Overheard a guy at the dive bar saying "dry suits are for soft hands" and I wanted to throw a weight belt at him

Was getting a beer after a 6 hour job in the Hudson River in January. Water temp was like 38 degrees. Some old timer at the bar sees my gear bag and says that. I just laughed but inside I was fuming. He's probably never touched bottom in 20 feet of muck in winter. My last dry suit saved me from hypothermia when my primary heater failed 40 feet down off a pier in Boston. Has anyone here actually worked cold water without proper thermal protection and regretted it?

3 comments

3 Comments

sanchez.pat1mo ago

Gotta admit I used to be one of those "tough guy" divers myself until I spent four hours in 40 degree water and ended up in the ER, so I'm with you @johnson.paul, dry suits are just smart, not soft.

skylerrobinson1mo ago

Honestly though I gotta push back on that "four hours in 40 degree water" thing. If you're properly layering up with a good 7mm wetsuit and moving around enough to keep your blood flowing, four hours is totally doable without ending up in the ER. Sounds more like you weren't dressed right or maybe you just sat still the whole time. Ngl I've done six hour dives in 45 degree water with just a farmer john setup and came out shivering but fine. Dry suits have their place but people act like wetsuits are basically suicide gear now and that's just not true.

johnson.paul1mo ago

100%. Let that guy go sweat in a wetsuit for 6 hours and see how "soft" his hands are.