The Complete Guide to Cold Water Diving by a Cold Water Diver, Not an AI Bot

Last Updated on April 11, 2025 by Candice Landau

I’ll be the first to admit it: cold water diving has a bit of a PR problem. It’s often portrayed as something only grizzled tech divers or gluttons for punishment pursue, better left off the magazine cover so as not to “put the masses off.” Meanwhile, warm water destinations like the Caribbean or the Maldives get all the love and marketing. I mean who doesn’t want to imagine themself submerging in turquoise seas with endless visibility and naught but the few pounds in your BCD pockets?

The truth is, there’s so much to love about cold water diving and so much myth busting that needs to happen too. Not only can you do it AND stay warm, but often, you may even see MORE life than a warm water diver.

With the right training, anyone—young, old, nervous, confident—can enjoy it. Trust me, I learned this first hand. A once anxious diver, I’ve since dived many of the “dark” unknown waters of the Pacific Northwest, and though always draped in a (healthy?) cloak of nerves, have became one of cold water diving’s biggest advocates.

But, before you mumble something about not wanting to get cold, let me stop you. If you’re doing it properly (with the right exposure protection), you shouldn’t be getting cold, not even in 55°F water. Some of my coldest dives have actually been in warm water, wearing the wrong exposure protection of course because that’s actually what it’s down to. If you’re equipped properly this isn’t an issue either. On that note, let’s begin with that myth busting I promised.

Myth 1: The Visibility is Going to Be Bad

Places like British Columbia, California, Norway, and even Antarctica offer jaw-dropping clarity, especially in winter when algae blooms aren’t rife. And that’s not to mention the myriad clear spring-fed lakes found across the world that are also great for diving. The trick? Understanding local conditions, timing your dives well, and learning how to appreciate the variety.

>> Related Reading: Scuba Diving Clear Lake, Oregon

 Myth 2: I’ll Get Too Cold

Like I said, not if your gear’s doing its job. The right drysuit, layered with moisture-wicking and insulating undergarments, turns a potentially chilly dive into a surprisingly cozy experience. Honestly, I love that feeling of being zipped into a cozy drysuit and still getting to experience the wonders of a chilly-to-others environment. I promise you, cold water divers aren’t just toughing it out, they’re dressed for success. And if they try to make it out otherwise, they’re either daft (and not dressed properly), or they’ve got a serious ego problem. Thermal base layers, fleece, and even heated vests can make a 45°F dive feel like a walk in the park.

When I lived in Oregon, I frequently dived Clear Lake, a spring-fed altitude lake that on average was about 39°F. When I first began diving the lake, I wore a 7mm wetsuit, hood and gloves and trust me, I got cold. I couldn’t be in the water for more than 25 minutes. When I finally bought a drysuit with thermals, I had a much more enjoyable experience. And, when I added dry gloves to that as well as thicker undergarments, it got better. Not even a foot of snow could put me off diving the lake. Plus, there’s nothing more satisfying than surfacing into a world of pristine white and then heading into a log cabin for a dark beer or a hot chocolate. Don’t even get me started on moonlight dives in Clear Lake, where underwater, tens of feet down, it’s possible to see the moon above.

Staying warm after the dive is part of the learning curve too. Thick deck jackets, fleece-lined beanies, dry socks, and a thermos of hot chocolate, tea, coffee or soup, is a must. Of course there are also the days where the water is cold and the external temperatures hot. On those days you’re grateful to step into the water. Personally, I hate those days. 100°F plus weather in a drysuit isn’t much fun. But the same is true for a wetsuit. Who wants to sit in a 7mm wetsuit when it’s boiling on the surface? Hard pass.

Cold water diving isn’t about “enduring” discomfort, it’s about preparing for the temperature so you can enjoy the dive and the surface interval. Done right, there’s something almost luxurious about the post dive experience, something warm water diving can’t touch.

>> Related Reading: My Current Dive Gear (And Why I Dive It)

Myth 3: There’s Nothing to See

Cold water is bursting with life, just not the kind you might be used to seeing in those glossy magazines (I know, I work at one). Instead of colorful coral reefs, you’ll often find thriving kelp forests, sponges you’ve never seen the likes of, prehistoric-looking fish, hugely colorful walls of anemones, bryozoans and tunicates and, of course, the big fellows like playful seals, giant Pacific octopuses, and even orcas if you’re really lucky, and probably diving out of British Columbia. 

The nudibranchs in the Pacific Northwest are as colorful as any tropical reef, often far more abundant and also much larger, and there’s a strange intimacy to the ecosystems here—less flashy, more mysterious, again because they aren’t the ones commonly displayed in the magazines that want to make diving seem appealing and accessible to everyone. Alaskan Skeleton Shrimp anyone? That pesky PR problem I mentioned is only going to go away when more cold water divers extol the virtues of cold water diving, and when more warm water divers give it a chance instead of bemoaning not wanting to be cold. Dude…rent the right dive gear. Skill up.

