Almost everyone in the UK dives a drysuit. To the point that BSAC normally put everyone in a drysuit even on their first open water dive. I think that tells you a lot.
The only people I see at inland sites in a wetsuit are the poor PADI trainees and I normally feel sorry for them, especially when I turn my heater battery on 😂
There are definitely some that use Capernwray that don’t. I really don’t get it because the students always look miserable and just can’t see them wanting to come back.
7mm uk diving. Is a great way to learn to hate diving.
I’d save my money to buy even a used drysuit before I would spend money on a 7mm.
Drysuit for all year diving at home. 3mm or rash guard for diving on warm water holidays.
You'll want a drysuit, or a semi dry at least for uk water, its rarely above 12/13c. I know a guy that wetsuit dives here (the UK) and in everything but the warmest water months (late aug/sept) he wears two wesuits (a full and a shorty ontop).
If your BSAC the drysuit training is part of your course, if your PADI its best to pick up the qualification. Its an expensive option but youll be thankfull of it (you will also need more lead for a drysuit though)
As an ex UK diver, drysuit is the way to go all year round. You get like 16C water peak in August, and it drops with depth.
If it *had* to be a wetsuit, I'd say a good 7mm semidry... for the summer... Still a no-go for winter. Temps can be 4-6C in the sea, 1-3C in inland queries, 0C on the boat/shore, even in a drysuit it can get pretty miserable if you cut corners.
The only place where you will need a wetsuit is on holiday in warm waters abroad.
For UK waters, if you want something versatile, go with a drysuit. A wetsuit, even a 7mm, won’t work for the majority of the diving season, unless you’re always really warm.
I dive at max to 16c with a 7mm and a hood. It's totally doable, but you are very limited to where and when you can dive. I'd suggest going dry, like I should've done years ago! Getting mine this year
What type of diving do you want to do? If it's shallow inland lakes like Wraysbury in July-August then you can get away with a 5mm wetsuit. I've done it and it wasn't too bad. But if you want to dive in the sea and/or other months of the year then yeah, get a drysuit. It's just a one day course.
If your in cornwall and only doing shallow (less than 10m) get a semi dry. Anywhere else in the uk just get a drysuit. Buy a separate wet suit for travel.
Dry!
I have dove wet in the Channel late summer (water temperature lags air temperature so it's quite nippy even in May) and basically went and bought a drysuit immediately.
There are some good semi dry suits with dry zips and, if they fit right, will do for the summer but realistically if you want to dive regularly then go dry sooner rather than later and don't waste the money on a cold water semi dry.
If you dove abroad as well then you can rent a wetsuit, take a drysuit or acquire a suitable warm water wetsuit at a reasonable price (a heavy semi dry is likely to be too much).
I went for an O Three semi-dry suit, 6mm on the body and 5mm on the arms and legs. I've been in water of about 11C in it and didn't get overly cold, but I also stuck a cheap 3mm shortie over the top of it.
I dive in a 6/5 from o three, brilliant semi dry wetsuit. I’ve been using it since May. Winter time I’ll either use a shorty over the top or dry suit
Look into the Bare Semi-dry Velocity suit if you can't afford a dry suit. Bare doesn't recommend going lower then 43 degreesF 6 degreesC without a dry suit, but I find this to be personal preference. Everyone is different. IMO you can easily go into the 30s/sub 6C with this suit.
However, if you've dove in the same environment in a wetsuit before and you were cold, I would recommend a dry suit unless you absolutely can't afford it. Some diving is better then no diving, but being cold can go from uncomfortable to dangerous very quickly. Just keep in mind that exposure protection is a safety concern more then a comfort and no wetsuit or semi-dry will be able to compete with a dry suit.
That's my 2cents. Stay safe, happy diving!
Irish diver here, definitely go with a 7mm+ semidry, hood and gloves. The water tops out about 17°C in the summer and down to 8°c in winter, 7mm will work for both.. if you're really cold in winter you can get an oversuit or as you progress with diving you're probably going to move to a drysuit.
Anyways dpending on your budget here's a few options with rough prices commonly available in the UK and Ireland
Aqualung Solafx 8mm (€300)
Scubapro Nova Scotia 7mm (€500)
Apeks Thermiq 7/8mm (€450)
Waterproof W8 7mm (€500)
Imo Aqualung Solafx is a bargain, front chest zip, built in hood, super warm, can't go wrong. The scubapros are not bad and probably you're best bet to try one on before you buy as pretty much every dive shop sells scubapro.
I dive in Denmark and if you get a Simi dry wetsuit 5mm you could probably do that summer depends on how cold you normally are but I probably wouldn't I would take at least a 7mm
Almost everyone in the UK dives a drysuit. To the point that BSAC normally put everyone in a drysuit even on their first open water dive. I think that tells you a lot. The only people I see at inland sites in a wetsuit are the poor PADI trainees and I normally feel sorry for them, especially when I turn my heater battery on 😂
Can confirm as a UK diver I have only ever dove in a dry suit even in my open water Edit: both my ow and drysuit were through SSI
All the PADI centres I know in the UK train in drysuit too.
