Renting a Drysuit

[gtjason2000]

How hard is it to rent a drysuit? Do places that do ice diving or are always cold like Alaska have an ample supply of drysuits for rental? If so how much does a drysuit rental cost? I would like to do some drysuit diving but don't want to fork over the cash for one just yet.

[ScaredSilly]

Most places will not rent you a dry suit unless you have the "card". I have run into this (not having the card) even though I have dived in a dry suit since day one some 25 years ago.

That said the class is not a bad idea and many places will teach the class when you buy a suit.

Your best bet to try one is when there is a demo day such as when DUI holds one of their Dogs Days. Some shops have suits that you can try in the pool but will not rent them out without the card.

[gtjason2000]

what is "the card" is it the padi drysuit specialty?

[skdvr]

Yes "The Card" is having a dry suit card from a agency such as PADI. A good portion of Dive Shops in the midwest all rent dry suitsw because you can dive them all year around here. I would think that anyplace that is not mainly only diving the ocean should rent dry suits.

Phil

[mm_dm]

It's an easy class, a couple of pool sessions and a couple of dives and it's done. Then, you get the experience learning buoyancy all over again.

[cummings66]

My drysuit cert is from NASE, I think all agencies have them. You'll definitely need the specialty to rent a drysuit.

[gtjason2000]

I was checking out DUI dog rally and demo days and they have one in Terrel but unfortunately I will be traveling then for thanksgiving. Anyone know a diveshop in the dallas area that does drysuit diver certs?