Best suit thickness for 60 -80F

[BB1]

I will be diving in water temperatures ranging between 60 in mid winter and 80 in summer and personally never want to be in water cold enough for a dry suit - brrrr!

Any recommendations on wetsuit thickness for up to 3 dives in a day?

I don't tend to feel the cold as much as the wife does and have been wondering about a 3mm merino lined one that I could maybe backup with a hood or vest with hood when needed?

Any thoughts appreciated.

 

[Van Isle]

I'm going to poke the beehive here:

Drysuit.

By the time you add accessories that would make you comfortable over 3-dive days from 60-80, you're probably not far from a drysuit cost anyways. Something like a White's Fusion or DUI 30/30 Tropical is lightweight and can be layered to keep you warm in any condition.

Good luck!

 

[Bubbletrubble]

The 3mm merino-lined Pinnacle suit will be fine for summer diving. You'll probably need to layer more than just a hooded vest for diving in 60°F water, though.

Realistically you're probably going to have to get more than one suit to dive comfortably in the conditions you describe. One strategy might be to get a 7mm and see how that goes. I dive my 7mm + hood in a water temp range of 65°F to 75°F.

Van Isle makes a good point about getting a drysuit. When the water temps get down to 60°F, you'll wish you had one.

 

[D_B]

I was thinking the same thing, 7mm , and for warm temps no hood, gloves, thin boots ... thick is better than the other way around I think.. but yeah, probably need 2 suits ...

 

[BB1]

Thanks guys!

I can do the 3mm in summer with no merino and don't feel the cold.

Dry suit = no thanks. To much trouble for me to bother with. (at the mo anyways)

7mm is to thick for my liking. Will try a semi-dry 5mm and see how I go for now as i can always add a vest to that.

If it feels to cold at 60F then I'll just take some time out from diving - winter doesn't last to long around here thankfully!

 

[dannobee]

60-80F is a huge temperature swing and will likely require two suits.

Personally, if the water temp is 80 degrees, and not a deco dive, I'll sometimes dive in a t-shirt and wakeboarding shorts. Otherwise, a 4/3mm full suit, which I'll wear down to about 70 degrees or so.

If the water temp is below 70 degrees, I'll wear a drysuit and appropriate underwear. I started diving in water temps in the 50's, using a 7mm wetsuit and hooded vest. One dive is doable, but after a couple of dives, I was downright cold.

SoCal gets water temps around 60 degrees, and on the boat dives lots of people skip a dive or two (4 dive trips) just to stay warm while wearing a 7mm wetsuit.

Take it for what it's worth.

 

[thatguyoverthere]

I would go with layering. I Dive with a 3mm Wetwear full suit (I have their good material that is nitrogen composed) the full suit has seals and long arm and leg zippers. I wear this in the summer and through the fall. When the water temps start to drop, I put a short sleeve shorty on top. My shorty is 5mm in the body and 3mm in the arms. This gives me 8mm in the torso of warmth. It works out awesome. I always have full body coverage and I don't have to buy all different jumpsuits for different temperatures.

 

[GFiLA]

the temp variances are too wide for one suit. The drysuit option sounds like a possibility since all you have to do is change undergarments to adjust to temp. Wet suit wise would require two suits. I dive in SoCal and take my word for it you will need a 7MM if you are at 60F especially since you will be experiencing thremoclines if you dive at depth. Wrse thing is to dive cold; ruins the day of diving.

 

[SkimFisher]

From 65-75 I dive a 5mm with 5mm hood. From 75 up I dive a 3/2 or just board shorts and rash guard depending on the type/length of dive.

Below 65...I don't dive I would agree with a dry-suit by that point though.

But it all depends on your tolerance for cold. I know guys that can dive springs in nothing but a shorty. I don't have a lot of "bio-prene" on me though so I don't do cold very well.

 

[robint]

60-70 degree water I wear a 7mm fullsuit, 5mm hood, and gloves. A hooded vest would be nice, too. I have used a drysuit for several dozen dives and didn't really enjoy the extra wt needed.
70-80 degree water I wear a 5mm fullsuit, 3mm hood or beanie.
80+ degrees I wear a 3mm fullsuit, always.

I am female, smaller build. My husband is 5'8" and 175lbs and goes by the same guidelines as I do and is very happy.

I have been in lower than 60 degrees in my 7mm suit and froze by buns off. All I could think about the whole dive was how much I wanted to get out.

ScubaToys is a good place to pick up a hooded vest right now.... they have some good ones on sale.


robin