3mm or 5mm for maui and the caribbean?

[TinoD'Voe]

I'm heading to maui soon and it will be my first time diving warm water. I dive in a Bare trilam but I'm thinking of picking up one of their wetsuits for my trip. I'm hoping to do more diving there or in the virgin islands in the near future.

Should I get a 3mm or 5mm? Shorty or fullsuit?

 

[ctmax]

I'm heading to maui soon and it will be my first time diving warm water. I dive in a Bare trilam but I'm thinking of picking up one of their wetsuits for my trip. I'm hoping to do more diving there or in the virgin islands in the near future.

Should I get a 3mm or 5mm? Shorty or fullsuit?

I dove in Maui in April with a 3mm full suit. It was perfect for me. 1 person on the boat was in a 3mm shortie and she looked quite cold when she got out on the 2nd dive and on the way back.

Where are you going on Maui? Do you have any dive trips scheduled?

 

[fpsndiver]

3/2 is perfect....hell a 1 mm would be fine....you are in the tropics, the main reason you need to wear it is to protect your skin. If you are going way out though, I would wear a 3/2 in case you get left adrift on a sea not so full of bliss. Happy thoughts.

 

[munkispank]

In Hawaii in early summer I wore a 3mm full. I would go with that rather than a shortie as it gives extra protection from sun burn/ jeely fish. I ahve a shorite too and dive the carrib a lot, but have never worn it alone. I always find I am too cold. Even if you don;t chill too much, full better and doen't weigh much more tahn a shortie anyway.

enjoy!

 

[Tom Winters]

Go with a 3/2 or a 3mm fullsuit. The water is still 77° or so at depth.

 

[TSandM]

I just got back from Maui. Water temperature while we were there was 81 degrees F. I dove in a 3 mm full wetsuit and was very comfortable, but I chill easily. My husband also dove in a 3 mm suit and was also comfortable, but he has a greater tolerance for cold than I do.

My instructor told me he dives in a 7 mm suit in Hawaii, which amazes me, although apparently the temperatures we found were on the high side for the area.

 

[Damselfish]

I would always go with a fullsuit of some sort for protection. It's really hard to say what thickness is right for someone else. We use 1mm in Carrib & Hawaii and sometimes just a lycra skin, and I can't imagine using 5, but that's me. I might add a vest or something in Hawaii in the cooler months there.