Expand your boundaries and dive more places, more often as a Drysuit diver
A dry suit seals you off from the water and keeps you comfortable, even in surprisingly cold water like Lake Simcoe or Georgian Bay in late fall to late spring.
Want to stay warm? Want to extend our short Ontario scuba diving season? Then dive dry. A drysuit seals you off from the water and keeps you comfortable, even in surprisingly cold water. There is incredible diving in the world’s cooler regions and in some areas, conditions are even better in colder months. Becoming a drysuit diver allows you to expand your boundaries and dive more places, more often.
The first thing you’ll discover is which dry suit style and accompanying undergarments are right for you and the diving you’ll do. Then you’ll learn how to take care of your drysuit. During two dives, in addition to a confined water dive, you’ll practice:
- Putting on and taking off your drysuit with minimal assistance.
- Mastering buoyancy control using your drysuit.
- Dive safety procedures when using a drysuit.
Drysuits are perfect for cold Ontario waters as they create a seal around your wrists and neck to keep the water out and keep you dry
Drysuits keep you dry by creating a seal at your wrists and neck. Because your boots are usually attached to the suit, you just need to keep your head and hands warm with a hood and gloves. Drysuits also keep you more comfortable in cooler surface temperatures and in a brisk wind.
Standard Features
- All drysuits need a special watertight zipper. Suits with a zipper across the back of your shoulders may require the assistance of another person to get into and out of. There are many suits with zippers positioned for self-donning.
- Wrist and neck seals must fit snuggly against your skin to keep water out, but not too tight to avoid breathing or circulation issues.
- To add air as you descend and to release air as you ascend, your drysuit must have an inflator and an exhaust valve. Some suits have a wrist dump valve and others have shoulder or automatic dump valves.
Dry Suit Styles
- Neoprene dry suits are made of the same material as wetsuits except they exclude water. They fit close to your body, provide excellent insulation and are really buoyant.
- Shell suits refer to the fact that the outer shell keeps you dry, but your wear undergarments underneath it to keep you warm– thicker undergarment for really cold water, or thin protection for temperate water.
Optional Features
- Kneepads, elbow pads and seat pads to better protect these areas of your drysuit
- Pockets are useful for items like slates, and are usually located on the thigh
- Some manufacturers offer the option of connecting a hood to your drysuit for extra warmth
- Certain dry suit models have foot coverings that allow you to wear heavy-duty boots over them