Exposure suit advice please

[Yingenics]

I would really appreciate some group wisdom.

I am about 100 dives in, exclusively in warm places like Raja Ampat in March, Maldives in Jan, Cozumel in Nov, Ko Tao in June. I usually dive in a 3mm Bare wetsuit in ~30 C water, but I still end up being super cold. By the second or third dive, I can hardly wait to surface. By the last dive of the day, I have to will myself into the water.

I am 5'10'' and weight ~145 lbs. The wife has a similar proportion and the exact same problem.

We are thinking of doing some slightly "cooler" diving at Socorro Island (21-23 C or 70-73 F) during the humpback season.

Any suggestions for a second warmer exposure suit?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Marie13]

Have you considered a semi dry suit?

 

[tursiops]

7mm, for sure. Hood and gloves will help a lot. Get some practice time in with in before your trip.

 

[uncfnp]

For the warm water diving consider adding a hooded vest to your 3 ml. More comfortable then a 5 ml and much easier to pack. Alternative of course is a 5 ml.

For low 70's and your cold intolerance, I'd give serious consideration to a drysuit.

 

[Yingenics]

For the warm water diving consider adding a hooded vest to your 3 ml. More comfortable then a 5 ml and much easier to pack. Alternative of course is a 5 ml.

For low 70's and your cold intolerance, I'd give serious consideration to a drysuit.

Stupid question, does the hooded vest go under or over my 3mm wetsuit?

 

[uncfnp]

Stupid question, does the hooded vest go under or over my 3mm wetsuit?

Not a stupid question at all and I have seen it done both ways. I wear the vest under my full and its the way I have seen done most often.

I also have a core warmer that I sometimes use under the 3 and it makes getting on the full much easier but its a real hassle to pee between dives! And no attached hood. I perfer the hooded vest but I have actually used all three at once, hooded vest, core warmer and full.

The plus with a hooded vest is you get the torso and hood as a unit which I like. And of course you can also use either, hooded vest or core warmer with a 5 too.

 

[Yingenics]

Have you considered a semi dry suit?

Would something like the Scubapro Nova Scotia semi-dry 6mm be sufficient?

Thanks.

 

[stuartv]

A nice, lightweight, breathable drysuit would be a lot more comfortable, lighter, dry faster, and pack smaller than one of those semi-dry suits. And let you be warmer.

Like a Waterproof D9 or DUI 30/30.

 

[doctormike]

A nice, lightweight, breathable drysuit would be a lot more comfortable, lighter, dry faster, and pack smaller than one of those semi-dry suits. And let you be warmer.

Like a Waterproof D9 or DUI 30/30.

I agree.

Have you tried one of these? Was thinking about getting something like this for warm water tech/CCR where I want the redundant buoyancy but don't want to sweat on the boat so much. Are they really comfortable?

 

[stuartv]

I agree.

Have you tried one of these? Was thinking about getting something like this for warm water tech/CCR where I want the redundant buoyancy but don't want to sweat on the boat so much. Are they really comfortable?

I have a D9X, which is a tiny bit more heavy duty than the D9. I have only had it out on one warm weather boat trip - a weekend of diving down in NC back in September. I thought it was pretty comfortable during the SI's. WAY WAY more comfortable than my Bare XCS2. I was fine to keep it on, top still donned but unzipped, if I stayed in the shade. If I went up on the top deck in the sun, I would take the top off or take off the whole suit (which, by the way, is a lot easier than in a wetsuit).