>> Related Reading: Essential Marine Life Guides: 11 Must-Have Books for Exploring the Pacific Northwest

At the end of the day the question is: Do you want to see all the world has to offer? And, if you live somewhere cold, do you want to be an active diver rather than just a vacation diver?

The correct answer is yes.

What Makes Cold Water Diving Different?

Cold water diving isn’t just warm water diving with more gear. It’s its own distinct experience, shaped by temperature, wildlife, and the gear you wear. It asks you to tune in a little deeper, prepare a little more thoughtfully, and in return, it offers quiet, wonder, and a wildness that many tropical dives can’t touch.

I was certified in Oregon. Not exactly the scuba diving mecca most people imagine, but it was where I fell in love with the underwater world. Eugene, where I was certified, also had a surprisingly large dive community, which in retrospect shouldn’t really be a surprise given Eugene Skin Divers Supply—the local dive shop—had been in operation since the 50s and had a robust training program as well as nearby dive sites to make even cold water diving accessible.

I did my first checkout dives in Woahink Lake, a lake about one-and-a-half hours drive from Eugene. I also did a checkout dive in the Florence North Jetty, just 15 minutes north of Woahink Lake. It was here that I learned to face my fears, to embrace a world I never knew existed, and to begin imagining new possibilities for my future. 

Years later when I did my first warm water dive in Florida, it was almost anticlimactic. Not only could I see everything meaning there was less mystery, but I didn’t feel as challenged. It was liking playing a game of Sudoku on easy mode—still fun, but just not the slight bit more of challenge I had come to love. Cold water made me a better diver. It made me pay attention, slow down, and truly respect the environment I was entering. That said, I did have to learn how to dive warm water too. If you read the article I linked to, you’ll find I was just as ill-equipped for that!

What Counts as Cold?

In the dive world, “cold” is subjective but generally, anything below 65°F qualifies. For many of those living in places like the Pacific Northwest, water temperatures range from the mid 40s in winter to the mid 50s in summer. Some cold water destinations, like Iceland or Antarctica, dip into near-freezing temperatures. I’m not going to speak to ice diving in this article, as that’s a whole different kettle of fish, but I’m sure it’s just as enticing with the right training and gear.

In my opinion if you’re in the wrong exposure protection, anything below 84°F can start to feel cold. For example, when I dive 80°F water in a 3 mm wetsuit, I get cold. Remember, in water, your body loses heat 25x faster than in air.

For the purposes of this article I’m going to be talking about water that’s 65°F and below, but that doesn’t require making a hole in the ice and running a tether! 

The Life Is Different, Sometimes Even More Abundant

Cold water ecosystems are not barren, they’re just built differently. You might not see swarms of colorful reef fish, but you will find alien-like invertebrates, dense carpets of tunicates and bryozoans, and elegant comb jellies pulsing through the sometimes green water. Green because it’s so rich with life, including plankton of every imaginable kind.

>> Related Reading: Love Scuba Diving? Buy a Microscope

In the Great Lakes, shipwrecks become encrusted in freshwater sponges, their structures eerie and hauntingly preserved in the cold. In Maine and the UK, you might spot scallops that swim away when startled, spider crabs scuttling over the seafloor, or the slow, deliberate movement of a conger eel retreating into its hole.

And then there are the true weirdos: the lumpsuckers, sea pens, pipefish, and gunnels that hide beneath kelp blades or cling to dock pilings. Cold water diving rewards a careful eye and a slower pace. The more you look, the more you see.

Light, Viz, and the Seasons

Visibility in cold water is often misunderstood. While it can be limited, especially after heavy rain or near river mouths, it can also surprise you. Winter often brings the clearest water, especially when plankton levels drop. You might not get crystal-clear water every dive, but when the light cuts through just right, it’s pure magic, like diving through a forest at dusk. Very rarely does clear water offer intense experiences like that.

Seasonal shifts play a bigger role, too. Spring and summer bring plankton blooms, which fuel the food chain (that’s why there’s still a ton of life) but reduce visibility. Autumn and winter dives can feel otherworldly: crisp, quiet, and full of subtle color. You learn to embrace the seasons, not just the dive conditions. 

>> Related Reading: The Invisible Ocean: A Dive Into the World of Microscopic Marine Life

Shore Dives, Surf Entries and Rugged Beauty

One of the biggest shifts for warm water divers? Surface conditions. This isn’t because rough surface conditions don’t exist in warm water places but more because diving culture in tropical locations often caters to the “holiday diver” (read: the diver who isn’t quite as obsessed) which also means there’s often a dive boat culture and diving isn’t done all year round for the most part but rather just in warmer months (Wilmington, NC surprised me in this way).

