2/3mm wetsuits - okay for warm water diving?

[Aquavelvet]

I used my Bare Velocity 3/2 mm for a week of diving in the Philippines around 27 - 28C and was quite comfortable. But I'm warm blooded. For doing a couple dives off Kauai at 26C, I added a Lavacore short sleeve shirt underneath and was also fine with that.


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[chillyinCanada]

I have a Bare 3/2 Velocity and generally end up adding a hood/beanie within a day or two of continuous diving in temps around 81F. When it drops below 77F I have to add my Bare chillguard and the beanie, have also been known to add a neckerchief. The neckerchief seems to help but I've never been able to decide if it is a placebo effect. In any event, diving in temps below 77F makes me long for a 5mm. I even dive my full 3/2mm in 86F water temps and don't get hot but don't need a beanie.

 

[buddhasummer]

I wear a 5mm in those temps. Thermoclines, multiple dives over multiple days will all have an effect. It's better to be warm than cold. If your tolerance to cold is good you'll probably be ok. If too warm you can flush suit, if too cold there is nothing you can do except shiver and have a miserable time. Proceed with caution. Good luck.

 

[stuartv]

I wore my 3/2 in the Caribbean and Hawaii in water down to 72F (22C). At 75F I was very comfortable with just the suit and boots. At 72F, I was very comfortable with suit, boots, and a Lavacore sleeveless full suit underneath.

That said, I think what 3/2 you get is very important. I've tried several and there is a very wide range of 3mm and 3/2mm suits, in terms of stitching and seals. It seems like most manufacturers assume that if you're buying a 3mm (or 3/2), you're not very concerned about warmth. So, their suits will have flat lock stitched seams (leaky) and no seals. OTOH, you can find a suit (like my 3/2) that has glued-and-blind-stitched (aka GBS) seams (waterproof), seals at the wrist, ankle, and neck, and a seal of some type behind the main zipper. I believe that the latter will be much warmer than the former.

Also equally important is that the suit fit you well. A good-fitting 3/2 could be warmer than a poor-fitting 5mm. Pay extra attention to having a good snug fit in the crotch and the arm pits.

FWIW, after trying a number of suits in the 3/2 - 3.5mm range, I ended up with a ScubaPro EverFlex 3/2 precisely because it had the right stitching for the seams and had good seals at all openings. And it fit me the best.

I posted a review here of the suits I tried. I hope this helps.

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ex...-3-5mm-akona-3mm-x-2-scuba-pro-3-2-5-4-a.html