Do you have the right wetsuit?

[robint]

I totally agree with you. I pick my wetsuit this way:

1.... how warm is the water?
2.....how many dives per day?
3.....how warm or sunny is it between dives? can I bring my core temp back up?

it doesn't matter if water is 80 degrees if you can't warm up between dives. I found my 3mm suit was perfect for Bonaire because the air temp was upper 80s and sunny - I was able to stay warm even though we did 4 dives per day.
in Calif in Aug, the water temp was around 70 degrees, my 7mm with hood and booties kept me warm in the water but out of the water it was overcast and barely 70 degrees! By the 3rd dive I was cold. I froze between dives unless I stripped down to swimsuit and dried off completely, then put on heavy sweatsuit. Seriously, consider air temp topside along with water temp AND the number of dives per day.

robint

 

[Darnold9999]

I go a different route. For multiple dive days in the tropics I have multiple wetsuits. Always pull on a dry one. I find it makes a significant difference. I carry a 1/2 shortie a 2/3 shortie and a 3 mil full suit. If I need extra protection one of the shortie's under the 3 mil full is toasty. However, mostly I switch off the two shorties during the day and dive the 3 mil at night if i am feeling chilled from the previous dives. I use the wetsuits as packing material for my camera so having the extra bulk is not a problem.

My preference would be no wet suit at all, but on multiple dive days core temp just gets too low.

 

[Damselfish]

Neoprene hater that I am (I wear 1mm skins, with a 3mm vest on occasion) I also do the multiple suit thing. It's nice to always have a dryish one to put on.

 

[merxlin]

I agree with the boat coat method, but will add that a good hat makes a huge difference, as does a hood while diving. I see lots of divers out here in So Cal with a 7mil farmer john but no hood come out shivering. Lots of heat loss through wet hair on a breezy day.

 

[RJP]

I go a different route. For multiple dive days in the tropics I have multiple wetsuits. Always pull on a dry one. I find it makes a significant difference.

So you're sort of following my advice - diving a "dry" suit!