In places like Oregon, Washington, California, and British Columbia, shore diving is the norm. That means learning to read surf reports, tide tables, and how to safely navigate rocky entries or slick boat ramps. You’ll often kit up in parking lots, hike down trails in full gear, and descend into the dark, inviting green. Yep, I’ve gone and sold it again, right?!

Boat diving is still an option in many places, especially for deeper wrecks (like the Diamond Knot) or hard-to-access sites, but it often comes with wind, swell, and colder surface air. You’ll appreciate every patch of sun and your waiting thermos of “proper tea.” But you’ll also notice something else— the grit, the self-sufficiency, and the joy that comes with truly earning your dive.

Essential Gear for Cold Water Diving

Cold water diving demands more from your gear but that’s part of the appeal. There’s a ritual to layering up, zipping into your drysuit, and checking your cold-water setup before submerging. Each piece of gear is about more than just staying warm; it’s about function, safety, and comfort in an environment that demands preparation. Here’s what you need to know.

>> Related Reading: My Current Dive Gear (And Why I Dive It)

Drysuits Versus Thick Wetsuits

For water temps below 60°F, drysuits are the gold standard. They keep you dry by sealing out water entirely, which lets you layer warm clothing underneath. Thick wetsuits (7mm with hooded vests or even semi-dry suits) can work in milder cold or for shorter dives, but once you go dry, you don’t go back. Why do the job half way?

Many California-based divers I know will often use a thick wetsuit and claim to be fine. What they don’t realize is that they’d be a whole lot happier in a drysuit. The myth that drysuits are hard and dangerous is just that a myth. Like any piece of scuba gear they just take time and practice to learn. They’re no more dangerous than your BCD. 

When I first showed up in Florida I overhead another instructor teaching a class at Devil’s Den. One of his students had asked about diving a drysuit. The instructor told him it was much harder and could be very dangerous. I was horrified. This was not only factually incorrect (they’re no harder to learn than a BCD), but completely the wrong way to go about educating anyone, regardless of agency. Though I held my tongue, looking back I often wish I’d found that student and told them the truth.

On that note, because I believe drysuits are the way you want to go if you’re diving sub 60 (and frankly sub 65 waters), I’m going to keep the focus on them. If you’re shopping around, here’s what you should know. 

There are four main types of drysuits:

• Neoprene drysuits: These offer natural insulation and tend to be more rugged, but they compress with depth and can be bulky. They’re made of the the same stuff as your wetsuit but are often thicker. They’re usually the cheaper option. Personally, I wouldn’t recommend them. They require you wear a lot more weight, they’re bulky and they take longer to dry.
• Trilaminate drysuits: These drysuits are sometimes known as membrane drysuits. They’re lightweight, flexible, and ideal for travel or for those who like to layer undergarments. They offer no insulation on their own, so your undergarments do all the heavy lifting to keep you warm. In this case, investing in more expensive thicker undergarments is the way to go. These are appealing to a lot of divers because they’re light, they dry quickly, they’re great for travel, and they’re easier to repair.
• Compressed or crushed neoprene drysuits: These drysuits fall somewhere inbetween neoprene and trilaminate suits. I dive a compressed (crushed) neoprene suit made by Bare. It offers, in my opinion, the best of both worlds—a little more exposure protection so your undergarments don’t need to be as thick, without having all the bulk of a pure neoprene suit. Compressed or crushed neoprene suits are often hardier than the others. Mine has scraped through barnacle-covered rocks in the PNW, dealt with sharp jetty rock clambering, and survived blistering hot days in the garage, though on occasion, wrist seals haven’t been happy about that.
• Hybrid drysuits: Finally, hybrid drysuits. These combine materials, often featuring a neoprene, or compressed neoprene toros and trilaminate legs. This makes them a little lighter than the standard neoprene suit and offers a bit more insulation where it matters most. That said, the combination of materials can sometimes make repairs a little more complex.

With proper care—rinsing after your dive, zipper waxing, and seal maintenance—a drysuit can last for many years. My first drysuit lasted 6 years and that was 6 years of intensive diving, hundreds of dives, actually.

Let’s Talk Layers (AKA, Undergarments)

Your drysuit is just the shell. Warmth comes from what you wear underneath. The key is layering smart. 

