Buy for warm or buy for cold?

[TheAlphaMag]

I live in New England (which get wickid cold:lol: ). I'm getting my vert in a couple weeks on a trip to the Keys (and I am planning on other dive vacations).

Do you think its worth it to buy just a thick, warmer one, or would it be worth it to have two? I want to have fun, so I want to be comfortable. Would I get too hot in a thicker wetsuit if I'm diving in a tropical place?

I've never even tried on a wetsuit.. This is all a bit exciting to me

Thanks

-sam

 

[divingjd]

Diving in the tropics with a wetsuit that would be warm enough in New England would not be very pleasant. You would need a 7mm suit for cold water (if not a drysuit) and you would find that it would be very warm, pretty constricting, and too buoyant in tropical waters. OK, so it will be just as buoyant in cold water, but compared to a 3mm fullsuit or shorty that you could wear in the tropics and be nice and toasty, a 7mm will make you feel about like a cork. It's worthwhile to have two different suits. A lot of people will say you don't even need a wetsuit in tropical waters, but it is a good idea. Not only does it help you stay warm, it protects your skin from thimble jellies, sea nettles, and other nasty stinging critters. Even if you would not feel cold without a wetsuit, even in 84 degree water, your core temperature will drop, which puts you at greater risk for DCS.

 

[scubamickey]

If you plan on diving in NE as well as warm climates than you will most likely need 2 wetsuits. I have a 3/2 mm wetsuit and a 2mm shorty that I take on tropical vacations for water temp between 78 and 84 degrees. But if you don't get cold easily, you may not need a lighter wetsuit for these temperatures.

I dove here in Alaska (52 degree water) last week in a 7/5 semi-dry suit and I was fine until I hit 100 feet. Then I started to freeze and had to start my ascent which cut my dive time in half. I lasted 30 minutes! Brrr!

I suggest you wait and see what you are comfortable wearing in the Keys and in NE and then decide what to wear. I wore my 3/2 on every dive in Key Largo last month and I was glad to have it, especially with the thermoclines I encountered on the Duane and the Spiegal. You won't be diving those sites on your certification trip, but a lightweight fullsuit will make you more comfortable and protect you from the jellyfish.

Good luck with your certification.

 

[TheAlphaMag]

Thanks for your information bros

 

[H2Andy]

yeah... you need to be comfortable either place

the good news is, for tropical diving, all you really need is a 3mm one-piece, at
the most, and those are cheap

a very versatile combination is the 3 mm farmer john. you can wear it as a
3mm shorty, a 3 mm long-pants with bib, or both (which gives you 6 mm on
the chest and groin):

http://www.divers-supply.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=16263

 

[scubamickey]

Thanks for your information bros

I'm a sis, but you are welcome anyway :blinking:

I love your profile description of yourself.

 

[H2Andy]

mickey is a boy!!

 

[scubamickey]

mickey is a boy!!

Yes he is. I love the mouse . ScubaMickey is my avatar because I love diving and i thought that Mickey in dive gear would make a cute tattoo. That tattoo design became my avatar.

Besides...have you ever hugged the mouse at Disney World? It's a girl under there!! Trust me on that.

 

[H2Andy]

oh yeah... they're all girls .... they can fit in those costumes

 

[reefugee]

Sorry - I never groped Mickey before.

Speaking of mouse - I work with computers. Always ask my users if they want a male or female mouse. They ask what's the difference. Male mouse has a ball; female mouse has a red ... nevermind....

Besides...have you ever hugged the mouse at Disney World? It's a girl under there!! Trust me on that.