is an 8/7 wetsuit inappropriate for warmer water?

[rongoodman]

I'm certainly not overheating in 75 degree water in a 5mm, especially with long or multiple dives, so I expect a 7/8mm would be OK. Bulky to travel with though, and quite a bit of buoyancy swing to manage.

 

[SC_Hoaty]

Lemme try to piece this together so it looks like your post with my comments added -

Instead of going into all kinds of heat transfer explanations, think about this scenario. Take a nice warm summer day - say 85 degrees in the shade. Put on long underwear, heavy clothes, and a typical winter jacket. Now do push ups, jumping jacks, or another heavy exercise activity. Can the air next to your skin ever get over 98.6? If not, why would you ever be uncomfortable?

Because "you lose heat to the cool water." "water conduction of heat is superior to air conduction of heat."

Please reconsider this, as the scenario is in air, not water

Although water removes heat more efficiently than air, is overheating impossible in water when wearing a heavy wetsuit?

No? Not in 75 degree water?

This is the follow-on to the scenario above. Is your answer still the same after you reconsidered the scenario above?

Take me to that "aha moment". Go "into all kinds of heat transfer explanations". I think we are past the time for being vague.

The heat transfer intensive explanation is that you are a heat generating source (about 2500 calories per day) that needs to be maintained at 98.6 degrees.

If I insulate you perfectly, you will have zero heat transfer to the environment. This will require you to expend zero calories. And yet your heart must beat, your blood must circulate. You are generating heat requiring you to reject about 2500 calories per day.

Normally this is no problem - we live in air temps that are cooler, or in environments where the humidity is less than 100% so we can reject heat through sweating (latent heat of vaporization of water). If you cannot remove the 2500 calories per day, body core temperature will rise, and that is dangerous. Any exercise will increase the number of calories expended, and the subsequent heat that must be removed.

Does any of this make sense?

ADDED ON EDIT

After reading the posts that showed up while i was composing this, it appears that there is first hand experience with 7mm and water temps close to 75. Thus, the OP may not have to worry about the hypotheticals being discussed above. Since mjatkins asked for a further explanation regarding overheating potential, I'm leaving what I wrote above for his benefit. Catch y'all in the AM!

 

[theduckguru]

I know this may sound like a ridiculous question but I am new to diving and wanted to get some input.

I am recently certified and the environment I dive in ranges between 40 and 65 degrees. I selected the Aqualung solafx 8/7 full suit for this environment.

I will be going on vacation where the average water temperature is 75.

I only own the one wet suit and though I could rent one while at the resort, I prefer to use my own if possible. Will diving in the warmer temperatures be completely too warm while in the water, rendering the suit unbearable to the point of being unusable?

I would be very uncomfortable from both to much insulation and restrictiveness ofvthis heavy of a suit.

 

[g1138]

I see your point. However, let's look at what the original poster asked again.

"I know this may sound like a ridiculous question but I am new to diving and wanted to get some input.

I am recently certified and the environment I dive in ranges between 40 and 65 degrees. I selected the Aqualung solafx 8/7 full suit for this environment.

I will be going on vacation where the average water temperature is 75.

I only own the one wet suit and though I could rent one while at the resort, I prefer to use my own if possible. Will diving in the warmer temperatures be completely too warm while in the water, rendering the suit unbearable to the point of being unusable?"

Is there anything about this question that suggests he is wearing a custom suit? A new diver with a custom suit? He's wearing "the Aqualung solafx 8/7 full suit".

Will his "Aqualung solafx 8/7 full suit" be rendered "unbearable to the point of being unusable?"

He may fit the suit well enough to have it like a custom suit. He may also be bringing a hood. Whether a new diver or an experienced diver I like to always give my opinion and that is my opinion. I've stated how I've gotten to that opinion.
I'm not out to dissect what the people of scubaboard post here word for word.

The OP said nothing on the fit of his wetsuit nor did he say if he would be wearing a hood.
So we're going to assume he's not wearing a hood and his suit fits like a stock suit? (Which is not well for most people in my opinion)

Maybe I should have stated why I came to the conclusion of overheating or how I only thought it could be an issue on the surface swim or during the SI. But I didn't, and I've tried my best to clarify.
I'm not changing my opinion on the matter because I still believe it.
And like anything I post here or anything I read, I don't follow it word for word. I take it for what it is and if it makes sense then I take it as advice, if not then I don't. I'd urge anyone else to do the same.

 

[mjatkins]

Lemme try to piece this together so it looks like your post with my comments added -




Please reconsider this, as the scenario is in air, not water





This is the follow-on to the scenario above. Is your answer still the same after you reconsidered the scenario above?





The heat transfer intensive explanation is that you are a heat generating source (about 2500 calories per day) that needs to be maintained at 98.6 degrees.

If I insulate you perfectly, you will have zero heat transfer to the environment. This will require you to expend zero calories. And yet your heart must beat, your blood must circulate. You are generating heat requiring you to reject about 2500 calories per day.

