Also known as a wetsuit or neoprene suit, the dry suit is generally used in cold waters. It is designed to provide maximum thermal protection and to keep the diver dry. In temperate waters, it allows you to dive longer. A must-have accessory for divers!
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Our selection
"For dives in very cold waters, nothing beats this drysuit. It is strong, light and easy to put on."
"The Gazechimp is a unisex wetsuit to offer to a diving or other aquatic activity enthusiast. The sizes are especially suitable for young people."
"Reasonably priced, the GUL Dartmouth Eclip Chest Zip Drysuit is suitable for diving, kayaking and paddling. Keeping you warm, it has little to envy to…"
"Designed for women, the F Fityle wetsuit is thick but stretchy. Very comfortable, it remains however inaccessible to women with a large body."
For dives in very cold waters, nothing beats this drysuit. It is strong, light and easy to put on.
See priceNumber 1 of our selection, this wetsuit by Beuchat is adapted to very cold temperatures. It is made of trilaminate, a flexible, light and strong material.
The practicality is reinforced by the diagonal zipper system, making the suit easier to put on and offering more comfort. Stretch collar, modern look, reinforcements at the shoulders, elastic straps adjustable from the inside, two large side pockets... all the necessary elements are gathered to allow you to dive in complete ease and safety.
If you are looking for a wetsuit adapted to very cold waters and long dives, this model is what you need!
The Gazechimp is a unisex wetsuit to offer to a diving or other aquatic activity enthusiast. The sizes are especially suitable for young people.
See priceMade of high quality nylon and spandex, the Gazechimp unisex wetsuit manages the feat of being waterproof certified. Given the price, we'll say it right away: don't expect anything exceptional.
Designed for surfing, swimming, diving and spearfishing, this wetsuit targets the teen and youth segment. For the camouflage color, you either like it or you don't. However, the coating is soft and comfortable. Although it doesn't really keep you warm, this wetsuit protects you from UV rays and possibly from jellyfish.
Available in 6 sizes, the Gazechimp is suitable for people measuring between 1.63 and 1.84 m. If you are taller than that, you will need to find something else.
Reasonably priced, the GUL Dartmouth Eclip Chest Zip Drysuit is suitable for diving, kayaking and paddling. Keeping you warm, it has little to envy to models 3 or 4 times more expensive.
372,18 € - 410,18 €If the Beuchat Abyss Dry seems too expensive for you, choose the GUL Dartmouth Eclip Chest Zip Drysuit. For its 20109 version, this drysuit uses 3 layers of waterproof fabric.
Thus, the suit is fully sealed, for maximum protection while remaining fully breathable. On the other hand, you should know that the seals are made of neoprene. Don't expect to wear a tuxedo underneath and keep it totally dry like in the movies!
Another quality of the GUL Dartmouth Eclip Chest Zip Drysuit is its ability to keep the diver warm. Indeed, it is difficult to feel the cold, even after several hours of wearing. With the addition of gloves and boots, it can be used for kayaking or paddling.
Designed for women, the F Fityle wetsuit is thick but stretchy. Very comfortable, it remains however inaccessible to women with a large body.
See priceThe shape and the size do not deceive: this wetsuit is for women. Black and light blue in color, it is 3 mm thick.
Named F Fityle, this wetsuit is suitable for diving, but not only. Indeed, its versatility allows to use it for other nautical activities as paddle, kitesurf, wakeboard, kayak or even swimming.
For the manufacture, the brand used super stretch neoprene, which gives more comfort to the F Fityle. It also protects from UV rays and the sun in general. Finally, the suit comes in 5 sizes: XS, S, M, L and XL.
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Your guide :
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| TOP OF THE TOP | CHEAP | EXCELLENT | VERY GOOD | |
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| OUR SELECTION |
Beuchat Abyss Dry
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Gazechimp
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GUL Dartmouth Eclip Chest Zip Drysuit version 2019
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F Fityle size M
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For dives in very cold waters, nothing beats this drysuit. It is strong, light and easy to put on.
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The Gazechimp is a unisex wetsuit to offer to a diving or other aquatic activity enthusiast. The sizes are especially suitable for young people.
