Dive show

[split66]

With the London dive show coming up and feeling the need to start buying some gear, I'd like to find out what wet suits people are using or would recommend. I had thought about maybe full suit/shorty combo? Something that I could use here and abroad.
Any hints http://www.ultimatereef.com/ibv3/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif
Cheers Alan

[philworrall]

Alan,
For here and abroad - no such thing.
Way too cold here for suits that would be usefull abroad.
A compromise might be the top of a two piece if it is not too thick for warm water.
I try to dive with no protection as buoyancy is affected by anything made of neoprene, I like to set and forget.

HTH

cheers

[Haydn]

Alan

I note from the other post you and your wife have resently qualified in the Red Sea and from this post you are considering diving in this country. In the post you say you are looking to buy some kit.

Please before you do get advice about what you need to dive in this country ie dry suit, cold water regs, etc, etc. We have some of the most challenging in the world-cold, dark, currents to name a few. Also please do a course in this country.

Haydn

[diver]

can only agree that there is no suit that will be suitable for diving here and abroad, espcecially if abroad means tropical waters

[philworrall]

Good point Haydn,

It is VERY important that you do some sort of training if you are crossing over from cold to warm water diving and vice versa.

I think that it is this that has been the cause of more PADI / BSAC discussion (sometimes very heated, which is best oh dear me) about which is the best training agency.

Both are good but, one generally trains in cold water the other in tropical hence the percieved major difference.


HTH

Cheers

[kenneth_halley]

Sorry to be contentious- but pants!
A thick Semi dry- at least 7mm with a similar thickness over jacket- that means you would have 14mm over your torso is a fine suit for home and abroad. If you can't afford a drysuit. I did it like this for a couple of years- and still have the suit as its ideal for diving in the Med too which can be cool depending on time of year.
You can get bib and brace types- but these tend to be thinner round the corners of your chest.

It even makes a good pool suit jsut using the jacket on its own

Only down sides to a Semi Dry are.
a) If you intend to do a lot of boat diving in UK- especially in winter- you will get cold- make sure any boat you go on has suitable facilities for changing out the suit between dives. It is tolerable- nearly- on a rib but you would need a nice day!
b) Your feet almost always get cold- Bootees are fine but rarely as thick as the suit meaning they get cold when sitting round on surface.
c) If you are diving on a multi day trip in UK- getting ino a cold wet suit on day two is not fun
d) Getting out a wet suit is blooming freezing after a cold days diving.

When alls said and done- yes a drysuit is preferable- for all year round use here- but Semi dry diving is absolutley fine if thats all you can afford- and let no one tell you otherwise.
http://www.ultimatereef.com/ibv3/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[kfraser]

Hi Alan

I started off my diving in the month of October in the North East of Scotland way back in 1990! *I bought what I could afford at the time which was a semi-dry and quickly realised that my buddies were changing out of their dry suits in 10 minutes flat and into the pub whilst I was standing on my tod in freezing conditions (sometimes snow!http://www.ultimatereef.com/ibv3/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif peeling off a freezing suit and towelling down in a car park. *A year and half of that and I decided to buy a dry suit. *I bought a 7mm Northern Diver suit and found it cumbersome getting up and down ladders in a rough sea when you needed a sharp exit. *I then bought a 4mm crushed neoprene (Northern Diver again) and wished I'd bought a reinforced membrane one. *It's a matter of preference. *I also bought a 3mm steamer for overseas and a lycra suit. *Hope this helps.
Regards
Karen

[split66]

Thanks to everyone who replied. I fully take on board the cold/warm water learning issue. Having spoken to a few divers I think I will look at the 7mm semi-dry two piece. We have also considered doing a dry suit course and then deciding.
chhers all
Alan