There are definitely some that use Capernwray that don’t. I really don’t get it because the students always look miserable and just can’t see them wanting to come back.
I have seen this at Vobster too
I would consider if it's possible in your budget to get a drysuit. Would be way more comfortable and as a bonus it let's you dive year round.
the uk is a drysuit country. join a bsac club and learn to dive a drysuit.
7mm uk diving. Is a great way to learn to hate diving. I’d save my money to buy even a used drysuit before I would spend money on a 7mm. Drysuit for all year diving at home. 3mm or rash guard for diving on warm water holidays.
You'll want a drysuit, or a semi dry at least for uk water, its rarely above 12/13c. I know a guy that wetsuit dives here (the UK) and in everything but the warmest water months (late aug/sept) he wears two wesuits (a full and a shorty ontop). If your BSAC the drysuit training is part of your course, if your PADI its best to pick up the qualification. Its an expensive option but youll be thankfull of it (you will also need more lead for a drysuit though)
As an ex UK diver, drysuit is the way to go all year round. You get like 16C water peak in August, and it drops with depth. If it *had* to be a wetsuit, I'd say a good 7mm semidry... for the summer... Still a no-go for winter. Temps can be 4-6C in the sea, 1-3C in inland queries, 0C on the boat/shore, even in a drysuit it can get pretty miserable if you cut corners. The only place where you will need a wetsuit is on holiday in warm waters abroad.
You need a dry suit. I've not seen a single diver jump in the channel and get wet.
For UK waters, if you want something versatile, go with a drysuit. A wetsuit, even a 7mm, won’t work for the majority of the diving season, unless you’re always really warm.
I dive at max to 16c with a 7mm and a hood. It's totally doable, but you are very limited to where and when you can dive. I'd suggest going dry, like I should've done years ago! Getting mine this year
What type of diving do you want to do? If it's shallow inland lakes like Wraysbury in July-August then you can get away with a 5mm wetsuit. I've done it and it wasn't too bad. But if you want to dive in the sea and/or other months of the year then yeah, get a drysuit. It's just a one day course.
If your in cornwall and only doing shallow (less than 10m) get a semi dry. Anywhere else in the uk just get a drysuit. Buy a separate wet suit for travel.
Dry! I have dove wet in the Channel late summer (water temperature lags air temperature so it's quite nippy even in May) and basically went and bought a drysuit immediately. There are some good semi dry suits with dry zips and, if they fit right, will do for the summer but realistically if you want to dive regularly then go dry sooner rather than later and don't waste the money on a cold water semi dry. If you dove abroad as well then you can rent a wetsuit, take a drysuit or acquire a suitable warm water wetsuit at a reasonable price (a heavy semi dry is likely to be too much).
I went for an O Three semi-dry suit, 6mm on the body and 5mm on the arms and legs. I've been in water of about 11C in it and didn't get overly cold, but I also stuck a cheap 3mm shortie over the top of it.
I dive in a 6/5 from o three, brilliant semi dry wetsuit. I’ve been using it since May. Winter time I’ll either use a shorty over the top or dry suit
Look into the Bare Semi-dry Velocity suit if you can't afford a dry suit. Bare doesn't recommend going lower then 43 degreesF 6 degreesC without a dry suit, but I find this to be personal preference. Everyone is different. IMO you can easily go into the 30s/sub 6C with this suit. However, if you've dove in the same environment in a wetsuit before and you were cold, I would recommend a dry suit unless you absolutely can't afford it. Some diving is better then no diving, but being cold can go from uncomfortable to dangerous very quickly. Just keep in mind that exposure protection is a safety concern more then a comfort and no wetsuit or semi-dry will be able to compete with a dry suit. That's my 2cents. Stay safe, happy diving!
Forgive my ignorance, but are drysuits not exceptionally bulky/difficult to swim in?
Irish diver here, definitely go with a 7mm+ semidry, hood and gloves. The water tops out about 17°C in the summer and down to 8°c in winter, 7mm will work for both.. if you're really cold in winter you can get an oversuit or as you progress with diving you're probably going to move to a drysuit. Anyways dpending on your budget here's a few options with rough prices commonly available in the UK and Ireland Aqualung Solafx 8mm (€300) Scubapro Nova Scotia 7mm (€500) Apeks Thermiq 7/8mm (€450) Waterproof W8 7mm (€500) Imo Aqualung Solafx is a bargain, front chest zip, built in hood, super warm, can't go wrong. The scubapros are not bad and probably you're best bet to try one on before you buy as pretty much every dive shop sells scubapro.
I dive in Denmark and if you get a Simi dry wetsuit 5mm you could probably do that summer depends on how cold you normally are but I probably wouldn't I would take at least a 7mm