Specialty - Ice or Dry Suit

[divingindaytona]

This winter I have been thinking about taking the ice diver specialty but....this summer I plan on going up to superior a couple of times.

I am thinking that the ice diver specialty would be a nea experience, but limited in being able to use it.  The drysuit on the other hand, has a longer season than the ice diving.

I have a 7 mil farmer john that I dive in.

Would I be better off to take the ice diver course or take the drysuit course?  Which course will teach me more?

Will I be OK in superior in a 7mil?

[Hydro]

ice and superior diving in a farmer john is not unheard of... diving in cold water in a farmer john can be done, its the changing out of it when its cold outside that's the real pain in the ass.

ice diving is more complicated that drysuit diving, but i dont think id like to learn to use a drysuit while tethered in closed ice water situation.

id wait till spring and get into a drysuit.

[drbmac]

Watching several years of students taking the ice diving class, more wetsuits than drysuits are common(coolers of hot water and a turkey baster are needed).  Ice diving is a lot of work for a little bit of diving and is more about getting out and doing something in the winter.  I would not under any circumstances try to use a drysuit for the first time under the ice. Ice diving classes are usually held in 30 feet of water or less and drysuits are a real pain in less that 30 feet of water.  And as far as Superior and Ice diving is concerned, make sure your Regs are cold water ready, a freeze up of your reg will end the dive in a hurry.

[divingindaytona]

Edit:  I have no intention of taking an ice diving class with learning to use a drysuit.  That just strikes me as dumb.  You have to keep in mind task loading, and a new overhead enviroment which makes things more complex.

With that said I am wondering if the people here would reccomend taking the ice diving specialty or the drysuit specialty.  Which course will teach me more?

After the water is liquid again, I plan to dive in Superior. 


Will I be OK in Superior in a 7mil?

[arcFlash]

Call me dumb than. I took ice class and dry at the same time. You get the hang of the dry suit during the pool work so it's not your first time. I think it was better value as well. I got ice instruction and dry suit instruction for one low price. I also enjoyed being dry all day.

I bought a dry suit two weeks later and haven't been in my wetsuit since. I dive dry year round. Ice diving is just another way to get in the water. The vis is better and as I only really dive MN, it's worth the work to get to the better sites san boat traffic.

Taking ice and dry put me in a dry suit sooner than I otherwise would have. I would do it again.

If you want to dive in MN you'll end up in a dry suit anyway so get that if you can only have one.

7mil in Superior, yes but it's no fun. You get cold and you get wet. Go dry if you can. It's really the way to go if your serious about being active in MN.

[scubajunkie]

I took my ice diving class last year.  There were several people that were new to drysuits.  I think it is more common than one might think. 
For me, it's a matter of where you are going to get the most bang for your buck.  I took my drysuit class early in my dive training and haven't worn my wetsuit since.  On the other hand, I only do about 2 or 3 ice dives per year.  Don't get me wrong,  I like ice diving.  It's a great way to keep diving year round without travelling long distances and usually good vis.  But I love diving Superior.  I've been in Superior in a 7mm early in the spring and a dry suit is the way to go.
So, if you are chosing one or the other, try to look at what you'll be doing the most.  That's my opinion, for what it's worth.

Scubajunkie

P.S.- Maybe an option would be a drysuit seminar.  I believe Smith Diving offers a drysuit seminar.  It's much cheaper than a class, yet it gives you the opportunity to get in the pool and try out a drysuit.

[DetectorGuy]

I would strongly recommend the Dry suit class. Getting a dry suit is a fairly substantial investment and to dive in one with out training can and is being done by some. To me it would be like driving drunk or mountain climbing at midnight. It can be done and you might live to tell the tale, but chances are you are going to have problems. As far as diving in Superior in a 7 MM wetsuit, I know it can be done but it could be done more comfortably in a dry suit. I haven't tried to dive Superior wet yet. I only have 6 dives in Superior and the water temp was 39* three times and 55*-57* the other times. Fall is warmer there. Less than 50* is about my threshold where I go dry.

[divingindaytona]

"Call me dumb than"

Arcflash I was not trying to put anyone down, including yourself, by the statement that I made. Let me re-express what I was trying to say. 

From what I have read about diving accidents: it seems like putting someone into a new environment, (an overhead environment at that) with a new piece of equipment (that affects buoyancy) can /could be a recipe for disaster.

[jleech]

I guess if you are trying to prioritize your $$$.  If you plan to dive in MN or WI very much, I would recommend investment in a drysuit.  Most shops will either include the price of the class with the purchase of a new suit (at least the shop I bought mine first suit from in Ohio did) or at least give a steep discount.

I like ice diving, but as others have stated, it's really a way to get out and enjoy other divers, and keeping your self wet in the winter.  If you can't do both right away, I would go for the drysuit and class.

I started diving a 7mm farmer john in Lake Huron, which is generally 10-20 degrees warmer than Superior.  The first dive was OK, the second dive I was always uncomfortable.  I bought the drysuit so that I would enjoy both dives.

My current suit is really more a "damp suit", so it's on it's way up to Brainard for repair  :

Jeff

[grumpie]

As a contract Instructor my thoughts on wether to do the ice diving class or the dry suit first, would be to do the dry suit first and then the ice diving class. you will get a lot more fun and learning if you are comfortable when you do the ice class. depending on the instructor you could get three dives in one day and finish the class
grumpie.....