Diving Dry

Posted: Nov 27 in Dive Blog tagged Diving Gear by Jan

The advantages of a dry suit after dive certification in Illinois

Cold weather can put a damper on diving, especially as Illinois becomes frostier as fall turns to winter. Chilly waters of the quarries and Great Lakes, though fun to explore, can seem less inviting as the temperatures above the surface continue to plummet. You may be tempted to give up your scuba dreams for the season, but like many problems in the colder months, the solution may be as simple as changing your clothes.

Unless you’re a narwhal, being cold and wet is probably not your favorite combination. Unfortunately, this is often the reality of diving in the wetsuit you used through the summer months. With a wetsuit, as the name implies, you’re going to get wet, and not in a take-a-dip-in-the-Jacuzzi kind of way. But what if you could keep the water out and the warmth in to continue taking advantage of your dive certification without resorting to an old-school atmospheric diving suit?

Introducing: The Dry Suit

Dry suits are designed to improve diver comfort with neoprene or latex neck, wrist and ankle seals that keep air in and water out. A hose connects your regulator to an inlet valve to add air to the suit when needed; an outlet valve can be set to automatically or manually release it.

Although some dry suits look much like a regular wetsuit, the biggest difference between the two is their intended purpose. Dry suits are meant to keep cold water out while wetsuits keep you warm by letting water in and using your body heat to warm. While it is common to wear wetsuits in cold water, dry suits are more efficient at keeping you warm and more comfortable to wear for long periods. They also keep you warm above the water when it is cold or windy – something wetsuits do not do well.

To further demonstrate the potential advantages of dry suit diving, here are a few key differences between dry suits and wetsuits:

• The air in a dry suit keeps you warmer. Our bodies lose heat 25 percent faster in water than in air. The air in a dry suit serves as insulation to keep your body much warmer than it would be when soaked.
• Buoyancy can be controlled by the dry suit valves. Air can be added and released from a dry suit to accommodate changes in water pressure. Though some people think you can dive without a buoyancy compensator (BCD) in a dry suit, it is never advised.
• More weights are needed with a dry suit. Dry suits are full of air, which means more weight is needed to counteract this buoyancy.
• Comfort is adjustable in a dry suit. The clothing worn underneath a dry suit can be changed based on your insulation needs. This makes it easier to stay comfortable in just about any environment.
• More training is needed to use a dry suit. The ability to create a layer of air around your body for thermal insulation means that buoyancy shifts as you change position must be anticipated. Training to deal with unexpected issues unique to a dry suit is essential for safety and comfort

Though we may all wish for a Caribbean scuba getaway each winter, most of us don’t have that luxury. A dry suit makes it possible to use your Illinois dive certification year-round, helping you stay comfy as you tackle icy waters. If you’ve never used a dry suit before, your best bet is to get acquainted in one of our PADI diving classes.