• Base layer: Wicking material like wool or synthetic blends (never cotton—it holds moisture and will chill you plus, if you spring a leak, even a small one, it won’t dry fast). Fleece is a great option here and there are many companies, such as Fourth Element that make wonderful base layers. Of course, you could also purchase your own from a non-diving store.
• Mid-layer: Fleece or quilted insulation layers. Many divers use purpose-made diving undergarments made by the likes of Fourth Element, Santi, BARE and DUI. A super popular thick undergarment is made by British company, Weezle. Many Pacific Northwest Divers and UK-based divers own one of these. Some undergarments even come with handy “bum flaps” so you can easily go to the bathroom without removing yourself from your whole “onesie,” as many garments are just that.
• Outer insulation: If needed, add a heated vest or extra loft in winter, or if you’re diving substantially colder water. Be sure you understand how heated undergarments work though, as they can lead to increased risk of DCS depending on how you use them.

Make sure everything dries quickly between dives—hang your undergarments immediately if you’re shore diving and the weather is good, otherwise, put them some place they can dry out if you’ve had water trickle in through your neck or wrist seals (it happens every so often, and depending on the neck seal you have). In the PNW, we often turn ours inside out to dry them faster.

Pro tip: fleece-lined leggings and a long-sleeve top are cozy surface layers if you’re changing outdoors, as are thick camping socks. I bought a Smartwool pair from REI once. They were great but a little too expensive for what they offered. Now, I buy my socks on Amazon now and they’re perfect—thick, warm and cozy. I purchase men’s socks as I like to wear normal socks under them too.

I also never dive without access to my deck jacket either, and a beanie to keep my head warm pre and post dive. My deck jacket (no longer made) is by USIA. I think Surf Fur and ScubaMax make similar ones today. The key is FLEECE LINED. Don’t be fooled by a thick changing robe. You want warmth. To differentiate mine, I ordered an iron-on patch with my name on it from Etsy. It’s very cute! I did this because in cold water destinations a lot of people have the same coat and given they’re a little pricier, I wanted to insure mine wasn’t easily taken. Plus, it’s neat to have your name/handle on your coat if you’re an instructor. Helps the students remember you too. I’m Scuba Canz.

Gloves, Hoods, and Boots

Hands and head are where heat escapes fastest, which means you need to protect them.

• Gloves: 5mm wet gloves are a good start, but for serious cold, consider dry gloves with rings or built-in cuffs. Dry gloves give you greater dexterity and they keep you warmer (they’re dry). I’ve used the Oval Antares system for most of my dives because they’re much slimmer than a lot of the big round systems out there, better for a woman’s hands, or for smaller hands. My newer drysuit is getting installed with Kubi dry gloves, however, as they’re easier to install and don’t require I remove the seals. That said, there are many different dry glove systems. Do your research so you can determine the best for you. In short, dry gloves keep your hands bone-dry and warm with a thin liner glove inside. If you’re using wet gloves, make sure they fit snugly and are easy to don and doff with cold hands. That said, you’ll have much more dexterity in dry gloves.
• Hoods: Go with 7mm in water below 50°F, ideally with a bib that tucks into your suit collar. A good hood can make or break your dive. Of course, if you have a drysuit that doesn’t have space for that bib, get a hood without one. For some reason I can never cut my neoprene straight, at least not like a manufacturer does.
• Boots: Integrated drysuit boots are common, but some divers prefer neoprene socks with separate rock boots for better fit and grip. Always go for something with a solid tread as you’ll be walking across slick docks and rocky entries. I’ve seen many cave divers wearing All Star Converse shoes with their drysuits. Though it looks odd, it seems to do the trick. Personally, I like my boots integrated, especially if the drysuit manufacturer has been thoughtful enough to add a velcro strap around the ankle so I can cinch it up and prevent floaty feet. 

Pro tip: I don’t buy dry gloves made by dive manufacturers as they’re often overpriced and frankly not any better, sometimes even thinner. Most of the instructors I know that dive drysuits wear Atlas SHOWA gloves. I’ve bought all of mine from Go2marine. The ticket is to get the 720 Nitrile gloves. I buy a few so I have back ups though I’ve yet to have mine tear. I buy small as my hands are small, though my fingers are long. I also purchased these orange Atlas SHOWA gloves on Amazon. Even though they’re cotton-lined, they’re my favorite. Students always comment on how easily they can see my hand signals underwater and fewer people have them meaning I’m easier to recognize. The gloves I wear underneath are Smartwool liner gloves. If you get really cold, you could even order a silk liner glove to go beneath those, though I’ve never needed it.

Regulator Considerations

Cold water means your regulator must be up to the task. Choose a cold-water rated reg, which is environmentally sealed to prevent ice crystals from forming and causing a free-flow. Many manufacturers specify this in their models. If you’re purchasing your gear from a local dive shop in your area, they’re very likely to have a good understanding of which regs are cold-water rated. My first reg was an Aqualung Core and it held up well even in Clear Lake’s 39°F water (see photo above). 

