3½mm or 5mm suit diving Komodo, Alor and the Banda Sea in September?

[charlier]

After a month working in Komodo, 25*/26*C is the new 27*/28*C. I usually wear, 2mm leggings and a light 4th Element top. This season, I used a 3mm wetsuit. Most divers used a 5mm wetsuit. Southern Komodo, water average temps were 22-23*C, central and northern Komodo, 26*C were about the average. These temperatures are for August, typically the coldest month in S. Komodo.

 

[partha]

Just got back from Komodo and RA last month. There were a few days when I decided to wear a 3mm. Most other times I was in a 0.5mm rashy and shorts. I dont like the cold either and the 3mm was fine. I forgot the wetsuit on one dive in Komodo which I found too cold for my rashy and borrowed a spare 5mm- never again. Way too hot and constrictive. Id take a 3mm and combine it with a thicker rashy if you really need to but I dont think you'll ever need a 5mm.

 

[burg_diver]

We all have different tolerance for water temp ... came back from a 12 day trip to Komodo (north, central, south) in August and did all dives with a sharkskin top and shorts in the north and central, sharkskin top and pants in the south (and night dives for extra protection). Never felt cold ... but I was the only one running warm. The other 14 divers were all wearing 5mm wetsuits and feeling cold.

 

[Fibonacci]

Diving Komodo in September 2016 I just wore a 3mm long steamer, through I did bring a Sharkskin vest in case of thermoclines like I experienced in Banda... but never needed it.

 

[Dan]

After 3-4 days of 4-5 dives / day in South Komodo, my core body temperature drops & I usually layer over 3mm full wetsuit with 2mm shorty for the rest of the diving trip.