semi dry VS wetsuite

[chewyjr15]

what is the difference. My lds has a custom Semi dry for 300 bucks, and im thinking if the extra 150 bucks over tehre custom 7mm is worth it. So is it ?

[chewyjr15]

anyone?

[FishFood]

Giv er time bubba. An hour and a half aint much time for a response.

BTW, im interested in this as well...

[thesmoothdome]

A semi-dry suit is a wet suit that provides skin in seals on the wrists and ankles. This minimizes water flow in and out of the suit. A semi-dry is still subject to the same pressure compression that a wet suit is, meaning it's not going to have any more insulation than a wet suit. The only difference is that it will not allow water to flow as readily through the suit. This also means that any liquids you expell during the dive won't flush as well either.


My personal opinion is that a semi-dry suit is really just a semi-wet suit. If you can get a custom wet suit for $150.00, that's a hell of a deal.

[chewyjr15]

so i should just go with the custom wetsuit adn not the semi dry?

[thesmoothdome]

Originally Posted by chewyjr15

so i should just go with the custom wetsuit adn not the semi dry?

That's a decision only you can make. If it was between a dry suit and a semi-dry, I'd say go dry. Between a semi and a wet, I'm not so sure. Hopefully, a few semi-dry fans can give you a better persepective on what they believe are the advantages of the suit.

[BusDiver]

I agree with the Dome. I am not sure where you are diving. I have an instructor friend that dives semi-dry for 8 months out of the year in Michigan and goes dry for the months that he finds to be tolerable underwater. I dive wet four months out of the year and thought it a better idea to go dry. The financial investment extended my dive season. I believe that semi-dry would only extend my season two or three months, it is now up to me to say it is too cold on the face, etc. My wife dives dry all year unless we are in water 70 degrees or warmer. She wears a 7mm from 70 to 78 and tapers down from there.

So it depends on you, where you live, and the type of diving you want to do. The thing with cost and financial investment is that it can extend your dive season, open up opportunities to you, and shave you money in the long run.

[Hidreck]

I dive a semi-dry all the time. I do not get a drop of watter inside at all. now thats not the norm for most If it's not a good one with a good fit. it is a 6.5 and i use it form temps of 40 -70. if it's betwen wet and semi - dry. semi - dry every time.

[caroln]

I wouldn't spend the extra for a semi dry. I'd get the more reaonably priced custom 7MM and save up for a dry suit. I thought when I got my wet suit that I'd never care to go dry but I missed 3 dives just this weekend because of the cold so I'm alredy changing my mind. At least with a cheaper suit, I haven't invested too much in the 7MM to switch.

[tarheeldiver]

I dive a7/5 semidry and I think it is warmer because of the water transfer I have used it 50 degree temps and stayed very warm the water that comes out after the dive is hot
greg