4/3 mm versus 3/2 mm full length wetsuit

[Centrals]

I believe in multi-layers rather than one thick one but make sure the base layer is snug fit.

 

[TMHeimer]

Temperature comfort is a very personal thing. You really need to try before you buy to figure out what is right "for you". Rentals can help with that.

For me, since I dive at different locations and in water temperatures from 16C to 30C on a fairly Spartan budget I went for a mix and match setup. Full body lycra skin suit (no insulation but gives sun and scrape protection), 5mm wetsuit, 5mm hood, 3mm boots and gloves, and a 3mm sleeveless vest.

I use different parts of that set in different conditions. Having all of it on makes me nice and toasty in 16C. Just the skin suit (no insulation) was perfect last week in 30C water. The skin suit and sleeveless vest is good for 25-27C. And the 5mm with or without hoodie and gloves works in between.

Now, all of that is for 2 dives a day. I'd probably want more insulation if I was doing 3 or 4 dives the same day in temperatures 27C or below.

And yet, all of that is what works "for me". I run pretty warm. I have seen people who would prefer a full 5mm suit in 27C water.

So I go back to my initial suggestion: Rent a few times to figure out what you really need before you buy.

Though I never rented, I do agree with this whole post.
Another thing to do is check NOAA ocean water temperatures where you have dived and where you will dive in Kona and compare the two. Also, check the usual Air temps. in both areas and compare to the time of year you'll be diving.
The only problem I can see with renting is you'd have to rent when you get there, as opposed to renting at home and having your own suit to take with you. If you definitely want to own one now, I would agree with getting the warmer suit.

 

[peterak]

It seems that most divers here use either 3 or 5mm full suits. Nobody seems to think that 5mm is too much. For what it's worth, I've got forty dives in a 3/2 Rip Curl short john designed for surfing. It has crushed somewhat, but the crushing was gradual; in fact I only recently noticed it.

Enjoy your time in Kona, and don't miss the manta night dive/snorkel.

 

[Satrekker]

I dive regularly with my kiteboarding wetsuit. It's a full length Hyperflex Voodoo 3/2. I've not had any issues at all with it. I dive it in warm water in the keys as well as the colder water FL springs (72F); however, I get cold after about 45 minutes in the springs if I'm not very active, and that includes a 2mm cap. For colder water, I wear a 5mm john with a 3mm shorty on top of it. Also with a cap. I tend to dive with a 2mm cap or head covering regardless of temperature just for sun protection. It's amazing how broad the range of personal comfort is, but I do know that the older I get, the less I like the cold. lol

 

[g1138]

1) You won't notice any huge difference between a 4/3 & a 3/2 as a scuba diver. As a surfer you would in terms of overheating. That's why there's the variation.

2) For temps that you'll be utilizing a 3/2 or 4/3, practically speaking a surf suit will suit
you just fine. For me, temps above 78F and I'll be diving a 3mm with hood & gloves. At that point there's not a huge benefit that a more expensive scuba suit gives me. So I usually cheapen out for the surf suits. Plus, surf suit mfgs usually make my size more often than scuba mfgs (XS).

However, I can dive a 3mm scuba suit up to 75F as long as the surface interval has sunny weather. I can't do that in a surf suit; I've tried and failed shiveringly; and I'm more of a cold tolerant diver.

Wetsuits with the slash ie. 3/2mm & 4/3mm are usually surf suits. They use the thinner thickness on the limbs to allow better mobility on your paddleout. Scuba doesn't require this, so scuba suits are usually consistent thickness throughout torso to limbs.

For scuba use, a surf suit will crush and not rebound once taken to depth. Crushing the suit also ruins some elasticity; the suit becomes stiffer. The neoprene they use in surf suits is less costly to mfg than scuba. The material doesn't have to take prolonged pressure, so it's insulating gas bubbles don't have to be as encapsulated to compress and rebound.

A crushed 4/3mm will not have the same thermo characteristics as a scuba 3mm. It'll be lower, or keep you less warm. So always plan to lose some insulation with a surf suit for scuba use. What I'm suggesting is if you're very close to the edge of comfort in that suit thickness, don't go with a surf suit.