rlowe
Registered
I am taking a trip to Balmorhea in mid Feb and and curious what sort of wetsuit I will need. I was thinking a 5mm and possibly a hood should do. Anyone have a recommendation?
Balmorhea in Feb
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R
redacted
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5mm should be plenty for in the water. Hood optional. T-shirt or ski parka for the SI depending on what is blowing thru.
Water is spring fed and usually 72-75 degrees. As awap said check outdoor weather for SI wear. I would take a hood just in case the fish are hungry. They will nibble.
Debraw
Contributor
5MM with hood and maybe even a pair of light gloves, 2 0r 3mm just to keep enough heat in. I really like beanies. They do not constrict like a hood but still keep heat in. For surface interval's I also have a really long parka coat. It was made by Uzzi ( they are out of business) but they are shops who still carry stuff like it. Check Dive 44 Dive Gear they have a really nice coat. It is a good investment and if you plan on diving boats or land spots with wind or cooler temps, this is the best style of dive coat out there.
I was in a 5mm and a hooded vest. It worked really well, but I also like being warm. Some people probably would have been too warm.
The winds can howl during SI's plan on it.
Have fun.
The winds can howl during SI's plan on it.
Have fun.
Balmorhea was a fun, been there, done that kinda dive. Lots to see but it is very small and shallow and a bit boring after 30 mins or so. I've been there a few times and was fine in a 3 mil but wasn't there during the winter so I was able to warm up during the si.
I also dove the Blue hole in Santa Rosa NM. It's a long drive from Balmorhea but was a fun, been there done that dive as well. Temps at Blue hole were 62 and I wore a 5 mil and was fine. Depths were 80' with some overgrown goldfish swiming at the top and alot of crawfish on the bottom. Didn't get to dive Perch Lake but wanted to. The local dive shop's compressor was down so I couldn't get air fills.
I also dove the Blue hole in Santa Rosa NM. It's a long drive from Balmorhea but was a fun, been there done that dive as well. Temps at Blue hole were 62 and I wore a 5 mil and was fine. Depths were 80' with some overgrown goldfish swiming at the top and alot of crawfish on the bottom. Didn't get to dive Perch Lake but wanted to. The local dive shop's compressor was down so I couldn't get air fills.
Debraw
Contributor
Oh you go me...Perch Lake? Where is that? Near the Blue Hole. I am planning a trip to Balmorhea and the Blue Hole soon and I did not think there was anything else out that way.
Guba
Contributor
Yup, the 5 mil is plenty. I was there Dec. 29 using a 3mil john and 3 mil jacket and was very comfortable. The only hood I wore was a thin "skin", just to keep the fish off my ears. We had the blessing of great weather with temps in the high 60's. The long coat is a great idea. While the "diving" ones are a bit high, I've even used a common "duster" and they work well...anything to keep the wind off. In fact, I keep a poncho in my diving vehicle all the time just for that.
Have fun!
Have fun!
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