Regulators

Clothing

Dry Suits, Wet Suits, Exposure Gear

Choosing the right exposure suit is critical to enjoying your dive. For diving in waters from 50F to 85F, a wet suit is often the appropriate choice. At the lower end of the scale, additional exposure protection in the form of boots, gloves, hoods or vests may be required. For waters below 50F, a dry suit is the way to go.

Wet Suits

Wet suits come in a wide variety of thicknesses to provide exposure protection to divers. Whether you are diving in the cooler waters of British Columbia or the Pacific Northwest or traveling south to warmer climates, a snug fitting wet suit can provide you the warmth you are looking for.

Warm Water 75F to 85F - 1/2mm to 3mm Wet suit - Florida, Cozumel, Bonaire, Cayman, Hawaii, Sea of Cortez, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Tahiti and warm waters throughout the world.

For cooler times of the year, deeper diving or extended dive vacations:

• Add a beanie, 3mm hood or even a 3mm hooded vest
• Add a 3mm Shorty over a polyolefin, Trilam, polar fleece or Lycra jump suit
• Use a 3mm two-piece wet suit
• Add a 3mm tunic over a 1/2mm to 3mm jump suit

Temperate Water 60F to 75F - 4mm to 6mm Wet suit - Red Sea, Southern Great Barrier Reef and temperate waters throughout the world.

For cooler times of the year, deeper diving or extended dive vacations:

• Add a 3 to 5mm hood or even a 3 to 5mm hooded vest
• Add a 3mm or 5mm two-piece wet suit
• Add a 3mm tunic over a 5mm jump suit

Dry Suits

If you want true thermal comfort while diving, a dry suit provides warmth and comfort. The current thinking is that any diving which increases thermal loss, thereby decreasing comfort and safety, may be better done in a dry suit. This includes long dives in warm water, deep diving, dives that involve little movement and repetitive diving, especially if you tend to chill easily.

Cold Water 50F to 65F - 6.5mm to 7mm Wet suit or a Dry Suit - California, Oregon, Washington, the Great Lakes, British Columbia, Northern Europe and colder waters throughout the world.

Exposure Gear

Hoods, gloves and boots provide additional warmth when temperatures dip. In addition, exposure gear can provide you protection against coral cuts and scrapes or allow you to walk over rocky shores to get to your dive site. As with all dive gear, fit and comfort are the most important qualities to look for.

Owning dive equipment represents a long term investment in fun and safety. A good set of dive gear can last you through years of diving and travel, take you to unforgettable experiences in incredible underwater environments and most importantly, bring you home safely. It is important to buy the right gear for the type of diving you do, ensure that it fits and is comfortable, be trained in its use and keep it serviced at recommended intervals. Ocean Pro Divers is committed to working with you at every step of this process. We carry all types of gear from many major manufacturers to get you diving.