Wetsuit vs. Drysuit for Colorado Diving: How to Choose | Underwater Phantaseas
Carolyn Bryan Sep 08, 2026
If you learned to dive somewhere warm, you probably never had to think about this. In Colorado, it's one of the first gear questions you'll face, and it's easy to get wrong in both directions. Buy too little and you cut every dive short. Buy too much too soon and you've spent real money on a suit you didn't need yet.
Here's how the two suits work and how to pick.
How a Wetsuit Keeps You Warm
A wetsuit lets a thin layer of water in against your skin. Your body heats that water, and the neoprene holds it there. It's simple, it's comfortable, and it works well in warm and mild water.
The catch is that the colder the water gets, the more heat you lose through the suit. Wetsuits come in different thicknesses, commonly 3mm, 5mm and 7mm, and thicker means warmer. But even a thick wetsuit has a limit.
How a Drysuit Keeps You Warm
A drysuit keeps water out completely. You wear insulating layers underneath, and the air in the suit does the work of keeping you warm. Less heat escapes, which is why drysuits are the standard once the water gets properly cold. PADI recommends them for water below about 50°F, and they're required for ice diving.
That extra warmth comes with extra work. Air in a drysuit expands and compresses as you change depth, so you have to manage it along with your BCD. PADI is clear that you need additional skills to use one safely, which is why there's a dedicated Dry Suit Diver course. It's not hard, but you shouldn't skip it.
Why Colorado Water Surprises People
It's easy to look at a reservoir in July and assume it's warm. The surface can be, with Front Range reservoirs reaching the 70s at the top in midsummer.
Go down a few feet and that changes. Warm water floats on top of colder water, and the layer between them is called a thermocline. In deeper lakes, the bottom layer can hold steady around 39°F even when the surface feels like a bath. You dive through all of it, not just the top layer.
That's why the air temperature on the day tells you very little about what your suit needs to handle.
So Which One Do You Need?
It depends on what you're doing and how often. Here's how we'd think about it.
If you're getting certified
You don't need to buy either one yet. Rent the suit that fits your course dates, and ask us what we'd recommend for that time of year. We'll tell you what to expect at Aurora Reservoir or wherever your open water dives are scheduled.
If you dive Colorado a few times a year
A thick wetsuit with a hood and gloves can get you through the warmer months. Once the water cools down, comfort drops fast. If you find yourself ending dives early because you're cold, that's your sign to look at a drysuit.
If you dive here year-round
Get a drysuit. Diving in cold water is a lot more fun when you're dry and warm, and you'll dive more because of it. Take the Dry Suit Diver specialty first so you learn to handle the air properly.
If you're planning a warm-water trip
Skip the drysuit and bring a lightweight wetsuit or rent one there. Save the cold-water gear for home.
Don't Forget Gloves and a Hood
Your hands and head lose heat quickly no matter which suit you wear. Standard 3mm gloves won't cut it in Colorado water. Look for 5 to 7mm gloves and a hood of similar thickness. Cold hands are usually what end a dive early, well before anything else does.
Wetsuit vs. Drysuit at a Glance
- Wetsuit: lower cost, simple to use, best for warmer water or short dives in the cold.
- Drysuit: higher cost, needs extra training, best for cold water and longer dives.
- Either one: pair it with gloves and a hood for Colorado conditions.
Where to Start
You don't have to decide before your first class. Come by the shop and we'll help you sort out what you need for the diving you're actually planning. Our Lakewood equipment shop carries wetsuits, drysuits and everything that goes with them, and students get a discount on gear bought during their course.
For the rest of the gear list, see our guide to scuba gear for Denver divers. If you're wondering what else the cold can affect, read what gear actually freezes at altitude. And if you haven't started your certification yet, here's what it costs in Denver.
