsuit as an alternative? apparantely they are constructed differently and closer fitting than a normal wetsuit and are much warmer even out of the water
When I dived in france a few people had freediver suits.
They had no zips and very tight, so flushing was low
The downside was that you had to wet them to get them on. In the summer months this is probably ok, the idea of dipping your suit into stoney before putting it on make me shudder.

I will be diving this weekend in my 7mm semi (from waterproof) with a 5mm shortee over the top and a hood (oh and a 3mm vest underneath). I will get a bit chilly after 45 to 55 minutes, but it will be worth it as I'll be on my thrid dive of the day on the thistlegorm ;-)

Tony

[Mick Murphy]

Why a 7MM ?

The current range of semi dry suits are really good - probably the best available is the Aqualung balance comfort 5mm and super stretchy - its the stretch that makes for a good fit. Try them on before you buy £235 all in.
The different combinations also allow you to take with you only the piece thats needed - if you go abroad - cant do that with a dry suit !!!
Be aware that you now come to your BCD fit, its gonna be different in a wet or dry suit so allow enough for the bulkier dry suit.

I am diving on Boxing day and the water temperature is currently 11 degrees at 32 metres - I am diving in a one piece o'neill 5mm with a super freak under
1/2 mm vest. 2 piece hood and 3mm gloves.
Its the deco stops that will chill you down - when your not moving.
Have fun deciding

[garethwoodruff]

As someone who does some instructing for several uni clubs, semi-drys are a useful tool.

For a diver on a budget, they are a lot better than not diving. I did my first year of diving in a semi dry and while the changing is a pain, they do the job. On a trip out to st kilda my drysuit failed and I did most of a weeks diving in a semidry. Its not great, but not really dangerous.

A double layered 7mm semi dry is adequate. A drysuit is a better solution, although a bad fitting leaking semi dry can be worse. If you start to feel the cold in one, shorten your dive times. Just RIB dive in one in the summer etc.......

UK divers managed for years on semi drys and the water has warmed up with global warming since then :rolleyes:

Happy Christmas

:) Gareth.

[kath2407]

I got potted after diving in a semi dry off a hard boat off the south coast in may. Suspected bend.

When doing the second dive I was shivering and according to the diving doc I spoke to shivering is the first sign of becoming too cold. Your body starts to make your extremities shake in order to stimulate blood flow. If you are having to try and situmlate blood flow this obviously mean blood is not really flowing normally. If blood is not flowing normally in your extremities then nitrogen is not being carried back to your lungs to be expelled. Therefore the nitrogen gets "stuck" in your extremities and you end up doing a 5.45 hour stint in Hull pot and then a further 2 hours the following morning.

As far as my experience (and this is personal preference) with hind sight I wish I'd kept the money I paid buying a semi dry, towards buying a MTM drysuit in the first instance. My drysuit has been a fantastic investment, I've had it 4 years now and only just had to replace the wrist and neck seals for the first time.

There is absolutley no excuse for having inadequate thermal protection on any dives. If someone is wam enough in a semi thats fine but if I was instructing or buddying with someone who got out and was shivering to that extent I would be having serious words with them.

K XX

PS I am not a doctor and any medical information I spout it based on hearsay or my diving lectures!!