Drysuit Diving -  So you want to dive dry..

      

So you think you its time to invest in diving (suit) dry eh? Great! But wait...whats the difference in drysuits and wetsuits? Well its all in the name, Drysuits keep you dry!

A drysuit traps a layer of air between the suit and your body, and because air is a better insulator than water, drysuits keep you warmer than wetsuits do. But to do this, it needs water proof wrist seals, neck seals and a heavy duty water proof zip.

So now you know that you know how drysuits work and really like the idea of diving dry, lets take a look at the different drysuits available.

Types of Drysuit

There are two main types of drysuits available, Membrane & Neoprene.
Membrane suits or shell suits as they are commonly referred to, are the thinnest of all drysuits.  Using a thin fabric of waterproof material, shell suits are the least buoyant of the drysuits, and retain virtually no heat, so its important to wear the correct thermal garments while using one of these suits.

Neoprene suits are just as they sound- made from neoprene similar to the neoprene used in wetsuits.  Neoprene suits are bulkier than their counterparts, and are also much more positively buoyant, meaning you would need to wear more weight to offset the natural buoyancy of the suit. They are also slightly warmer and offer better insulation, but thin thermal garments are also normally worn to ensure sufficient insulation.

So which ones for me, I hear you ask!  Like every other piece of dive kit, its completely down to personal choice, and which one you are more comfortable diving in.

Both suits do the exact same job, but just to give you an insight, lets look at some pros and cons of both.


Membrane Pros: -     Less weight needed thanks to its lack of natural buoyancy

-          More manoeuvrability

-          Sometimes more durable than neoprene

   Cons:  -     Gives the body a bit more of a pinch or squeeze, due to its thin fabric

-          Virtually zero insulation, heavy thermal undergarments required

Neoprene Pros:  -     Naturally warmer, not as much thermal gear needed

-          Come in different thicknesses, offering more of a variety in choice

-          Not as much adjustment needed as they provide very little squeeze

                    Cons: -      Bulkier and less manoeuvrability  

-          Require more weight to offset natural positive buoyancy

So now you can see from the above examples, that its very much a personal choice.  On a personal note, I use both types and use shell suits for teaching as it gives me more manoeuvrability, but favour the neoprene for pleasure diving.

The technical side

Regardless of the type of drysuit you choose, they work in essentially the same way.  You have a hose that is attached from the first stage of your regulator, to a valve in the chest of your drysuit.  Purging the chest valve forces air into the drysuit, relieving squeeze, and keeping you warm by adding a layer of air.
 
Dumping air varies from suit to suit.  There are generally two options.  A wrist valve or cuff dump, when raised higher than your shoulder, will allow air to vent through.

Or an adjustable shoulder dump, which can be set to dump air manually by pushing the valve or similar to the wrist dump, will vent air when the arm is raised, depending on how the dump valve is set.
 
Specialty Class

When purchasing a drysuit, it is advisable to take a drysuit orientation class or drysuit specialty class with your certifying agency.  By taking this class, it will introduce you to diving dry in a safe controlled environment, where you can learn the extra skills to be aware of when using a drysuit.
 
Care of the drysuit

Taking care of your drysuit is just as important as the rest of your SCUBA equipment.  Like all gear, rinse thoroughly with fresh water, both inside and out if required.  Its also important to pay particular attention to the drysuit zip.  This is the life and soul of your drysuit, and it's important to know how to take care of it.  Regular waxing of the zip both before and after diving is important, and storing the drysuit without putting pressure or bending the zip is also to be remembered.  This will all be shown in the drysuit orientation course, should you sign up for one (which you definitely should!!)
 
Final Thoughts
 
So you've read this article, what else is left to do?  Talk to diving buddies, and your local dive store and see if they will let you try the different drysuits in their pool before you buy.  Ask other divers which type they prefer and why. Get lots of opinions, but don't settle on a drysuit on anything but your own opinion.  It's a major piece of kit that can cost a substantial amount of money- so make sure that you're buying on good advice and your own satisfied opinion.
 
Safe Diving!