First time in 7mm suit - hypothermia must be better!

[NoVaScuba]

I tried on the 7mm suit at the shop last night for dives this weekend. Very awkward getting it on (and off) and even the XL felt short on me (6'2") but any larger would have slopped elsewhere.

I may be dumping cold water down it rather than hot if we don't get in the water fast after getting into it. In the shop I was feeling it in a couple of minutes and it will be mid 80s on Saturday.

 

[spectrum]

I may be dumping cold water down it rather than hot if we don't get in the water fast after getting into it. In the shop I was feeling it in a couple of minutes and it will be mid 80s on Saturday.

Absolutely!

When it is hot out and you begin to overheat pour a quart of ambient water down your neck and you will benefit two fold.

1. The water will draw away excess core heat preventing stress.
2. That water will be wet and warm n the suit as you enter the water and this will prevent lost of the trickle in effect.

When the weather gets chilly bring warm water to prime the suit with. A little more can be nice after a chilly dive. It's like being in your own personal hot water bottle.

Pete

 

[BettyRubble]

I am going to be there for the same reason this Saturday!

Excellent! I promise not to drown if you promise not to drown!!!!


Look me up -- I'll be the midget struggling in the 7 mm with the bandaged ears from trying to burn holes in her hood . . .

 

[spectrum]

I'm in Northern Jersey and working on making my foray into local diving, which will include Dutch. Everybody recommends a 7mm suit with 7mm farmer john but that's 14mm on the core! Is that really necessary? I cringe even thinking about how that must feel not to mention how much weight I'll have to wear! Can I get away with just a full 7mm until I can afford a drysuit? Or, better yet, maybe get a nice 5mm suit for all purpose use and layer it with something?

Looking for ideas here...

If you want to dive just the shallows in late July all you need is trunks. As you go deeper and towards the shoulder seasons you will want to progress to the 7mm with 2X on the core and even a drysuit for winter time. You are better off being too warm than cold. Deep water remains cold. Diving down through fresh water thermoclines is quite an experience.

At the right time any suit can be the right suit.

pete

 

[BettyRubble]

Another thing... if you weighted in the pool don't forget that if you go sometime to salt water you will probably need to test again, depending on your body mass and equipment, you will need a couple of lbs more. Diving with a 7 mm without properly offsetting its buoyancy is not very pleasant in the end of the dive specially...

Proper weighting seems difficult for me so far. Last night, it took 15 minutes to finally figure out what we think is a good weighting! We'll see how it goes this weekend. Apparently, I am naturally floaty! ( do NOT mention the 'air in the head' . . LOL)

 

[BettyRubble]

Dutch gets much warmer towards the end of the summer so you won't need a hood or gloves unless you spend a lot of time in the 80' - 90' range. . .

Then I'm praying for a summer heat wave! Sorry to all the farmers out there!

 

[BettyRubble]

Everybody recommends a 7mm suit with 7mm farmer john but that's 14mm on the core! Is that really necessary? I cringe even thinking about how that must feel not to mention how much weight I'll have to wear! Can I get away with just a full 7mm until I can afford a drysuit? Or, better yet, maybe get a nice 5mm suit for all purpose use and layer it with something?

I'd like to know this too since the shop I'm diving with this weekend only has me in a 7mm suit. The hood is not a vest/hood (has a small lip to be tucked though) . . . hmmmm . . . packing thermos of hot chocolate . . .

 

[mspg8]

I have a 6.5mm Down 130 wet suit and 5mm hood/boots/gloves. They were fine at Dutch down to 95feet. It was about 50 degrees at that depth and I didn't feel cold. Down 130 makes a nice suit and if you wear it out they replace it one time.

 

[chesch]

Excellent! I promise not to drown if you promise not to drown!!!!


Look me up -- I'll be the midget struggling in the 7 mm with the bandaged ears from trying to burn holes in her hood . . .

It's a deal. If you see a tall guy with curly hair and a pretty unique beard, I should be nearby him (he is my B-i-L). My group should be there around 1pm-ish.

-M@:goingdown:

 

[Coldwater_Canuck]

I honestly don't mind wet-suits at all: on the first day! But putting on an already wet wet-suit is one of the most miserable parts of diving IMO. It's cold and the material sticks to your skin, making it hard to get on properly.