Semi vs full drysuit

[gee_mg]

I have decided that wearing a wet suit is not very comfortable when metal detecting the surf and at times find myself cold. So i have been looking into dry suits. Some dry suits are rather expensive. I went to my local dive shop today to get some aquaseal for my new headphone gel pads. He showed me the one pictured above and told me it is a semi-dry dry suit good up to 20 feet. What exactly is the difference semi-dry or dry? He was selling that one for $250.00. Apparently the seals were replaced for a customer that never returned for the item. Is this a good deal or not?

 

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[jaguargene]

I dive many of years with a semi dry suit off the coast of the Carolina's in the cold @ss winter.Mine was made of neoprene and sealed at the neck and ankles and hands.It let's in a small amount of water in and your body heats it up.I dive at 45 deg's. on top side with no problem at 130 feet deep.The semi suit is like your wet suit.The one in the shops photo is more like a dry suit made of rubber and will get in your way in the surf or shallow dive.To hard to move around in it.Check divers supply,or fee-bay,I paid around 200 for mine.Good Luck.

 

[sandnut]

Try Ebay. I have seen them start at $50 up to $800. Maybe a good place to get an idea of what you should pay for a dry suit.

 

[wrecker]

A wetsuit is usually made of neoprene. Water enters through the zipper, around the neck, wrists and feet. But a wetsuit should be a snug fit so that the water stays as a thin layer between your skin and the suit, warms up and keeps you more or less warm. A semi dry suit is basically a wetsuit with a water and air tight zipper and tight seals on your neck, wrists and feet. no water should enter the suit or very little only. A dry suit keeps you dry, no water enters. The boots are permanently attached, the zipper is air tight and the neck and arm seals should let no water in. The dry suit for diving is connected to the air tank by a hose and has valves to let air into the suit and to release air. You can wear special undergarments under the dry suit to keep you warm in even the coldest water. The suit in the photo looks like a survival suit or a dry suit for boaters. I't seems there are no air valves a divers dry suit would have. The suit looks very bulky, heavy and stiff - quite uncomfortable I would guess. Personally I wouldn't buy it for $250. Maybe you should try it on, walk a bit around and see how you feel. You should be able to find a used dry suit for around $ 200. Good luck

 

[River Hound]

Hi gee-mg a similar question came up on this forum a while back and OBN had a great Idea I thought and that was to use a survival suit in the surf line as long as your not diving I thought it was brilliant.their water proof and you can wear what ever you need under them to stay worm.And the cool part is their relatively cheap on ebay

 

[OBN]

Old post on gear http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/beach-shallow-water/325071-wet-suit-experts-needed.html

Good video on semidry suit......
ebay same suit Super Nova Kayak Semi Drysuit Men's Tropos Super Nova Kayak Semi Drysuit | eBay

 

[OBN]

Tip for those that were Neoprene gloves, those gloves are a pain to get on without mcnett spray, but you can use thin plastic gloves. Notice how long it takes the guy in the video above to put his on...The plastic is not ment to keep your hands dry, but to aid in putting them on and wind proofing neoprene gloves that are not wind proof. Normally takes about 30 seconds to get a glove on then the second glove is tuff because your gripping with the other glove...less then 3 seconds with the plastic linner..

 

[Sandman]

Wrecker and OBN did well with their posts. As a diver I can add you need to try on the wet suits and dry suits as not all manufacturers follow the same size code. A medium by one will be a small by another. I never liked dry suits because of the tight neck seal and couldn't get used to being squeezed in the neck. There are heater packs you can buy that warm up the water in the wet suits and they work well. A full hood is nice to keep the head warm. I don't advise cutting holes for sound to come though the hood as it will be VERY bad for diving. Another plus for the wet suit is as you get older you can pee in it.

 

[OBN]

wet suit is as you get older you can pee in it

That's funny!!

I always had a hard time when the water was chilly. Sandman, What was the lowest temp of water you dove in...Had to be chilly up north.....