The most important thing about buying any type of suit is that it fits properly. With reference to a semi-dry, this should mean that it is snug enough so that it doesn’t allow water to ‘flush’ around you, which will make you cold, but neither should it be so tight that it is uncomfortable to wear and restricts your movement underwater. Make sure when you try on a suit that you move around in it to test its flexibility. Two things that you should definitely do are to squat down in it, and also pretend you’re climbing a ladder (both arms above your head, one knee raised quite high). These two positions let you see the suit being compressed and stretched.
Many modern semi-dry’s have all sorts of innovations to make them perform better. This could be titanium-lined fluffy insides, or zips that cover wrist and ankle seals to ensure a better fit and so prevent ‘flushing’. Gizmo’s can only make the suit work better; the best way to make sure it works properly for you is simply to make sure it fits properly!! I would advise buying a suit with a separate hood as well, as suits with built-in hoods (like the club’s) don’t always fit that well.
A lot of suits come as a two-piece, comprising either a full-length suit and a jacket on top, or a long-john style suit with a shortie on top. If you can see yourself being warm enough in summer to just wear a one-piece suit, keeping the jacket for colder water, then this is probably the more flexible approach. Aesthetic considerations may also be high on your list!
Take heed of the advice of the staff in dive shops, but don’t treat it as gospel. If they’ve only one type of suit in stock, go to another shop so that you have a chance to try on a variety of suits. Let them know your budget and experience level, but don’t be pushed around!
So go to your local dive-shop, or visit some of the websites below and see what you can pick up!
NOTE: this list is by no means exhaustive, but is just a reflection of the major suit manufacturers out there. Some dive shops may not stock certain makes, so contact the distributor to find your nearest dealer.
Manufacturer contact details
O’Three – www.othree.co.uk – 01305 776754
Beaver – www.beaversports.co.uk – 01484 512354
Northern Diver – www.ndiver.com – 01257 254444
Oceanic – www.oceanicuk.com – 01404 891819
Scubapro – www.scubapro.co.uk – 01256 812636
Seemann Sub – www.seemannsub.com – 01964 532202
Typhoon – www.typhoon-int.co.uk – 01642 486104