7 mm?

[HammerNoMore]

Two reasons: cost and the requirement to learn new skills. I'm cheap and lazy. ;^)

New skills are a breeze and the cost is well...if you add up all you're neoprene, you'd be there .

I undertsand the cost factor...it was my limitation for quite a while but well worth it IMHO.


Anyway back to the oroginal question, as others have said, better to let your wife complain about her choice of too much neorprene than your choice of making her cold!

 

[divematt]

I have over 200 dives in my 3mm Henderson Hyperstrech, far fewer in my 5mm and 7 mm. I guarantee either it has been crushed down to a 2 mill or less, or the Hyperstrech material just has less thermal protection than pure neoprene. I believe it's the latter. Until I get a new 3 mil, I'm bringing down my 5 mil in 9 days because at 79 and 80 degree water temp in Roatan last December, I was cold by the 3rd dive. I used to think that I could take more cool water than most but the more I dive, the less tolerance I have for the cold. I've further changed my wetsuit / water temp ratio to:

81 degrees and above - 3 mil
73 to 80 - 5 mil
72 and below - 7 mil
6 mil hood / 4 mil vest - as needed

Like many here have said, it's better too warm than too cold. :ice:

 

[HammerNoMore]

81 degrees and above - 3 mil
73 to 80 - 5 mil
72 and below - 7 mil
6 mil hood / 4 mil vest - as needed

Mine is much simpler:

77 and above: 2ml shorty
72-77 3ml full
<72 Dry

James

 

[Divingnthedark]

abitton, I see you're in Canada. Why don't you try your LDS to see whether they have any rental suits?

Your best bet is to let her load up on her thermal protection and then if she gets too hot, you can withhold your "I told you so" to use as a trump card in case she wants to nag you about something. However, if she's right and doesn't overheat, then you're a hero for supporting her decision wholeheartedly.

(Of course, now that I've given away rule #2489-W, I will have to go underground for a while, and the official Women's Rulemaking Society will have to change the rule again.)

OH NO!!!You must never ever reveal top secret classified info. like that Giggi As one Coz DM said, "Sheesh, Women I love them you just never know what they will say or do next" Keeps 'em on their toes =)

 

[diverdenise]

I have gone to cozumel, roatan, etc in a 3ml and froze and had to rent extra suits, now i wear my 7ml hyperstretch all the time except 60 and below and go to drysuit. I can do dive after dive for an hour or so, I can do 4 dives a day and never get the chills, plus night dives and i am warm on the boat between dives not come up shivering. You can always peel it down to your waist between dives etc and I am okay. I am not a hero and have been laughed at but I am nice and warm not shivering so whatever is your comfort level wear what you need. I could probably get by with a 5ml in warmer water but live in a cold state and prefered to buy what I could use at home and on trips. I don't come up out of air or cold, works for me.

 

[nyprrthd]

We dove Costa Maya, Belize, PDC, and Cozumel in February. My DW wore her 5mm hyperstretch with a lycra long sleeve top. The second day of diving, she started to wear her bonnet-type hood. She was cold during/after the second dive every day. I wore my 3mm hyperstretch and lycra top, and was comfortable. But I also dove the quarry in October without a hood.

Each person has different tolerance to cold. Let her bring the 7mm suit. At the very worst, she'll complain about being hot during the SI, but I doubt that she'll be too warm while diving. If she feels compelled to dive a lighter suit once you're there, there are one or two dive shops in town that might carry wetsuits (intended sarcasm, please don't attack me, I know that the streets are lined with dive shops).

 

[Brules]

Wow you guys are all cr8zy!!!!!

I only use a .5mm shorty and never get cold even after a week. I feel lucky to not have to wear all those mm's and layers! Shew! But when you are built like a polar bear....

PS - I have only dove May/Jume/July/August when it is nice and toasty!!! I think last time i was there in August, the water was close to 82-83!!!! Felt great!