Bonus tip: breathe slowly and avoid purging excessively on the surface to reduce the chance of a free-flow on really cold days. Most divers like to do their test breaths and purges before they’re in the water but I suggest you do that while in the water, still standing before you drop. At least that’s what my tech diving instructor taught me.

Steel Tanks Win in the Cold

In warm water, aluminum tanks are common but in cold water, steel is your friend. Here’s why:

• Steel tanks are negatively buoyant, which helps offset the extra float from your drysuit and undergarments. They do after all add a few more pounds in weight.
• You’ll likely need more weight than in warm water, and a steel tank reduces the need for bulky weight belts (gross).
• They’re also more compact and trim out better with a backplate setup, if that’s what you’re using. Frankly, I recommend this setup as they’re often made for tougher use. My favorite brand is Halcyon but I know a lot of divers who use X-Deep and Hollis. These days, many recreational BCDs are even beginning to look like their more modular counterparts (the backplate-wing setup). Clearly that’s the way you should go.

Weighting and Trim Adjustments

Buoyancy changes in cold water and so should your approach to weighting. The thick exposure protection adds lift as does a neoprene or compressed neoprene drysuit, and you’ll need to counterbalance that safely and comfortably. A few things to consider:

• Ditch the weight belt if possible. Many cold water divers use backplate and wing systems with trim weight pockets or weight harnesses that distribute weight more comfortably. Halcyon has a great setup with weight pockets you can add to your belt, optional add-on trim pockets for your tank strap, and a central weight that runs the length of your back that you can add to the single plate tank converter.
• Backplates (especially steel) also double as helpful ballast. In cold water I use a steel backplate. In warm water, I switch to aluminum or carbon fiber. Carbon fiber is my go-to for travel (Halcyon again).
• Practice horizontal trim and hover with your new setup before tackling deeper or surge-heavy dives.

Bonus Comfort Gear 

The dive isn’t over when you surface. Your body still needs warmth and a little TLC. Here’s what experienced cold water divers bring along (and you should too):

• Deck jacket or parka: Waterproof and fleece-lined. Throw it on the moment you’re out of your suit. Surf Fur and ScubaMax make them though mine is an old USIA jacket. Wouldn’t forget it for the world. Warm water divers often love their Scubapro boat coats—I’m sure that would work well too, though mine’s snug enough it could be hard to layer. There’s a women’s version and a men’s version.
• Thermos of hot tea, hot chocolate, or soup. Trust me, it will make you feel so much better. I bring a BIG thermos to my sites and am sometimes generous enough to share! This is the one I use. Something new I recently discovered that blew my mind: savory soup tea bags (aka: sipping broth)! Yes, no joke. Might have to get another thermos. My favorite flavor is Thai Lemongrass though they also sell tomato basil, spicy tortilla and delight pho.
• Hand warmers: Great in gloves or tucked into pockets while gearing up or after a chilly dive. I’ve seen plenty of divers use these. Don’t leave them in when you dive. They can get too hot and burn! Just use at the surface to warm up. I buy the HotHands hand warmers.
  Beanie and wool socks: Put them on immediately after the dive. Get out of any wet clothes and stay dry! Bring spare socks.
• Changing robe or towel poncho: Especially for shore dives with no facilities. This can keep the breeze off, and keep you warm. Usually I save my poncho for tropical diving. It’s also made of microfiber so it doubles as a towel.
• Foldable chair: Optional, but luxurious, especially if you’re going to be waiting around a bit. When I taught a lot in cold water, I’d often bring a foldable chair. It felt like a real luxury post dive, that is, if I hadn’t already jetted off for a beer and a good veggie burger. I owned a couple of these bungee chairs and was the envy of the dive group. They’re even comfy to sit in in a drysuit and, because they’re largely bungee, they dry quickly!
• A mat to change on: A changing mat is a must. I have a woven Trident mat. It dries super fast and is light. You don’t want your gear getting clogged with pine needles, beach sand or mud. You could also use a tarp. They’re sold everywhere. That works well and provides a lot of space, though they’re a little more painful to clean given their size.

Training You Need (and Want)

I’m sorry to come out and say it but cold water divers are often better divers than their warm water diving counterparts, just as technical divers are often better than recreational divers. This doesn’t have to do with any innate skill, but rather to do with training. Cold water divers and technical divers have had to train harder, learn more, and practice skills in harsher, less forgiving environments. What this means is that if you want to get into cold water diving, it behooves you to practice, practice, practice. Of course there are always exceptions to this rule.

