5mm or 3mm + vest for tropical liveaboards / dive-intensive trips?

[BigJimDiver]

Maybe this will help, obviosuly everyone's different but this is interesting for relatoive warmth for one person: My son is 5'5", ~125 lbs. He is very lean, and chills way easier than his better insulated (but athletic) dad -).

2 years ago on the Aquacat end March/early April 4-5 dives daily, he was getting chilled with a 3mm and 5/3 hood, threw a shorty over the full suit after the 1st day and it helped a little but not a lot. Water temps ~73 degrees +/-.

Last year on the 'Cat, upgraded him to a 5mm. Same temps, with the hood he was pretty much OK, but still running for a hot shower on the dive deck after every dive, and took a dive off each of the last few days since he was losing heat.

This year on the Cayman Aggressor, water temps 79 degrees+, wore the 5mm and hood first 2 days, plenty warm. Decided the 5mm was uncomfortable and switched to the 3mm without hood, got a little cold each dive. Added the hood with the 3mm full suit and he was comfortable for the remainder of the trip. Conclusion was 3mm + hood was significantly warmer than 5mm without hood.

On the Aquacat I went with the a 3mm Merino lined hooded vest (Pinnacle) under my 3/2mm full suit and was toasty. This year in the Caymans 3mm full was more than good, would have gone with my 3mm shorty had I brought it. 6 degrees higher water temp really made a difference.

 

[Hatul]

I believe in wearing the minimum neoprene. If you wear more than you need you may not be too warm, but diving is just more difficult, less comfortable and less enjoyable.

Adam

 

[nomro]

I dive in Egypt , in summer I use a 2 - 3 mm vest on surfing shorts . in winter I would go with the vest and 3 mm suit. But I don't get cold that easy , especially when the sun is still there.PS the thicker the suit the more weight you'll have to add.

 

[Brian Sharpe]

Last December I took a hooded vest with me to the DR - didn't use it the first day but was glad I had it for the rest of the diving.

Like others have said, it depends on your cold tolerance whether you go 5 mil or 3 mil but hooded vests are cheap, don't weigh much in your luggage and may just exponentially improve your diving enjoyment.

 

[Woodiver]

If you continue to dive a lot, you will probably end up with a 3mm, 5mm and a 5/3 hooded vest. To start with, go for the 3mm and the hooded vest unless you're planning to dive during the winter. Even when the water is 78' once you're out of the water the air and the wind can be very cool so it's best to stay warm underwater. Also in some diving areas, water temperatures can vary depending where you are at. This summer we will be on a live aboard where the water temp's will range from a high of 82' to the low 70's, I'll be bringing all the suits.

 

[_scuba_steve]

Thanks for all the responses - currently waiting for a Bare Elastek 5mm to show up at the LDS.