lol, am I the only one who would take his dry suit?
Yeah, I'm a wimp when it comes to temperature. I'll admit it.
Yeah, I'm a wimp when it comes to temperature. I'll admit it.
Deep6 3mm or 7mm in 77f water?
- Thread starter apenland01
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runsongas
Contributor
bring a hooded vest if you use the 3mm, else 5mm is more ideal. it can get into the 60s if there is a deep cold water upwelling at some sites like the boiler and roca partida.
I seriously considered my drysuit but I am a poor drysuit diver.
60plus
Contributor
I am a bit surprised at what people feel is cold. I dive comfortably in 62 to 64 F in a 3/2 wetsuit without gloves ore a hood. Typical temps where I do winter and spring diving are 17 to 19 C, 62 to 65 F and only a very few use more than a 5mm wetsuit. What I find has the most effect is the weather conditions out of the water, rather than the water temp. Last Autumn I spent just over 2 hours continuously in the water, including about 50 minutes diving. Water was 16 C at surface and 14 C at 10m. Air temp when we went in was 15 C, but when we got out after dark it was only 6 C, raining and windy, soon got chilled then.
I am a bit surprised about the number of Arctic Sealions masquerading as forum members giving advice about little thermal protection they need in mid-70's water and below. You have to realize that even if you never get cold that lots of other people around you are shivering.
When I am ok in a 3mm suit, my wife needs a 5mm. When I need a 5mm suit she needs a 7mm. When I stay warm in my dry suit in 50F water she is frozen after an hour.
Let's recognize there is a range of individual comfort and help steer people based on the average and not our extremophile comfort levels!
Depending on intended depth, your 23 lb wing may be insufficient to compensate for the lost buoyancy of the 7 mm suit and the air carried at the beginning of the dive. Have you measured its surface buoyancy (as a basis for what might be lost)?
As for wings, here are my thoughts, I have a VDH 18 and Oxycheq 30
When diving Florida with a pony bottle plus steel plate and wings I am over weighted and usually wear a 3 or 5 mm. For this I dive with my 30 wing. For Socorro if you choose the 3 mm you could probably get away with the 23 but I would still pick the 32. The larger wing will not take up that much more room packing and I doubt you will notice any difference diving but you would be confident of your rig floating if for any reason you needed to remove it at the surface.
When diving Florida with a pony bottle plus steel plate and wings I am over weighted and usually wear a 3 or 5 mm. For this I dive with my 30 wing. For Socorro if you choose the 3 mm you could probably get away with the 23 but I would still pick the 32. The larger wing will not take up that much more room packing and I doubt you will notice any difference diving but you would be confident of your rig floating if for any reason you needed to remove it at the surface.
Why not a 3mm and a bring a shorty or a hooded vest? 3mm is normally enough for 77 and is certainly fine for the arms and legs in those temps. The layer gives you the option of additional core warmth if needed. I'd go for one of the shorties with a full length front zip which is super easy to get into and out of; unlike a hooded vest unless you can find one with a zipper. Either option will cover your fullsuit zipper to reduce water inflow. I don't like hoods very much, but I might bring a beanie just in case.
I've worn this setup in a 72 degree cenote and was fine. It was only a couple of dives though.
Or am I missing something about layering? Not weight or volume, a 3mm full + 3mm shorty is still less of each than a 7mm full.
OTOH, for a trip this expensive and special, I might bring both a 3mm and 5mm fullsuit. Not only to best match changing temps, but to have a spare in your size if something happens to one of your suits.
I've worn this setup in a 72 degree cenote and was fine. It was only a couple of dives though.
Or am I missing something about layering? Not weight or volume, a 3mm full + 3mm shorty is still less of each than a 7mm full.
OTOH, for a trip this expensive and special, I might bring both a 3mm and 5mm fullsuit. Not only to best match changing temps, but to have a spare in your size if something happens to one of your suits.
When you are diving 4 hours a day for 7 or so days in a row you get progressively chilled. It's a very different experience than 45 minutes in a cenote.
Some people need more or less protection than others. I recommend that people going to Socorro, Cocos, Galapagos to use at least a 5mm and bring layers like a hooded vest, lavacore, etc. A light weight hood or beanie is a must.
77F water I'm in a 5mm with a hooded vest. If it's chilly, windy or cloudy topside I've also got a boat coat for the surface interval.
My general guidelines:
If the water is in the upper 70s I'm in a 5mm. If it's in the mid-70s I add a hooded vest. If it's much below that I'm in a drysuit.
I'm only in a 3mm when the water gets into the 83F+ range.
I couldn't care less what others think. Doing 2-4 60 minute dives in a day takes a toll on you thermally. I hate being cold!
It seems like every charter I'm on in South FL in the winter there are ALWAYS multiple people on the boat in 3mm wetsuits who are FREEZING before the 2nd dive while I'm nice and comfortable with a smile on my face.
My general guidelines:
If the water is in the upper 70s I'm in a 5mm. If it's in the mid-70s I add a hooded vest. If it's much below that I'm in a drysuit.
I'm only in a 3mm when the water gets into the 83F+ range.
I couldn't care less what others think. Doing 2-4 60 minute dives in a day takes a toll on you thermally. I hate being cold!
It seems like every charter I'm on in South FL in the winter there are ALWAYS multiple people on the boat in 3mm wetsuits who are FREEZING before the 2nd dive while I'm nice and comfortable with a smile on my face.
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