Buoyancy, navigation, and emergency preparedness all become more critical in environments where visibility is limited, surface conditions can shift quickly, and your gear setup is heavier and more complex. That said, none of this should intimidate you. It’s not about being “extreme.” It’s about being capable, confident, and in control. And yes—you can learn all of it. At the end of the day you’ll probably look a lot better in the water than your warm water diving counterpart with the same amount of experience. Plus you’ll be more confident, which means you’ll enjoy the dives you do in the tropics possibly more as well!

A good instructor will make doing skills in thick gloves, hoods, and exposure protection approachable. If they don’t, you don’t have a good instructor. Find another one. They’re not all made equal. Also, it doesn’t matter what agency. There are good and bad instructors across all agencies.

>> Related Reading: Scuba Agnostic: AKA, Why I Train Broadly

Why a Drysuit Certification Matters

If you’re going to dive cold, a drysuit certification isn’t just a checkbox, it’s foundational. You’ll learn how to control buoyancy using your suit, how to avoid suit squeeze, and what to do if you end up feet-up and flailing (that’s everyone’s greatest fear but the thing I see happen least). You’ll also get familiar with valve control, inflator hose connections, and basic care and maintenance.

But here’s the truth: it takes time to master drysuit diving. I didn’t feel fully comfortable in a drysuit until I was 100 dives deep. It’s not dangerous, and it’s not as hard as some people make it sound, but it does feel awkward at first, especially if you’re used to diving in a rashguard or a 3mm wetsuit with little weight.

Unfortunately, some instructors teach drysuit in places where it never actually gets cold, often with students who never touch a drysuit again. That’s a disservice. Cold water divers know that the real training starts after the course. Give yourself grace, and give yourself time and don’t be afraid to don a drysuit in 70°F waters to get yourself some practice. 

When it comes to HOW to dive a drysuit, well, I have opinions. I was taught the PADI way—a methodology I’ve since learned is a little old school and rife with potential problems like runaway ascents, wasted air, and poor buoyancy.

When I finally too a GUE Fundamentals course, I learned why tech divers and many other agencies don’t teach it that way. Rather, they teach to use the drysuit to just alleviate squeeze, only adding enough air to make it comfortable to dive. In this way, it’s also a lot easier to learn in my opinion, as you keep using your BCD as you always did and only add and dump enough air to keep that suit snug but not too snug. I’ll write an article on how to dive a drysuit soon, I promise. This is also the reason I am scuba agnostic and why I encourage you to take courses with many different agencies and instructors.

Cold Water Buoyancy Control is a Non-Negotiable Skill

Buoyancy is more complicated in a drysuit not because of the drysuit itself but because you’re suddenly managing lift from both your BCD and your suit, which makes your movements feel slower and less precise at first. Add in the extra weight from steel tanks and thick undergarments, and your trim might be all over the place.

This is why dedicating time to buoyancy control in cold water is essential. Practice hovering in horizontal trim. Get comfortable adding and venting air from your suit without overcorrecting. Make minor fin kicks instead of waving your arms around. When you nail this, everything else improves.

I though my buoyancy was good until I took a GUE Fundamentals course. Granted, it wasn’t bad before that and I already knew how to frog kick and dive in horizontal trim, but learning to dive a drysuit with less air in it really made all the difference, as did venting my wing using the dump valve at the bottom of the wing. Of course, this also means you should have a wing or BCD with an easy-to-access dump valve. Again, this is why I like the Halcyon wings—they’re designed for technical diving.

You Can’t Fake Navigation in Low Viz

In warm, clear water, it’s easy to rely on landmarks or your dive buddy’s lead. In cold water, especially in places like Oregon or the Northeast, depending on where you dive, you’re often dealing with low visibility and terrain that might look similar regardless of where you are. That makes navigation a must-have skill, not a nice-to-have.

You’ll need to read your compass confidently, track your kick cycles (if you’re doing something specific), and notice subtle cues like surge direction or bottom composition. Natural navigation can still work but it’s more subtle and learned over time. Keep your compass and your buddy close and, trust the compass. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve felt I knew the way back to the “entrance/exit” only to have the compass tell me I was wrong. When surfacing isn’t an option, you need to know how to navigate underwater. As my scientific diving instructor said, “Get in the habit of solving problems underwater and not at the surface.”

>> Related Reading: Becoming an Oregon Marine Reserves Diver

The Cold Water Edition of Rescue Skills

Rescue training is always important but in cold water, there are new variables to consider:

• Divers are more likely to be over-weighted and under-trimmed in bulky gear.
• Surface support is crucial in rougher, colder conditions.
• Getting a diver out of the water onto a slippery shore or boat deck is physically harder in cold conditions with more gear.
• Gloves reduce dexterity for mask removal or airway management.
• Hypothermia is a real post-rescue risk.

