7 mm wetsuit?

[Soggy]

So, I moved from NY to MA and have started diving out here. Much to my surprise, water temperatures are much warmer in the ocean off of Cape Ann than they are in the freshwater lakes of VT/NY. I only have a drysuit, and did a shore dive last weekend and was miserable on the surface...plus I wanted to do some snorkling inbetween dives because it was 90+ degrees out on the beach.

So...

I'm looking to purchase a 7mm wetsuit. Any good suggestions? Price will be my number 1 factor right now, so good value for the money is important. I will most likely only be using the suit a couple months a year....the dry suit will probably continue to be my primary suit.

 

[MNScuba]

You may want to consider a 2 piece 'farmer john' style Henderson wetsuit. More flexibility for warmer surface dives with the added warmth for deeper dives. Gold Core would probably be best... I use the Mares 6.5mm Isotherm Milennium semi-dry, but that may be overkill for what you are looking for.

 

[Soggy]

I just need something for water above 60 degrees. Like I said, price is a major issue, so I'm not sure I want to go two piece. If I'm diving in the 30-60 degree range, I'll be using my drysuit, thank you very much .

 

[MgicTwnger]

Check out BARE wetsuits. Canadians know how to deal with cold water.

 

[Hawk]

or get a lighter wetsuit than you are planning. Just my opinion, but getting into a 7mm on warm days is downright miserable.

I dive with a 7mm farmer john and hate diving on hot days due to the heat involved while gearing up. A friend of mine went diving with me a couple weeks ago at a nearby lake. The temp outside was about 100 F. I almost passed out by the time I had my gear ready and had to get into the water before completely ready to cool off. He had a drysuit and was hot also, but not to that degree. The water temp at the surface was about 68 F. plenty warm for my suit to be sure. When we hit 24 ft the temp dropped about 20 degrees and I was comfortable.

Can't wait till the air temp gets near that of the water as it is much nicer. The 7mm is just too hot on the surface.



Later, Hawk.

 

[jonnythan]

Bare does make a pretty nice wetsuit.. I also like Akona's suits. Their 7mm Ti wetsuit (1-piece) is $164 at Leisure Pro. I have the 7mm 2-piece, and I like it. It's flexible, fits well, gussetted zippers.

They've also got a nice looking Henderson 6.5mm jumpsuit for $125.. good luck

 

[Soggy]

Hawk once bubbled...
or get a lighter wetsuit than you are planning. Just my opinion, but getting into a 7mm on warm days is downright miserable.

Try putting on thinsulate drysuit underwear, then the drysuit, then all of your equipment in 95 degree weather. I guarantee a 7mm is improvement. At least I can get wet to cool down.

I haven't seen anyone out here diving in anything less than a 6.5mm...plus I get cold easily.

I probably will just finish the season with my drysuit...not too big a deal.

 

[chuckrt]

Aaron,

Sorry you left us here in the CNY/Finger lakes region. Why are you using the undies in such hot weather? I change to a light sweatpant and long sleeve light sweatshirt at 70 and then peel off on the SI. Try this next time instead of buying a wetsuit and see if it helps. I use a 5mm wetsuit occ. and it does get mighty hot pulling it on in the sun and heat let aloe getting it off after.

chuckrt

 

[Soggy]

I was actually quite comfortable underwater with the undies. My next dive, I'll probably just do sweatshirt/sweatpants, but that's still mighty warm getting dressed on the surface.

Maybe I'm just succumbing to the peer pressure out here - I saw probably 30+ divers last saturday coming out of the water. There was only one other in a drysuit. I got lots of "I can't believe your diving dry" from other people. Of course, most of them had not done dry suit diving before, so I take that with a grain of salt. Plus, I imagine below 20 feet, there will be a drastic drop in temperature.


chuckrt -- do you dive out of NAS in Syracuse? Have we met before?

 

[Spectre]

AaronBBrown once bubbled...
I guarantee a 7mm is improvement. At least I can get wet to cool down.

Last weekend I had an idea that ended up working quite well. As I was gearing up, I stuck a couple pieces of ice from my cooler at the small of my back. By the time I was in the water it was mostly melted, and a quick flush of the suit and the cold water was gone.