1mm Wetsuit in 80 degrees?

[NAM001]

iTS JUST ME BUT I DIVE A 3MM SHORTY. OOPS but in water over 80's i would think a 1mm would be fine a little warmth and chaffing prevention.

 

[Searcaigh]

I am one for top to toe full protection whether it is a skin or a drysuit.

Every time I see people on the boats here in my locale diving in shorts / exposed skin they always surface with either stings or cuts

Verging on 24C now for me so moving from 7mm to 5mm, we even had 4 guys on our boat diving dry

 

[dberry]

Every time I see people on the boats here in my locale diving in shorts / exposed skin they always surface with either stings or cuts

I seem to have a higher cold tolerance than many folks (bioprene, sigh), but I'm starting to change my mind about diving with any exposed skin. A bit of surge helped me to lightly brush some (fire?)coral with the back of my hand last week, and the nasty big red bumps still itch like crazy. OK, maybe I was too close for the conditions, but I barely brushed it... I don't want to think about a week with itchy red welts all over my bare legs. I'm thinking about adding a full leg rash guard and very thin gloves for warm-water dives.

My sincere question for warm-weather dry-divers is how to avoid heat stroke when you're out of the water. I usually have to unzip my 3/2 during surface intervals, and I still get hot.

 

[mjmason1]

The truth is everyone is different and always changing. Whenever I dove South Florida I used to wear swim trunks and tee shirts. I do have a little insulating and northern blood. It seems now, as I get older, I do get chilled. I started wearing 1mm suits. I find it very comfortable on multiple dives. In the years to come I may change again and go heavier. Unlike here in MA, I do like wearing 5lbs. of weight. Borrow a suit to see how you feel, before buying one.

To RJP. If people didn't ask question on forums, there wouldn't be a reason for the forums. Also it's fun to read others responses.

 

[wolflegresley]

I dove 42f last week In A 7mm and 7mm step in hood and was fine.

I wouldnt require a 1mm in 80f.

try renting one and see how you feel!

 

[TMHeimer]

OP--I hope you got the point that RJP made. There is NO correct answer to your question because every body is different.
I recently did 12 dives in New Calidonia. thermal protection was teeshirt/shorts for dive 1 and sharkskin/shorts dive 2
Yet every diver around me had 5mm suit -some even had a hood.
Im no superman but it shows the point.

To further make the point, I use the standard shorty for our pool classes--that is about 2+ hours in 68F water, then a hot shower with the students, then another 2 hrs. I thought I was the KING of cold. One instructor I assisted used only bathing suit and didn't in my recollection even come out of the water the whole 5 hours. Hats off to him.

 

[diver 85]

1 mil should do it-@ Roatan in Sept??---a bikini will work then, but the 1 mil would be good as a scraper-saver....

 

[redacted]

To further make the point, I use the standard shorty for our pool classes--that is about 2+ hours in 68F water, then a hot shower with the students, then another 2 hrs. I thought I was the KING of cold. One instructor I assisted used only bathing suit and didn't in my recollection even come out of the water the whole 5 hours. Hats off to him.

Is showering with the students one of those PADI standards?:shocked2:

 

[MB]

:doctor:Remember how heat loss and hoods work!

Today's water tremp was 80F. I wore a 1/2 mm neoprene full suit, along with a fleece vest with hood. I did not have the hood up. I was comfortable for the first 30 minutes, while I was travelining most of that time. 30 minutes in, I realized I was starting to get cold. I pulled up the hood for the rest of the dive. That was enough to reverse the chill. 75 minute dive and I was warm on exit.

Obviouly evberybody has different heat and chill tolerance. But covering your noggin is absolutely an effective means of retaining warmth (and thus lowering the need some some degree of neoprene thinckness).

 

[UserNameBella]

The water is already 81-82 degrees in Roatan. I wear a 2 mm shorty and I am hot. The DM's who do three dives a day wear no wetsuit, just a hood. When I come back I am bringing a 1mm full. I would just go in a swimsuit, but there are sometimes little jellies. I'd say go for it and bring a hood in case you're cold.