Do you have the right wetsuit?

[TSandM]

I made my first trip to Maui right after I got certified. For the trip, I bought a 3 mil wetsuit. It fits perfectly, and I've used it in a variety of tropical destinations, including Maui,

the Virgin Islands, Australia, and Indonesia. I've always been comfortable in the water, up to dive times of 70 minutes or so. Maybe I got a little cool at the end of a long dive, but nothing striking.

However, I have shivered -- HARD -- on the surface. Once the breeze hit me in my wetsuit, I was really cold. It was worse on a boat, where it would get moving and increase the wind. I took to carrying a windbreaker with me, and that helped.

But you know what helped more? Switching to a 5 mil suit. I have now done two tropical trips in it, and not only am I warmer in the water (although I don't really notice that, because I wasn't terribly cold before) but I DON'T SHIVER on land or on the
boat.

If you're comfortable in the water, but cold on land afterward, it would be my experience that you need a heavier suit.

 

[Teamcasa]

...If you're comfortable in the water, but cold on land afterward, it would be my experience that you need a heavier suit.

Or a boat coat.

 

[spectrum]

TS&M,

Anytime we are in the water as you know we are depleting heat energy from our body. Once wet and on the surface evaporative cooling really adds insult to injury.

In the summer when I manage a stretch of diving daily for over a week I do notice that towards the need my cold tolerance is waning.

Combining a dive intensive vacation and surface exposure on a boat will up the requirement. I think the truth lies somewhere between the 5mm suit and the dive coat. While the extra 2mm also offers a little extra protection on the surface I suspect it has it's biggest benefit underwater. That being the case it's closer to treating the problem, not the symptom. Also from a packing perspective a suit 2mm thicker adds less to the luggage.

Thanks for pointing out that that exposure protection is not about skimping by on the absolute minimum. Sometimes in pursuit of the purest experience we are too intent on getting by on fewer hoses, less weight (to the point of underweight) and minimal suits. Neoprene is our friend and we should embrace it.

Pete

 

[RJP]

Do you have the right wetsuit?

If you're comfortable in the water, but cold on land afterward, it would be my experience that you need a heavier suit.

Your question contains a faulty premise, as it assumes that the RIGHT suit is a WET suit!



Try a DUI 30/30 Tropical Drysuit - but I warn you, you may NEVER dive wet again. Mine has been to Hawaii, Florida, Cayman Islands and elsewhere with water as warm as 85F and sunny air temps well into the 90's.

Everyone on the Cayman Aggressor laughed at my buddy and me. Until after the first night dive - their's for 30 min, ours for 75. My buddy and I stepped out of our suits in shorts and t-shirts, and right over to the bar, as everyone else downed mugs of hot cocoa while shivering under layers of warm towels. (Hot cocoa in the Cayman Islands? Please!)

My wetsuit is now used exclusively for pool sessions. In fact, I'll be working with a drysuit class tomorrow and will probably wear my 30/30 in the pool so that I can demonstrate proper techniques without having to "mime" them in a wetsuit.

"Once you go dry, you'll never go back..."

 

[Dive-aholic]

I don't know about that. I like the feeling of being wet when I'm diving. During the summer I dive the 68 degree caves wet most of the time. There's just something about feeling the water on you during a dive. I do dive dry when the air temp gets colder or when I'm diving multiple stages and need the added buoyancy, but I'd rather be wet.

 

[piikki]

I don't know about that. I like the feeling of being wet when I'm diving. During the summer I dive the 68 degree caves wet most of the time. There's just something about feeling the water on you during a dive. I do dive dry when the air temp gets colder or when I'm diving multiple stages and need the added buoyancy, but I'd rather be wet.

I think I would stroke out if I didn't dive wet in tropics I need to feel cold at least momentarily. But I agree with TSandM, I think my 3mm isn't cutting it - not when doing 4-5x 60min dives a day at least. However warm the water, it just isn't enough to keep the core warm anymore, under or above.

So anyone interested in good deal with men's Bare 3mm with one bellows pocket glued on, let me know. I need to move onto 5mm for good too.

 

[JeffG]

But you know what helped more? Switching to a 5 mil suit. I have now done two tropical trips in it, and not only am I warmer in the water (although I don't really notice that, because I wasn't terribly cold before) but I DON'T SHIVER on land or on the
boat.

I switched to a 5/4 for the same reasons.


The other thing I always wonder at is the ill fitting wetsuits I see out there.

 

[Hank49]

Hawaii waters are generally cooler than Indo or the Philippines. All are tropical but there's about a 2 C degree (or more) difference in average temp. I'd use a 5 in Hawaii for sure but sometimes a 3 is too much in the Philippines or even here in Belize in the summer. I had a full 2 in Malaysia during the El Nino of 98 and wanted to tear it off at 25 meters depth from feeling over heated. The water was over 30 C.

Once on the surface, get out of the suit and dry off. If it's pouring rain, well, either way you're cold...warmer keeping it on for a while anyway.

 

[johnny_bravo]

I don't know about that. I like the feeling of being wet when I'm diving.

I have to agree with this...doesn't feel like diving to me unless I get wet

Cheers.

-J.-

 

[LiteHedded]

get a boat coat!
greatest invention ever