What I wear for a winter dive in Carlingford Lough

For winter diving around Carlingford Lough, my starting point is a drysuit that fits properly and enough insulation for the dive I am planning. The suit matters, but so do the layers, hood and gloves that go with it. Carlingford Lough is unlikely to be impressed by how much you spent if you have forgotten the warm bits.

I have spent over 15 years diving in warm and cold waters. The setup below is what I choose for my own Irish diving. It is a useful starting point for a conversation about equipment, rather than a shopping list everyone needs to copy.

The drysuit at the centre of my setup

I use the Scuba Force Xpedition SE, configured with neoprene socks and rock boots, an O-Rust neck system and THENAR quick-change wrists.

When choosing a suit, I would pay as much attention to the fit with your winter layers underneath as to the specification. You need room to move, reach your equipment and operate your controls. Trying a suit on in a thin shirt tells you very little about how your full winter setup will feel. Leave room for your insulation, but check you can still bend your knees without needing a small support team.

What goes underneath

The Scuba Force X-Pure is my undersuit for most of the winter. When it gets very cold, I combine it with the X-Liner or another thermal base layer.

I treat those as parts of one system. Adding another layer is only helpful if everything still fits comfortably and I can move freely. The same applies at my feet: winter insulation, neoprene socks and rock boots need to work together.

Water temperature is only part of the decision. The planned duration, how active the dive will be and how I feel that day also matter. DAN’s guidance for drysuit divers explains why insulation needs to be chosen for the individual and the dive.

Hoods and hands

I use a K01 5mm hood for most of the year. Below about 10°C, I move to the 8mm version. That is my own changeover point. It is not a temperature rating, and your head is under no obligation to agree with mine.

In winter, I use the THENAR dry-glove system with woolly gloves for insulation. Dexterity matters to me alongside warmth: I want to be able to work clips and manage my equipment with the gloves I will actually wear underwater. Warm hands are lovely; warm hands that can still open a bolt snap are even better.

Check the complete setup

Before committing to a different combination, try it all together. Can you reach the valves and releases you need? Does the computer strap fit over the suit? Can you operate your clips with your winter gloves? Changes in exposure protection also need an appropriate weighting check.

If you are moving into a drysuit for the first time, build suitable training into the plan. And if you become cold during a dive, communicate with your buddy and end it safely; equipment is there to support good decisions.

If you would like help choosing a setup, tell me where, when and how you plan to dive. That gives us a better starting point than choosing a suit by thickness or price alone.