Key Largo- 3mm or 5mm wetsuit? Which dive shop to go through? Best beginner dives?

[Captain Larry]

If you were doing drift dives like most of the dives up in the Ft Lauderdale area tend to be a 5mm is a good choice because you're not exerting as much work and tend to chill. In Key Largo most of are dives are not drift dives so you will be swimming and generally a 3mm is a comfortable choice for most divers. Ultimately it depends on your body and your comfort level but a 3mm is a good start.

 

[Chris Brown Tech]

A 3mm isnt enough on its own for most people at the moment. I am running every day and most of my customers are renting full 3mm plus either a 3mm shortie or a hooded vest.

Those that didnt generally came back in the shop to get more neoprene after their first trip.

 

[catskill diver]

Torontonian - Would you keep us posted on your trip when you return !?! Wifey and I are heading down in may and wondering similar things 3mil suits etc. Love to hear who you go with and your feedback sounds like so may outfits to choose from and never enough time. cat

 

[BrianOrange]

I dove Key Largo all of last week. I'd take at least a 3mm (I wore a 5mm). My computer read 68 degrees on one of the shallow reefs. Check the weather/wind too. Tuesday of last week was HORRENDOUS. Big time swells. We weren't blown out of the water but at some point it's just not fun anymore. I was told any worse the trip would have been canceled. I used Rainbow Reef because of their free dive guides. To be honest, was not overly impressed. They were just okay.

 

[Indian Valley Scuba]

I'll be there next week, diving Key West, Looe Key and Key Largo, will have all the latest and greatest temperature numbers for y'all!

 

[ScubaInChicago]

I'll be there next week, diving Key West, Looe Key and Key Largo, will have all the latest and greatest temperature numbers for y'all!

What, you don't believe the half dozen post from the area within the last week stating 68-72*????? Will your word be final????

 

[KeysCD]

68 on the reef today. As long as the wind stays out of the north, expect colder air and water temps (but calmer seas).

 

[kris.roberts]

well i live in key largo and work at a local dive shop i can tell you the water is about 77 78 right now i just got back from a morning trip to the speigel grove and let me tell you what a view we had about 100 plus feet of viz it was amazing there was very little current it was just right and as for the wetsuit i can tell you i used a 3 mm today and was very comfy the water should warm up between now and then in april and as for the check out dives you can do them at captain slates atlantis dive center we always have a instructor there and they are always top notch about the skills and everything i have dove with other companys in the past but by far captain slates is one of the best

 

[ft.lauderdale diver]

67 in Ft. lauderdale last night (beach dive 22ft max)---wore the drysuit (albeit with tshirt and shorts underneath) for the first time in 10 years but by April the temps should be back up to where a full 3MM should be enough---up until now I've been wearing a full 3MM and for the past 2-3 weeks wearing a hood and I've been fine..except for that initial shock of getting in the water!

 

[ancientdiver]

It is 70-71 in water right now. Don't know where 78 degrees came from - maybe someone trying to sell something? If you take to the sport, you will end up with multiple suits. A skin suit or 1 to 1.5 mil for warm water, for sunburn and stinging critter protection, a 3 mil for water between 70 and 80, and maybe a 5 or 7 mil if you completely lose your mind and start diving in cold water,or worse, like it. 5 mils are a lot more constrictive to breathe and move, unless you get a freedivers "open cell" suit, which is way more flexible than closed cell, but much easier to tear. Having owned both, I would only use the open cell suit. Get a Yazbeck or one of the other top freediving suits, like Picasso or similar. You will not regret it. For a first suit I would get a 3 mil open cell. You could always double up and put a 1 mil on underneath if 3mil wasn't working for you. 1 mils are the least expensive, and you could buy one in the Keys if you needed to. By end of April water will be in mid 70's at least and 3 mil will be fine. Good luck, have fun, stay safe.