Even if you’re already Rescue certified, it’s worth practicing those skills in cold conditions. Try responding to a simulated emergency in your full kit. It’s humbling and incredibly useful.

>> Related Reading: Guide to PADI Divemaster: The Rescue Scenario (Published on PADI)

Optional Specialties That Actually Help

If you want to sharpen your cold water skills, a few specialties are especially relevant:

• Altitude Diver: A must if you’re diving high mountain lakes, which are often cold and require changes to your dive planning.
  
• Search and Recovery: Great for building navigation confidence in low viz environments.
  
• Underwater Navigator: Because getting back to your exit point without surfacing in the wrong place is a key cold water flex.

You don’t need to do all of these at once. But cold water diving becomes exponentially more enjoyable when you’ve got the training to match the environment. You’ll be safer, more confident, and better able to focus on what matters. You can do most of these specialties right out the gate so don’t feel you have to be experienced to do them.

>> Related Reading: Scuba Diving in Oregon: Dive Sites For Anyone

Skills to Master for Cold Water Diving

In order to feel safe and comfortable diving in cold water, you’ll want to work on your skills. The water is colder, your kit is bulkier, and the stakes can be higher depending on where you’re diving. That doesn’t mean it’s scary, it just means you need to be prepared and practice, practice, practice! 

As a cold-water instructor, I believe there are a few key skills you should master. They range from the easy and obvious, to the skills that will take a little more time and practice. 

Donning and Doffing a Drysuit (and Managing Zippers and Valves)

Though it may sound obvious, learning to properly wear your drysuit does take some practice, especially if you’re just starting out. You’ll learn how to get into your drysuit without bunching your thermals and socks, how to lube your wrist and neck seals (especially silicone ones), and how to make sure your zipper is clean, closed all the way, and protected! Trust me, you’ll likely make the mistake of not fully closing your zipper at least once. I know I have.

Mastering this process makes your dive and your day easier, especially on a windy beach with numb fingers and impatient buddies. Same goes for post-dive. Careful doffing avoids tearing seals or dirtying your suit so it’s a pain to clean. Take care of your suit (especially that zipper as it’s $250+ to replace), and it’ll take care of you.

The Cold Water Pre-Dive Check

A solid pre-dive check is always important, but it changes a bit in cold water. You’re working with more gear and more points of failure so your buddy check should evolve too. Personally, I like to run through two checks: the PADI BWRAF check and the GUE Edge check.  

BWARF stands for Buoyancy, Weights, Air, Releases and Final check. GUE Edge stands for Goal, Unified Team, Equipment Match, then for Exposure, Decompression Strategies, Gas Strategies, and Environment. You can read more about what these mean in detail online. Most agencies have a version of these checks, though GUE has the most robust of all in my opinion.

Some questions you might want to ask yourself: 

• Is the drysuit inflator hose securely connected and functioning? Test it before you hit the water.
• Check for suit squeeze once underwater—vent air in slowly to avoid discomfort or poor trim.
• Make sure your zippers are fully closed and protected from grit, especially rear-entry zippers that are hard to self-check.
• Confirm your gloves and hood are sealed properly, especially if you’re using dry gloves in very cold water.
• Where’s your spare mask? I like to have a pocket on my drysuit for this. It’s for safety of course. For that matter, where’s your SMB and your Nautilus LifeLine (marine rescue GPS). Personally, I think it’s nuts to dive any current-ridden site without a marine rescue GPS. 
• Are your buddy and you on the same page with the plan?
• Who is navigating?
• What should you do if you get separated?

Air Management and Breathing Rate

Your breathing changes in cold water. Yes, I’m serious. The gear is bulkier, the water is more dense, and drysuit drag is real. Many new cold water divers find themselves breathing faster and using air more quickly, especially if they’re working harder on shore entries or adjusting buoyancy with both the BCD and drysuit. In fact, this was one of the reasons the boat operator suggested divers might not want to bring drysuits, but rather dive 7mm wetsuits—drag. 

You’ll want to practice slow, relaxed breathing to keep your SAC rate under control. With time, your movements will become more efficient and your buoyancy more fine-tuned, helping you conserve air and energy.

>> Related Reading: What SAC Rate Is, How to Calculate It and How to Improve It

Managing Free Flows and Freezing Conditions

Free flows are rare but they happen more often in cold water. The culprits are usually environmental (very cold water temps + wet second stage) or mechanical (freezing around a poorly sealed regulator).

