Wet suit thickness

[stuartv]

....And even more in a two piece 7mm wetsuit with a 7mm jacket.

Ugh! As much as I don't like my 1-piece 7mm (and it's a nice suit that fits me well), that just sounds awful!

I have dived my drysuit comfortably in water from 37F to 81F. I only dive dry in warm water on tech dives where I want it for redundant buoyancy. But, it's still comfortable - even on the surface, if the air temp is in the low 80s and there is some shade.

14mm even just over the torso... Bleh! (for me)

 

[Doby45]

Ugh! As much as I don't like my 1-piece 7mm (and it's a nice suit that fits me well), that just sounds awful!

I have dived my drysuit comfortably in water from 37F to 81F. I only dive dry in warm water on tech dives where I want it for redundant buoyancy. But, it's still comfortable - even on the surface, if the air temp is in the low 80s and there is some shade.

14mm even just over the torso... Bleh! (for me)

I concur and follow the same method, more than my 5mm and I am dry..

 

[stuartv]

I concur and follow the same method, more than my 5mm and I am dry..

Ditto. I have only been using my 7mm wetsuit when helping with OW classes at the local quarry. Next time out, I am going to try doing it in a 5mm. The top layer of the water is quite warm and they don't really go very deep for OW classes. If I'm not miserable, my 7mm wetsuit will be retired, I think.

For that matter, I used to use my 3/2 comfortably for temps down to around 70 - 72. Any more, the dives tend to be a little longer and my 3/2 has gotten thinner. My 5/4mm has become my go-to suit for anything not requiring dry. Maybe someday I'll actually dive somewhere warm enough to not need a wetsuit.... but it hasn't happened yet. 79 degree water was lovely in my 5/4. I think anything too warm for the 5/4 would be shorts and t-shirt water. Maybe I'll retire my 3/2, too. Hmm.....

 

[scjoe]

I have to agree with Ojai Diver. I've lasted in 48 degree water, 3 dives a day for 3 consecutive days with a quality 7 mm, skin in, farmer john. The dry suit guys on board were the ones sitting out dives. On the other hand, warmth is a personal matter. Ultimately, the OP is going to have to go with a suit and see if it works. A quality 5mm farmer john free dive suit could be as warm as a cheap 7 mil.

I don't know if the $1,000 price for a dry suit that was suggested included under garments. I suspect it did not. Then there is the p-valve, front zip, dry suit gloves, etc., etc. It all adds up. Dry suits can be expensive to maintain. Some of my friends have good luck while others spend a lot on repairs.

 

[Doby45]

I don't know if the $1,000 price for a dry suit that was suggested included under garments. I suspect it did not. Then there is the p-valve, front zip, dry suit gloves, etc., etc. It all adds up. Dry suits can be expensive to maintain. Some of my friends have good luck while others spend a lot on repairs.

Difference with a drysuit and a wetsuit is the drysuit lasts MUCH longer than a wetsuit. As long as you take care of a drysuit you can use it for YEARS, unlike a wetsuit that gets compressed each time you dive it until it is threadbare..

 

[Russoft]

I dive cold water in a 2-piece 7mm wetsuit (with hood and gloves) I found on Craigslist for $75. I dive on a budget because I'd rather spend money going to the tropics once in a while for warm water diving. I've used this wetsuit down to 39 F / 4 C in Lake Superior. My torso was fine, though my feet needed better insulation as my feet went entirely numb. One might suggest I dive dry, but the barrier to entry is too high: at least $1000 for the dry suit plus the necessary training.

 

[MichaelMc]

....And even more in a two piece 7mm wetsuit with a 7mm jacket.

Better yet a skin in industrial rubber 10mm farmerjohn and hooded 10mm beaver tail. If you're not dry, that seems the preferred here in 55 degree Monterey for science divers. I've got a 5mm not skin in version for pool work that feels like Lycra, that I used in Belize. The only time I've been cold was after 6 hour long 50 degree 60' dives in two days when only the dry suit guys and I were left. Or, I can just wear the bottoms or mix and match.

 

[ams511]

Any opinions?

I agree with the other poster that recommended renting. However, I will qualify this and say only if your LDS has a decent selection of suits. One thing to remember that no one has mentioned is the weighting. The thicker the neoprene the more weight you need to sink the suit. Also the more buoyancy you will lose at depth. So you will need to think about your weighting. If something happened at depth you want to be able to dump enough (but not too much) weight to be able to swim up your rig and not bolt to the surface too quickly. That is another reason why a dry suit is superior, the buoyancy is the same as long as you add only enough air at depth to keep the pinch off the suit.

 

[Bob DBF]

I have to agree with Ojai Diver. I've lasted in 48 degree water, 3 dives a day for 3 consecutive days with a quality 7 mm, skin in, farmer john.

I haven't had the opportunity to go three days, but one wasn't a problem, my coldest was 45 and I could tell.

My personal diving is mainly exploring the dive sites and hunting, I do move around a lot so the exercise warms me. If I just hang and take in the view, I will get colder sooner. The SI determines the number of dives, because if it is cold, overcast, and windy you can't get warmed up for the next dive.

The part of the ocean I usually dive is around 55, I have no problem in a 7mm farmer John, when I go south to 60 something degree water I dive with the zipper down let cold water in to cool off. If diving shallow in lakes around here during the summer, it gets warm above 25', I may just use the jacket whilst looking for dropped treasure, and if warm I drop below the thermocline to cool off.

If I did a larger, warmer range of tempatures, I would consider adding a 3 and/or 5 mm farmer John to mix and match fo comfort. Assuming I had the cash.


Bob

 

[Clayton122]

ut of 30 dives, I only have one in cold water, but I want to do more. I talked to a dive shop owner today and he was saying that I should strongly consider a 5mm Thermoprene because he feels that it would be as warm as a cheaper 7mm and that I would find the flexibility of the 5mm to be more comfortable. I will be diving in New England.

Naturally, you don't know anything about my cold tolerance, and I'm not sure of it myself, though the only other cold water dive that I did was in 60 degree water and I was wearing a farmer john and a top, both 5mm, and I felt comfortable.

Out of 30 dives, I only have one in cold water, but I want to do more. I talked to a dive shop owner today and he was saying that I should strongly consider a 5mm Thermoprene because he feels that it would be as warm as a cheaper 7mm and that I would find the flexibility of the 5mm to be more comfortable. I will be diving in New England.

Naturally, you don't know anything about my cold tolerance, and I'm not sure of it myself, though the only other cold water dive that I did was in 60 degree water and I was wearing a farmer john and a top, both 5mm, and I felt comfortable.

Any opinions?

I pretty much do only cold water diving in water temps that range form 60, down to 47 below the thermal. Its kind of a crap shoot. I use a Pinnacle Tempo 7mm semi dry,, a 3/5MM hooded vest, and a suit of Sharkskin underneath that. 5mm Semi dry gloves and boots.

I went just this past weekend in Lake MI, and above the thermal cline, I was overheating. Below it, and I was just perfect.