Normally this is no problem - we live in air temps that are cooler, or in environments where the humidity is less than 100% so we can reject heat through sweating (latent heat of vaporization of water). If you cannot remove the 2500 calories per day, body core temperature will rise, and that is dangerous. Any exercise will increase the number of calories expended, and the subsequent heat that must be removed.

Does any of this make sense?

To be blunt. What the hell does this have to do with wearing a wetsuit in 75 degree water? It appears you completely correct, as well as completely irrelevant to this conversation. Why would I "reconsider this, as the scenario is in air, not water"? We are not talking about air. We are talking about 75 degree water. If you want to debate the theories of peoples ability to overheat in air, fine. Go find an appropriate place to do it. That is absolutely missing the point of this discussion. To be honest, I just had my "aha moment".

 

[gtscott]

the comments are actualy relevant

on this nice sunny 80 degree day, when ure in a nice winter jacket and thick pants ect ect ect, the air is still COLDER than you, how long will it take you to be uncomfotably hot, for me its pretty much instantly, but lets say ure incredibly resistant and it takes you 5 min, if you were in water, in equivilant clothing, say a nice thick 8mm suit, designed for near freezing water, you wont over heat as fast, becasue as u say water takes the heat away 5 times faster than air, so instead of 5 min to become to hot, it takes 25min, still less than half a dive. still gets to hot,

both situations you are over dressed for, and both situations EVERYTHING is at a temp lower than your body temp at the start.

on top of this, add how much faster u get dehydrated underwater compaired to on land, and you start to get a serious overheating issue

 

[SC_Hoaty]

To be blunt. What the hell does this have to do with wearing a wetsuit in 75 degree water? It appears you completely correct, as well as completely irrelevant to this conversation. Why would I "reconsider this, as the scenario is in air, not water"? We are not talking about air. We are talking about 75 degree water. If you want to debate the theories of peoples ability to overheat in air, fine. Go find an appropriate place to do it. That is absolutely missing the point of this discussion. To be honest, I just had my "aha moment".

Sorry man - don't get so defensive. Just trying to help answer this question:

I am prepared to admit that my public schooling wasn't all it could have been, so I readily accept that I have things to learn from everyone. So, serious question.

I am a human being who operates at 98.6 degrees (if I am correct). How is it possible to submerge myself in cool water in a wetsuit and warm it up to anything more than my own, comfortable temperature.Obviously, the sun can become a factor (if we are lucky) but can't be counted on. And in my experience, is no match for the cooling effect of being submerged in the cool water.

Thoughts?

 

[CT Sean]

I'm assuming your talking about a leisure tropical vacation that has 75* water.

For this I personally would never bring my 7mm fullsuit. yeah, I'd would probably be comfortable in the water as long as I'm not sprinting around (and If I am, then I'm doing something wrong ) BUT I don't want to dive with more exposure suit than I need. Additionally, I have no interest in lugging around my heavy, takes up half a suitcase, and takes 5 days to dry wetsuit with me.

Part of the reason I like tropical diving is that I DON'T need my thick suit You can buy a cheap new 2mm to 3mm suit for 100.00, personally I think it's worth the extra money to dive comfortably.

 

[mjatkins]

The problem is that you (SC Hoaty and gtscott) are comparing apples to oranges. It doesn't work the same way underwater as it does in air. I see your arguments, and they are flawed as you are trying to apply one situation to the other. I don't need it explained to me better, or in more detail, I understand your comparisons and your arguments, but they are just not true. You can "like" them, and repeat them as much as you like, but it won't make them any more correct.

Rather than just repeating your opinions on this subject, why don't you try finding some evidence to support your claims and post it. Show me an article, a chapter, a knowledge review that discusses over heating in 75 degree water in a wetsuit.

 

[SC_Hoaty]

The problem is that you (SC Hoaty and gtscott) are comparing apples to oranges. It doesn't work the same way underwater as it does in air. I see your arguments, and they are flawed as you are trying to apply one situation to the other. I don't need it explained to me better, or in more detail, I understand your comparisons and your arguments, but they are just not true. You can "like" them, and repeat them as much as you like, but it won't make them any more correct.

Rather than just repeating your opinions on this subject, why don't you try finding some evidence to support your claims and post it. Show me an article, a chapter, a knowledge review that discusses over heating in 75 degree water in a wetsuit.

Google "overheating in a wetsuit" - one of the results on the first page is a book "SCUBA DIVING EXPLAINED -Questions and Answers on Physiology and Medical Aspects of Scuba Diving."

If you think "it doesn't work the same way" you are mistaken. All heat transfer occurs through conduction, convection, and radiation. The rates will vary, but the phenomena are the same.

This is getting way off the topic of the OP's question. It was simply trying to answer YOUR question, which apparently you no longer care about.

You're welcome.