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Reasonably priced, the GUL Dartmouth Eclip Chest Zip Drysuit is suitable for diving, kayaking and paddling. Keeping you warm, it has little to envy to models 3 or 4 times more expensive.
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Designed for women, the F Fityle wetsuit is thick but stretchy. Very comfortable, it remains however inaccessible to women with a large body.
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Rugged
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Unisex wetsuit for diving, surfing, swimming and spearfishing
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Wetsuit made with 3 layers of waterproof fabric
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Superb wetsuit for women
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Limited size
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Not made for large bodies
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The seals are made of neoprene. Don't expect to stay 100% dry in this suit
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Not for heavy builders. Indeed, for size XL, the maximum weight accepted is 75 kg
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This is the first criterion to consider. Most drysuits are made of two types of materials: either "crushed" or compressed neoprene or bi/tri laminate.
These suits, called bilaminate or trilaminate, allow the drysuit to be thinner and less bulky. Some divers like this because the suit is lighter and easier to move around.
However, the wetsuit does not offer any thermal protection, so you need to make sure you buy the right underwear for the temperature of your dive. These materials also do not soak up water during the dive, so they dry very quickly after the dive.
These suits can be a good transition suit for someone going from wet to dry.
However, they are tighter fitting and therefore don't offer as much room for thicker underwear. And they offer some thermal protection, as neoprene is much thicker than laminate materials. Because of this thickness, neoprene drysuits take many more hours to dry than laminate drysuits.
Your seals can be the most important part of your drysuit. Seals that are too tight will pinch your skin and can cause "drysuit hickies," and seals that are too loose will let water in, defeating the purpose of having a drysuit.
Depending on the brand of your drysuit, you will choose between neoprene, latex or silicone seals. They all have their advantages and disadvantages.
Accessories are also something to consider, as these are the drysuit options that enhance the diver's experience. These accessories can be pockets, anti-pipi valves and SI-Tech gloves. Knowing the types of dives you plan to do and preparing your dive kit accordingly before you get in the water helps ensure safer, more comfortable and enjoyable dives.
If you always dive with a buddy, you may prefer the back entry style of a pro suit. The lack of extraneous straps or torso systems needed for self-stretching allows for a tighter fit and a lower price.
Or, if you're more independent, you may prefer the style of a Tech suit. The Tech style allows for more movement and has some extra room in the suit to help with self-threading. So your choice of suit style will depend on whether you are going to dive alone or with someone.
The last thing to consider when choosing the perfect drysuit is what type of accessories are you looking for? The best way to answer this question is to look at the type of diving you like to do and what you use it for. Do you need lots of pockets or not? Do you dive under the ice and need dry gloves? Will you be doing long, extended dives and want to install a pee valve?
As long as you take a systematic approach to buying a drysuit and have answered these three tips before you go to a store to buy one, the buying experience won't be overwhelming. The most important thing is to go to a knowledgeable dealer who is trained in proper drysuit fit.
It is essential to regularly maintain your drysuit to keep it in good condition and make it last as long as possible. When you notice a tear, for example, in your equipment, it is strongly advised to repair it as soon as possible.
After each dive, it is imperative to thoroughly rinse the outside of the drysuit, the sleeves and flanges and the purge. It is best to use clean fresh water. In addition, the waterproof zippers should be rinsed thoroughly and greased. In case your suit has also been wet on the inside, it should be rinsed and dried inside out.
That said, you should also regularly clean your wetsuit with an appropriate detergent to remove microorganisms. To do this, it is highly recommended to use a basin or a bathtub and warm water. Then rinse with clean water and let dry. You must ensure that your diving clothes are dried out of direct sunlight and away from any heat source.
To clean the zippers, you should use a toothbrush. In addition, you should oil them with a suitable lubricant. When your drysuit is dry, it is better to store it on a hanger instead of folding it if you want to preserve its shape, but especially the structure of the neoprene.
Furthermore, you must be careful about storing your drysuit, as latex sleeves are not resistant to UV light, neon lights and hydrocarbon vapors. It is therefore recommended to store them in a black cover. In addition, the room in which you store them should always be tempered.
