Drysuit vs Wetsuit: When Should You Make the Switch?

Switch from a wetsuit to a drysuit when cold regularly cuts your dives short, leaves you shivering between dives or keeps you out of the water in cooler months. A thick wetsuit works for many cold-water dives, but a drysuit keeps water off your skin and lets you adjust warmth with undergarments, so it handles longer and colder diving better.

Scuba Schools of America (SSA) has trained divers in Southern California's cold Pacific since 1959, and the drysuit vs wetsuit question is one our team hears often. The right answer depends less on a single water temperature and more on how often you dive, how long you stay down and how quickly you get cold.

What Is the Difference Between a Wetsuit and a Drysuit?

A wetsuit lets a thin layer of water in and uses neoprene to slow the loss of the heat your body puts into that water. A drysuit keeps water out entirely with waterproof material, wrist and neck seals and a watertight zipper. In a drysuit, most of your warmth comes from the undergarments you wear underneath.

That difference affects how each suit feels, how you manage buoyancy and how much prep goes into each dive.

How does a wetsuit keep you warm?

Water enters the suit and your body warms it. The neoprene then insulates you and slows heat loss. Wetsuits commonly come in 3mm, 5mm and 7mm thicknesses, with thicker suits used for colder water. In places like Southern California, where the Pacific stays far cooler than tropical destinations, divers usually need thicker neoprene plus a hood, gloves and boots.

How does a drysuit keep you warm?

A drysuit's seals and zipper stop water from reaching your body. You then choose undergarments based on the water and air temperature. This is the drysuit's biggest advantage: you can add or remove insulation underneath instead of relying only on thicker neoprene.

Is a 7mm Wetsuit Enough for Cold Water?

For many divers, a well-fitted 7mm wetsuit with a hood, gloves and boots is enough for cold-water diving, including much of the year in Southern California. Whether it's enough for you depends on water temperature, dive length, your personal cold tolerance and how many dives you plan in a day.

Two divers in the same water can have very different experiences. Someone who gets cold easily will hit their limit long before a diver who runs warm. A single short dive also asks far less of your exposure protection than a full day of boat diving.

Southern California water temperatures vary by location and season, and local upwelling can bring in colder water with little warning. Check current conditions before each trip.

When Should You Switch From a Wetsuit to a Drysuit?

There's no single temperature that tells every diver to switch. Consider a drysuit when your wetsuit consistently leaves you too cold, especially on longer or repeat dives. These are the most common signs.

You regularly end dives because you're cold

If cold ends your dives before your air supply or no-decompression limits do, your exposure protection is limiting your diving. Being cold also wears on your comfort and focus underwater.

You make multiple dives in a day

Staying warm gets harder with each dive because you may not fully warm up between entries. This matters on boat trips, where you can spend hours on deck in wind and spray. A drysuit helps you start each dive warmer.

You want to dive year-round

Cold-water diving doesn't have to stop when the weather turns. A drysuit makes winter and early spring diving far more comfortable, so you can keep diving instead of waiting for summer. Browse SSA's drysuits to see the options.

You dive cooler destinations often

Kelp forests and offshore islands draw divers to cold water, and those dives often mean long boat days. If trips like Catalina are a regular part of your schedule, our guide to what a Catalina Island scuba diving trip is like can help you plan your exposure protection.

Is a Drysuit Warmer Than a Wetsuit?

A drysuit gives you more control over warmth because you choose the undergarments and your skin stays out of the water. That doesn't make every drysuit automatically warmer. Fit, seals, undergarments and how you manage the suit all affect how comfortable you'll be. A poorly fitted suit or the wrong undergarment can still leave you cold.

Does Drysuit Diving Require Special Training?

Yes. Get proper training before diving a drysuit on your own, because it adds a second air space to manage.

Air inside a drysuit compresses as you descend and expands as you ascend. You add gas on the way down to prevent suit squeeze and vent it on the way up, all while managing your BCD and keeping good trim so air doesn't collect in your feet. A drysuit specialty course lets you practice these skills in the pool before relying on them in open water. Training also covers weighting, undergarment choice, common problems and basic suit care.

