Choosing a drysuit over a wetsuit for a winter job in Seattle was the right call

Leo Park · 2026-03-25T17:20:10.844955+00:00

Last December, I had a job inspecting a dock in Elliott Bay. The water was 45 degrees, and I had to pick between my old 7mm wetsuit or spending $3,500 on a new drysuit. I bought the drysuit, and it was worth every penny. I was down for over an hour and stayed completely dry and warm, while my buddy in a wetsuit was shivering after twenty minutes. Anyone else work in cold water and have a strong preference on this?

allen.ruby6mo ago

My old wetsuit works fine for quick jobs in Puget Sound.

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joel_adams796mo ago

Read a story about a diver who swears by his drysuit for lake work.

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wendygarcia5mo ago

Oh man, nobody's talking about the mobility factor though... I've seen guys in drysuits struggle with dexterity on delicate dock work because of all the layers underneath. That extra bulk can really mess with your ability to feel what you're doing with your hands after a while.

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