Diving Hawai'i - wetsuit choices

[Henryville]

Just got back from 2 weeks, one on Hawaii, one on Maui. Left behind the wetsuits to save weight. The ops that I used all offered 3mm farmer Johns with 3mm shorties to go over them. I was wishing I had brought my own 5mm full suit, both for fit and insulating value. Not sure how old the rental suits are but of course any suit loses insulating value over time.

FWIW, locals were saying the water was warmer than usual with temps coming up fast and fostering worries about tropical storm frequency/severity.

 

[Scubagolf]

I'm taking both my 2mm shorty and my 3mm full suit for a 10 day stay on Oahu starting in late July (two weeks one day and just over nine hours till takeoff but who's counting). Will dive two to four tanks a day most days, including a night dive or two.

I'm pretty warm blooded, so I'm hoping the shorty will do. If not, then the 3mm will be pressed into service and will just have to be enough or else...or else...or else I'll just have to shiver 'cause I'm not getting out till 500 psi no matter what. :blinking:

If you start getting cold in the 3mm, you could pick up a hooded vest while you are there. I use mine for second dives along with my 3mm in Hawaii. Over a long week or so of diving the chill might start to pick up.

 

[TSandM]

Wow -- I certainly have changed my mind since my 2005 post! What I learned was that, in a 3 mil suit, I didn't FEEL cold in the water, but I'd begin to shiver the minute I got out and the breeze hit me. Turns out that was because I was getting colder than I realized, while I was in the water. Now I dive the same water temperatures in a 5 mil semi-dry with a 2 mil hooded vest, and I no longer shiver on the boat.

My personal opinion now is that a 3 mil suit isn't warm enough for a swimming pool . . .

 

[gkndivebum]

[...]FWIW, locals were saying the water was warmer than usual with temps coming up fast and fostering worries about tropical storm frequency/severity.

It has been an interesting year for water temperatures - I saw the coldest water temperatures I've ever experienced in 8 years of diving the Kona coast early this year - a consistent 72F. Looking through my log books over the past several years also showed that it didn't warm up to what are more or less normal temperatures until fairly recently (early June).

There have also been some odd current pulses of cold water - short lived, but dramatic. A friend and I were caught in one on 24 June at 2 Step on a deep dive which was about 4 degF colder than the surrounding water and unceremoniously dragged us north out of the cove. There was no fighting this current. [this was the day we ran into you down there]

So, at least from what's in my log books the water temperatures aren't above normal - maybe slightly below normal to normal about now, but for the first half of the year significantly below normal.

Wow -- I certainly have changed my mind since my 2005 post! What I learned was that, in a 3 mil suit, I didn't FEEL cold in the water, but I'd begin to shiver the minute I got out and the breeze hit me. Turns out that was because I was getting colder than I realized, while I was in the water. Now I dive the same water temperatures in a 5 mil semi-dry with a 2 mil hooded vest, and I no longer shiver on the boat.

My personal opinion now is that a 3 mil suit isn't warm enough for a swimming pool . . .

When I was a new diver here in 2001 I dove in a 2mm shortie.

I dive dry year round now. :cool2:

A 5mm full suit is the thinnest piece of neoprene I own, and yes, I wear it in the pool when I'm teaching

(Besides being warmer in the drysuit I also got tired of buying new wetsuits after I killed them on deep dives)

 

[S0ckm0nk3y]

My personal opinion now is that a 3 mil suit isn't warm enough for a swimming pool . . .

So says the tiny lady who probably gets a chill sunbathing in the sub tropics.

Just to prove that everyone's body is different...

I heart my marino wool lined 3mm here on the Big Island. Now that it is summer, I get cold on the 3rd hour long dive of the day. If I put my wet suit while it's still sopping wet for the first dive I'll get a little bit of a chill. But I'm twice the size of Lynne and have recently acquired some plate lunch inspired bioprene (thanks fisheater for that term) that keeps me pretty warm. Who knows what time will do to my sensitivity to the water temps around here.

With all that said... I busted out my drysuit the other day.

-Eric

 

[Henryville]

It has been an interesting year for water temperatures - I saw the coldest water temperatures I've ever experienced in 8 years of diving the Kona coast early this year - a consistent 72F. Looking through my log books over the past several years also showed that it didn't warm up to what are more or less normal temperatures until fairly recently (early June).

There have also been some odd current pulses of cold water - short lived, but dramatic. A friend and I were caught in one on 24 June at 2 Step on a deep dive which was about 4 degF colder than the surrounding water and unceremoniously dragged us north out of the cove. There was no fighting this current. [this was the day we ran into you down there]

So, at least from what's in my log books the water temperatures aren't above normal - maybe slightly below normal to normal about now, but for the first half of the year significantly below normal.



When I was a new diver here in 2001 I dove in a 2mm shortie.

I dive dry year round now. :cool2:

A 5mm full suit is the thinnest piece of neoprene I own, and yes, I wear it in the pool when I'm teaching

(Besides being warmer in the drysuit I also got tired of buying new wetsuits after I killed them on deep dives)

Hey Gerard! Sorry I didn't see you guys after the dive, glad to hear it was interesting. Yeah, that was more a Maui/Lanai comment. Maybe they're seeing it more in that basin? than you guys that get the direct from the deep water. I hope we get to dive together again next time I'm in paradise.

 

[rockjock3]

I dive a 3mm full suit for long double dives (2-2.5+ hours) or if I am diving deep w/trimix. I am diving more and more in a 2mm shorty if I am doing single tank dives and I am one that tends to get cold easy.

That being said. The water temp has been cooler this year. I haven't seen it down to 72-73 that it has been until just recent. I dove the other day and it was 75 most of the dive after being 78 the two dives 2 days before. Still have some cold current mulling around here that just don't want to leave.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

Speaking of Lanai diving, we have been seeing a lot of fresh water seeping from most regular dive sites and significant portions of my week were probably spent at 75 degrees. I tested my new Pinnacle 5mm Elastoprene w/ Merino lining suit a couple days aqo, and ended up bring my 5mm Aquaflex home to shore dive South Maui.

During droughts the water warms up. When it rains the water is colder. Global warming should evaporate more water, leading to more rain, resulting in colder near shore diving for some sites.

 

[ligersandtions]

I dove the Big Island for a week (three to four dives a day most days). My husband bought me a 3mm for the trip, but I wasn't convinced that it was going to be enough. So, despite some teasing and disbelief, I decided to bring my 7mm along. I felt the water before my first dive and opted for the 7mm over the 3mm....and boy was I glad!

Water temps ranged from 75F to 79F depending on site and depth. By the end of the third or fourth dive, I was starting to feel chilly. Hubby was pretty cold in his 3mm after a dive or two....I think he'll re-think his exposure protection next time!

 

[rhone]

Hmmm......wife and I are thinking of bringing our 3/2 fulls with full dive skin under, along with beanies to keep some warmth from escaping the old 'noggin. Considering we dove in quarries in MN last week in 7mm suits in 41F waters (gets even colder than that past 70 feet, so I stay up), I'm hesitant to bring a 7mm for 75F waters....Ahhh, how I wish I lived near the warm ocean. Someday.