7/5 vs 7mm. Do You Lose Some Heat in the 7/5?

[Guppie]

I did a search but got some thread from 2005.

The majority of suits today are split material and I was wondering if you really lose much heat in a 7/5 vs a straight 7. I'm looking at pinnacle merino that has 5 in elbow/knee area. Am I going to be much better of with a straight 7mm?

Thanks.

 

[mikeguerrero]

I did a search but got some thread from 2005.

The majority of suits today are split material and I was wondering if you really lose much heat in a 7/5 vs a straight 7. I'm looking at pinnacle merino that has 5 in elbow/knee area. Am I going to be much better of with a straight 7mm?

Thanks.

Which two wetsuits are you comparing? Pinnacles against Pinnacles different mm or are you saying standard 8mm wetsuit vs Pinnacles line? I'm a little confused, because you won't get a solid answer.

MG

 

[Guppie]

I guess I'm just looking to know if a full 7mm suit retains more heat than a suit with 7/5. I am looking at Pinnacle, but just about everybrand has a 7/5. Not too many have straight 7's. Not really comparing brands as much as I am comparing the material used.

 

[undrwater]

Simple question...simple answer is yes.

More complex answer is: it depends. You'll read a lot about fit, the amount of water that cycles through the suit, features such as skin-in seals and zippers, and other such things.

Fit is really, really important, but all that being equal, a full suit with 7mm all around will retain more heat than the same suit minus a couple mm at the elbows, knees, etc...

 

[mikeguerrero]

I dive a Pinnacles 7mm full suit, it's the ME-7 which has Merino. My dive buddy dives a Pinnacles 7/5 Cruiser that doesn't have Merino.

He uses a 7mm hood and gets hot after his dive, he is quick to remove his hood once at the surface. He is constantly overheating but he's a big guy.

I on the other hand use a 7mm hooded vest that's Merino and a heated torso that is 3mm Merino linning. I don't get cold at all except a little cool in the arms.

I use a 6mm boot that is Merino and thats really warm and comfortable, but my hands do get cold after 30 minutes of diving 50 degrees water, they are only 4mm merino as well.

So over all the Merino really helps out a lot because it helps retain the warmth even at depth since Merino doesn't compress.

So the 7mm full will give you more square footage of protection over the 7/5mm. I would be too cold in a 7/5 since at 7 mm my arms become cool, I can feel them cool. Imagine if I was in a 7/5 then I would probably be cold in the arms.

Hope this helps you out... You will be much more covered in a 7mm full, simple logic, two cotten blankets are better over just one cotton blanket and a thinner bed sheet at the legs.

Everyone has different measures of what they consider warm; like my dive buddy and myself.

MG