Is a Drysuit Harder to Dive Than a Wetsuit?

A drysuit takes more skill at first, mostly because of that extra air space. With a wetsuit, you manage buoyancy mainly with your BCD. With a drysuit, you manage the suit too.

With good instruction and a few practice dives, most divers find these skills become second nature.

Drysuit vs Wetsuit: How Do They Compare?

When Does Staying in a Wetsuit Make More Sense?

A drysuit isn't automatically the better choice. A wetsuit may suit you better if you:

• Stay comfortable in your current 7mm suit
• Mostly make shorter dives
• Dive mainly during warmer months
• Travel often and want lighter, more versatile exposure gear
• Prefer a simpler setup

Wetsuits are also easier to maintain. They need a rinse, a good dry and proper storage. Drysuits add seals and a waterproof zipper that need regular inspection and occasional service.

What Are the Advantages of Switching to a Drysuit?

The biggest advantage is flexibility. Instead of buying thicker neoprene, you adjust your undergarments to match the conditions. That helps on colder dives, longer dives and repeat dives, and it opens up cold-water destinations beyond your home waters.

The tradeoff is the added training, gear and upkeep. For divers who spend a lot of time underwater, that tradeoff is usually worth it.

How Do You Decide Between a Wetsuit and a Drysuit?

Start with how you actually dive, not the coldest water you might ever see. Ask yourself:

1. How cold do I get on a normal dive?
2. How long are my typical dives?
3. How many dives do I make in a day?
4. Do I want to keep diving through colder months?
5. Am I willing to learn drysuit skills?

If your wetsuit keeps you comfortable from start to finish, there's no rush to switch. If you routinely end dives cold or struggle to warm up between them, it's time to look at a drysuit.

What Should You Know Before Buying a Drysuit?

Try diving a drysuit before you buy if you can. A training dive with an instructor shows you how the suit feels and whether the extra setup fits your diving style.

Fit matters more than almost anything else. The suit needs room for the undergarments you plan to wear while still letting you move freely and reach the inflator, exhaust valve and zipper.

Plan for maintenance, too. Seals and zippers wear over time and eventually need service or replacement, so learn how to care for them before you buy. If you'd like help choosing, call SSA at (909) 621-4171 to talk it through with our team.

Frequently Asked Questions About Drysuits vs Wetsuits

Do I need a drysuit to dive in Southern California?

No. Many Southern California divers use a well-fitted 7mm wetsuit with a hood, gloves and boots. A drysuit is a good option for divers who get cold easily or make long or repeat dives.

At what water temperature should I switch to a drysuit?

There's no universal number. Water temperature, dive length, cold tolerance, repeat diving and your insulation all play a part. Many divers switch once their wetsuit regularly leaves them cold.

Is a 7mm wetsuit warm enough for Catalina Island?

It can be, especially with a hood, gloves and boots. Catalina water temperatures change with the season, so check current conditions and consider your own cold tolerance.

Do I need special training to dive a drysuit?

Yes. Drysuit diving adds skills like managing gas in the suit, weighting and handling an inverted ascent. A drysuit specialty course is the best way to learn them.

Is a drysuit worth it?

It depends on how and when you dive. A drysuit is worth it for divers who get cold often, make long or repeat dives or want to dive year-round. If a 7mm wetsuit keeps you comfortable, you may not need one yet.

Shop Drysuits and Wetsuits at Scuba Schools of America

Choosing between a drysuit and a wetsuit comes down to matching your exposure protection to the diving you actually do. Shop drysuits and wetsuits online with free shipping on orders over $100 and monthly payment options at checkout.

Questions about fit, undergarments or expedited shipping? Call (909) 621-4171. If you're local to Southern California, ask about drysuit training through SSA's courses and training programs in Montclair before your first dive in a new suit