The dry suit is usually worn by scuba divers or water sports enthusiasts. It protects and provides more warmth. Indeed, it prevents the direct contact of your skin with water. It will keep you warm and protect you from extreme conditions. In addition, the drysuit is easy to put on, even when wet. On the other hand, it can improve the way you dive, because it perfectly maintains the shape of the body under water.
However, the drysuit needs to be mastered in order to use it comfortably underwater. Indeed, if you lack experience in diving, it inflates quickly. This can quickly tire you out. Furthermore, the maintenance of a dry suit is very tedious.
As the name suggests, this wetsuit is not 100% waterproof. However, it covers the most important parts of your body and keeps them warm. The way it works is that it traps a layer of water between your skin, which is then warmed by your body heat. This slows down heat loss while you are in the water. This wetsuit is comfortable and easy to put on and take off.
However, the seals of a semi-waterproof wetsuit are usually not waterproof. When you are at depth, the water in your suit tends to be replaced. Thus the heat decreases and it becomes increasingly difficult to fight the cold. Moreover, it is not designed for diving during winter.
Whether it is the dry suit or the semi dry suit, both are useful to protect yourself from the cold underwater. The dry suit is more practical if you want to explore the marine environment in greater depth. The semi-dry suit, however, offers more robustness and comfort.
Thermal protection
With a drysuit, your underwear stays dry (since you have a tight-fitting suit and are not playing with your seals underwater). These suits keep you warm longer. Even in tropical waters, your body temperature will eventually cool down, especially if you make several dives a day.
Cold Water Dive Destinations
One of the most appealing benefits of drysuit diving is that it gives you countless opportunities to comfortably explore epic dive sites in colder regions; one of the most famous cold water diving destinations being Silfra Fissure in Iceland, where you can dive between the European and American tectonic plates.
Expand your skills and knowledge
Similar to any other diving specialty you choose, dry suit diving is exciting because it allows you to learn new skills while using the ones you already have. However, the unique advantage of dry suit diving is that you must learn to master your pre-existing skills while wearing new equipment.
Local Diving Options
For those of you who live far from any coastal area, in cold water regions, or who don't have the ability to travel several times a year to a tropical diving destination to satisfy your scuba diving cravings, you may not have to! Being a drysuit diver opens many doors in terms of accessible diving. It may be new to some of you, but you don't need warm water, tropical fish, 30 meters of visibility and even salt water to be able to dive.
Diversify your diving resume
Speaking of becoming a more complete diver, this is personally the final and most important benefit of drysuit diving for those of you who are professionals: it diversifies your diving resume and allows you to stand out.
Check your wetsuit regularly
Be aware that a wetsuit wears out quite quickly. It is therefore advisable to regularly check the areas that are most solicited, such as the crotch and the armpits. Worn out, these will tend to be thinner than the rest of the suit and will therefore give you an unpleasant cold feeling on the affected body parts.
Use a plastic bag to put it on
It is often difficult to put on a drysuit, especially when your skin is sticky with sweat. Even when you pull on the suit, your feet and hands still refuse to get inside. The solution is simple, wrap your foot or hand in a plastic bag before slipping it into the suit. You'll see that it will fit without difficulty.
Remember to blow on your arms
Once your suit is on, it may be a little sticky and prevent you from making your final adjustments easily. To remedy this, call a friend or family member and ask them to blow into your sleeves from the wrist. This will lift the suit off your skin and allow you to move more freely.
Control your dive time
As you know, the temperature at depth is not warm. The longer you stay underwater, the colder your body will be, especially if you dive in winter. In order to get out of the water without trouble, it is therefore strongly recommended that you do not exceed 30 minutes of diving.
Adopt the right reflexes when leaving the dive
When coming out of a dive, most people are susceptible to cold snaps. Therefore, you should quickly get rid of your wetsuit and dry yourself properly. Then, remember to cover yourself warmly and even put on a hat to warm your head. By the way, you can also drink a small hot beverage like a tea or a cappuccino.
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