2.5mm + 7mm Shorty a Good Multi-Purpose Combo?

[ScubaPolishPete]

The fiance and I are looking at picking up our first wetsuits. We live in Chicago, so water temps aren't too great around here.

We're looking at a setup that we could use both in the Chicago area, as well as places we travel on vacation (warmer weather locations).

We did our OW in a 7mm farmer john + 7mm shorty, with hood + gloves (I believe 5 mm). The surface water temp was 64F, and 56F lower. We had no issues with that and were not cold at all.

However, the fiance did tend to run a little cold in the pool during those dives (wearing no wetsuit, base layer type clothes).

We like the idea of a full suit for the protection, and figure 2.5mm would be a good choice for the vacation type dives, and then for colder dives we'd through the 7mm shorty on top of it, and have ourselves a good universal setup.

Thoughts on this setup? We're looking at the Waterproof W30's. Spoke with a guy that had the W2, and he absolutely loved it, and that one had great reviews...but as far as the smaller mm of the 2.5, I don't see any reviews online (new product)? However, from what I can tell the Waterproof company has a good reputation so we should be ok with those suits. Haven't looked at which 7mm shorty to go over it yet.

 

[spectrum]

Forget it.... Locally your primary suit wants to be 7mm, probably with 2 X on the core from a John/Jane & Jacket or a fullsuit with some sort of vest. The latter is my preference. More here.

For vacation a 2-3mm full suit is a nice choice for modest thermal protection and full body coverage against stings and scrapes.

You are heading for a neoprene wardrobe, that's just the way it is.

Pete

 

[rongoodman]

Temperatures here in upstate NY are probably similar to yours, which means diving dry. I can't imagine dealing with 14mm of neoprene. For travel, if I was only going to have one suit, it would be a 5mm. I wore mine a couple of weeks ago on some ocean dives off Playa and wasn't too warm in 81 degree water with no hood, but adding a hooded vest kept me warm enough for a two hour dives in the cenotes. Even in warm water, multiple dives per day, such as on a liveaboard, can really leach the heat out of you.

 

[ScubaPolishPete]

Thanks for the replies folks.

Hmm...that's a bummer. Thought that setup might work. I'd like to take the drysuit class and dive dry...but...at this point, we're new to the hobby, plan to dive tropically maybe once or twice per year, and locally maybe 3 times per summer. So....early on in the game, the drysuit will probably wait.

 

[elmer fudd]

No way! Trying to combine suits for very different conditions like that is like trying to make your winter clothes work in the summer, or vice versa.

Just get a good 7mm suit for local dives and a thin suit for when you travel. You won't save a dime by trying to combine the two.

For the temperatures you listed a 7mm ought to keep you fairly warm above 60' or so. If you plan on going deep though or you will be diving in colder water, then you might want to start thinking about a drysuit.

 

[Scubanoobi]

Go with a 7mm locally and something thinner for south. You can add a hooded vest which you can use with either suit and that should cover everything. I get cold easily and am comfortable in a 7mm in 60 degree water (with hood and gloves).