Debate: Are dry suits actually safer than hot water suits for deep North Sea dives, or is it just cheaper for the company?

I used hot water suits for 4 years out of Aberdeen. Two winters ago I got a cold water flush that nearly took me out at 45 meters. Switched to dry suits with heated underwear after that. Now I see arguments both ways. Hot water suits keep you warmer if the system works, but when it fails you're in trouble. Dry suits add more weight and bulk, but you can survive a heater failure. What's your take after a real close call?

3 comments

3 Comments

max_brown15d ago

@kimfisher yeah that flush at 45m was no joke. I used to think hot water suits were the only way to go up there but that close call changed my mind completely. Now I see the dry suit as a backup that actually works when things go wrong.

kimfisher16d ago

45 meters with a hot water suit failure? Man that's terrifying.

elliotm5716d ago

Keep your primary gas on a separate tank from your hot water suit supply. That way if the suit heater fails you can still switch to your own gas and bail. And practice doing a drysuit ascent without any heat before you need it. The real kicker is how fast you get cold once that hot water stops. You lose body heat about 25 times faster in water than in air.