Here’s how to reduce the risk:

• Use a cold-water rated regulator with environmental sealing.
• Get your regulators serviced annually. 
• Don’t purge excessively on the surface or breathe heavily through the reg in freezing air before a dive.
• Always do a bubble check before descent and listen for subtle leaks. You can have your buddy do this. Believe it or not there is a hand signal to ask about bubbles. If you take a tech course, you’ll learn this, though you could also just look it up.
• If a free flow does happen, stay calm, signal your buddy, and be ready to switch to an alternate air source or begin a safe ascent.

This is one of those “know it before you need it” skills and the more you practice emergency drills with gloves on, the more second-nature it becomes. When you go through divemaster or instructor training you tend to get a LOT of practice with skills as you teach them and demonstrate them. Honestly, in my opinion, it’s one of the primary ways to become a better diver yourself.  

Emergency Protocols with Bulky Gear and Numb Fingers

In cold water, emergencies aren’t just about what happens they’re about how hard it is to react quickly. Thick gloves, reduced dexterity, heavier exposure protection, and the potential for cold stress all make even simple tasks harder.

That’s why you should practice seemingly simple things like:

• Mask removal and replacement with gloves
• Deploying your SMB in surge with stiff fingers
• Removing weight systems you don’t normally use (weight harnesses, trim pockets, etc)
• Helping a buddy who’s in a drysuit and can’t easily get out of it

The idea is to build muscle memory. What seems easy in the pool feels different when your hands are numb and your face is stinging from a 46°F exit.

The good news? These skills become second nature with time. And when they do, you’ll dive more confidently, knowing you’re not just surviving the cold, you’re thriving in it. Find a lake or quarry to practice in and a buddy who likes improving their own skills too. Or go through divemaster training. It will make you a better and more aware diver. 

What to Know If You’re Coming from Warm Water

If you’ve only dived in warm water, cold water diving can feel like stepping into a parallel scuba universe. The basics are the same: breathe, kick, equalize, but almost everything else feels different. And that’s okay, that shift in feel is part of what makes it exciting.

Your Trim and Buoyancy Will Change

In warm water, you might be used to diving in a rashguard or 3mm wetsuit with minimal weight and a compact setup. In cold water, especially in a drysuit, you’re suddenly managing buoyancy from two systems: your BCD and your suit. Add thicker undergarments and a steel tank, and you’ll find your center of gravity has shifted. Just know that it gets easier when you’re in the water. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve felt bulky and uncomfortable on the surface only to feel free as soon as I submerge. Of course, all this also depends on well-fitted gear, as with anything. 

That perfect trim you dialed in in Cozumel? You’ll need to relearn it here. And that’s not a step backward, it’s an opportunity to get even better. Cold water divers are masters of neutral buoyancy, because we have to be. So, start practicing your frog kick, start slowing down, and start honing in on that breathing technique.  

Weighting Feels Different (And Matters More)

You’ll wear more weight in cold water. It’s unavoidable with the extra insulation. But it’s not just about adding pounds, it’s about placing it strategically. You might use a steel backplate instead of a belt, trim weights on your tank straps, or a weight harness that distributes bulk more comfortably. At least, I think you should do these things. Personally, I find a wraparound BCD a whole lot of bulk you don’t need. Sometimes, less is more. 

The more precise your weighting, the more comfortable your dive. It takes a few dives to find your sweet spot, but once you do, it feels natural. Think of it as dialing in a custom setup for a new environment.

Expect a New Pace

Cold water diving is slower. From gearing up to descending, the pace is more deliberate because it has to be. There’s more to double-check. More gear to clip, zip, or get into. And underwater, you move with a bit more intention, after all, viz is often more limited and macro life abounds. Movements should be precise, you don’t want to stir up even more silt, do you? 

That slower rhythm isn’t a drawback though, it’s a gift. It makes you more aware. More present. And you start noticing things you never saw in warm water: a crab delicately grooming its legs, a rockfish curiously watching you fiddle with your camera, a lingcod sizing you up—“friend or fo?” 

How to Transition Smoothly

Start with a guided dive or a shore dive with an experienced local. Ask all the questions, even the ones you feel silly asking. People love to feel like experts. Let them. Rent gear before you commit to buying, and if you can, take a drysuit class before diving cold water. 

Give yourself permission to feel awkward. Everyone does. Bring extra time, extra layers, and extra patience. For that matter, expect to feel awkward for tens of dives. I’ve seen many expert divers go from looking good underwater to being a hot mess when they don a drysuit for the first time. Their frustration is that even 15 dives in, they don’t feel “back to normal.” Embrace it! You won’t. I didn’t either. You can be an expert for years, but you can only be a beginner for a short time. Enjoy the novelty of all the new things you’re learning. 

Have you made the transition from warm to cold? If so, I’d love to hear more. What was it like? What was hard? What was not as hard as you thought it might be? What made it fun?