Diving with a drysuit vs a wetsuit for cold water jobs - what's your pick?

I had to choose between a drysuit and a 7mm wetsuit for a bridge repair job in the Puget Sound last month, and I went with the drysuit because of the long bottom times. Ended up being the right call since the water hit 45 degrees and I stayed warm for 4 hours straight, but I missed the flexibility of my wetsuit on the ladder climb back up. For you guys working in cold water, do you stick with drysuits even when the job doesn't demand it, or do you deal with the cold for the mobility?

2 comments

2 Comments

leor374d ago

Flipped upside down pulling a grate in 42 degree water last winter. Drysuit all the way for me, the extra warmth beats losing a little arm mobility any day.

eric_wright7712h ago

4 hours dry is great until you look like a penguin trying to climb a ladder.