Telford
New
Going shopping for a new w/suit for this trip. I was thinking of a shorty but others are suggesting full. Any suggestions?
1st trip to Belize Jan 2010 - wetsuit?
- Thread starter Telford
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Definitely get a suit with long arms and legs, if only for protection from abrasion & contact. As to insulation value, it's so personal it's hard to make recommendations. I use a dive skin year-round, albeit a thick "furry" one, many people use 3mm or 2/3mm neoprene suits, some (very few) use thicker, and you'll find one or two who wear a drysuit. The main thing with a neoprene wetsuit is fit - if it's not a fairly tight fit all over, with close fitting seals at neck, wrists and ankles, then regardless how thick it is it won't keep you warm. A simple way to make a well-fitting wetsuit warmer is to wear a rashguard under it.
darkstar
Contributor
Was just down there and wore an older BARE 2mm full. Was fine. BARE makes a 1mm full with an optional 3mm layering vest. I used the vest in the Blue Hole and was toasty. Any of the T.O. shops should carry it or you can order it online from the BARE site in Vancouver.
There were a lot of jellyfish on the dive sites East and South of Turneffe, so a full suit was a good choice.
There were a lot of jellyfish on the dive sites East and South of Turneffe, so a full suit was a good choice.
Damselfish
Contributor
Definitely a fullsuit for protection, but thickness is hard to guess for someone else. 3mm fullsuits are pretty popular as they are good for wide range of tropical diving, but many people wear more or less. I wear a 1mm skin only, sometimes with a 3mm vest.
Shorties are popular as rental gear many places as they're cheaper to stock and an easier fit for more people. But if you're getting your own it makes more sense to get a fullsuit that fits. You'll find it's uncommon to see divers in shorties alone unless they're renting them. Experienced divers will tend to use them as a layering piece if they have them.
Shorties are popular as rental gear many places as they're cheaper to stock and an easier fit for more people. But if you're getting your own it makes more sense to get a fullsuit that fits. You'll find it's uncommon to see divers in shorties alone unless they're renting them. Experienced divers will tend to use them as a layering piece if they have them.
We were there at the end of February 2008. I consistently recorded 81 degF bottom temps. What that means in terms of what you want for an exposure suit can only be known by you, as others have said.
I only had my 3.2 shorty and a beanie, I'd have been more comfortable with a 3.2 fullsuit.
I only had my 3.2 shorty and a beanie, I'd have been more comfortable with a 3.2 fullsuit.
Don't forget the boat journey after the dive. I've done night dives where I was quite warm in the water but froze in the boat on the way back. Something like a cycling cape that you can put on over everything can be handy then. The air may be relatively cool by then. Expect water temperatures from 78f to 81f, but possibly 2 or 3 degrees cooler than that.
Hank49
Contributor
The water still isn't that cold. It's been a mild winter so far. If doing multiple dives/multiple days, I'd wear at least a 3.5 full with a 2mm vest and hood. I"m a skinny old fart though.
Regarding the jellyfish at Turneffe. I was there two weeks ago there were thousands of the short tenacled, up to 6 inches to over a foot in diameter. Don't know if they sting. I was among them for hours free diving. That's the first and only time I've seen them in those kind of numbers.
darkstar
Contributor
Hank49
Contributor
According to his info, Telford is Canadian. If he got caught diving with 5.5 mm and a hood in 79F water we'd mug him for his Canadian Tire money and force him to fetch Tim Horton coffees.
I sure wish I was at Turneffe today. -20C outside.
brrrr. I'm going out there tomorrow. I'll let you know how "cold" it was.
Ralph Capeling
Contributor
I recommend a full length wetsuit - most of the ones I have for friends and relatives that come to visit me in Belize are full lenth. I normally dive in a skin, but when the water gets a little less warm, like now, I dive in a full wetsuit. If you go to Splash Dive Shop, they will provide you with a shorty without charge (website says they charge for equipment rental but at present in practice they do not) so you might as well buy a full wetsuit and if you dive with them you have the option at no extra cost.
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