Getting cold in a 5mm below 26C (79F)

[Virtus_Semper]

Hi,

This is my first post! I would love your advice please:

Since developing Raynauds a few years ago, I feel the cold a lot - I currently have an O'Neill Sector 5mm wetsuit, 6.5mm boots and 3mm gloves. I'm fine without gloves at 27 C and above (or the first couple of dives of the day in 26C), and have never been too hot even in 29 C (happy days!). In 26 C (79F), I sometimes feel a bit chilly but it's not too bad (I feel it on the later dives of a day, beyond maybe 40 mins). I've been REALLY cold in 24 C (75F) even for short dives but I think my suit's fit wasn't the best and I've replaced it since then.
I would really love to go to Bimini in December, but have been told the water temperature would probably be 75-78F (24-25.5C) and I'm worried I won't be warm enough. The dives would be long and pretty inactive (admiring the hammerheads with a bit of luck!!) I would really appreciate any advice about how to keep warmer... I've realised my current wetsuit is a now a little loose around the wrists - I usually dive with a watch on one wrist and computer on the other so I guess the straps have helped disguise that fact... I also feel water seeping in around my neck/shoulder blades.

I've been pointed towards Fourth Element's Proteus II, and it did feel great, except I found the pull-over neck seal extremely tight. Also I assume I wouldn't be able to wear a hooded vest due to the neck seal. There was perhaps a little more room around the elbows than I'd like, but the shop assistant reckoned as the seals are so good it shouldn't be a problem... would you agree?

I've found a company in Dorset called O Three who make custom 6x5mm "semi dry" wetsuits (and modify their off the peg sizes) but from their descriptions online I'm not sure I'd call it a semi dry suit, as although it has glideskin wrist seals, it seems to lack ankle seals, there's no dry zip and I'm not sure the neck seal is anything different to a normal wetsuit.

I've never dived with a hood but realise I definitely need to get one for colder temps. I'm hearing conflicting advice about whether a bib would mess up a wetsuit's neck seal or not - same with regards to hooded vests.
I've been looking for 7mm and semi dry wetsuits but I'm having a really hard time finding any I can actually try on in a shop, and those I have tried haven't fitted (Scubapro nova scotia was feeling nice and snug on my lower half there was so much space around the shoulders, and the neck gaped). No luck with the Aqualung ones I tried on either. The women's 7mm version of O'Neill Sector is no longer available in the UK either. I'm 5'4, 50kg (110lb), not much body fat.

As for the boots, my feet do tend to get cold with the Raynauds, and whilst the boots are thick I do feet the water seep in pretty quickly (I think through the zip). I've recently bought Thermocline socks to wear inside. I have always had to wear my boots outside my suit, as the suit won't fit over the top. I know a lot of people swear by tucking the boots under but it just won't stretch over the top! I've wondered about those little one-use heat packs you can put in hiking shoes - not sure they'd be damaged by the pressure?

Heated undershirts sound amazing but they're way out of my price range!

Anyway, I would be very grateful for any advice! Thanks in advance

Mel

 

[scubadada]

I have found a hooded vest adds several degrees to any of my full suits. Besides adding extra insulation, I believe it limits water intrusion through the neck and back zip. Try adding a 5/3 hooded vest to your 5mm. If that is not warm enough, maybe you need a 7mm

 

[RyanT]

For me, a hood makes a huge difference. I remember recently being especially cold on a dive where I normally would have been comfortable (don't know why I was so cold that day). On the next dive, I pulled on a hood and I went from very cold to comfortable. Raynaud's can obviously exacerbate your cold symptoms, particularly in your extremities, but it sounds like your doing a good job of insulating your hands and feet. You definitely want a good fitting suit that isn't exchanging a lot of water. If your wrist seals are not good, you're going to exchange water and be cold. Get a good fitting suit and try a hood/hooded vest, I think you'll find that makes a huge difference.

 

[Marie13]

Those one use foot warmers aren’t a good idea for diving use. I’ve seen some diving shops sell something similar good for uw use.

 

[johndiver999]

Before you consider buying a new suit, you should try a hood or even a hooded vest. If you have never used a hood,, you will be amazed. A 3 or 5 mm hood should be fine.

 

[SeaHorse81]

Mel, you remind me of me. I chased it for years, starting with a 3/2 mil wetsuit, then a 7 mil, heavier hoods, gloves. When the sheer burden of all the neoprene became too much and I was still getting cold doing repetitive dives in tropical waters, I finally gave in and got a dry suit. Finally, I was comfortable. I wish I'd done it a lot sooner.

 

[Diving Dubai]

I use a selection of exposure suits and vests to manage being comfortable.

It can be as simple as a sharkskin suit which really has not warmth but provides abrasion resistance, for when teh water gets above 30C (my highest recorded is 38C (100F) @ 30m (100')

Below 30C then its Hooded vest, or bibs either on their own or in conjunction with my Bare 3.5mm suit

Below 25 then its a drysuit.

Unfortunately here we have the added "fun" that the air temps can be 40C, surface at 28C but below the layer it can be 23C. Balancing out what's best to wear can be a challenge but generally in these circumstance I'll use the hooded vest under the wetsuit and put the hood up of down as the temp changes.

You'll be surprised how effective having multiple layers rather than one thick one can be

But if the surface and air temps aren't too bad, then I'll go to the drysuit choosing my undergarments appropriately.

 

[rongoodman]

Go with the hooded vest to start, and think about a dry suit if that isn't enough.

 

[Virtus_Semper]

Thank you all very much!

After your suggestions, I'm leaning towards the custom 6/5mm with a hooded vest under, if I can find a 5/3 - would, say, 9mm on my torso but 5mm on my limbs be more or less warm than 7mm throughout?

I may well end up getting a drysuit in the future, and I can totally see why people do it even when above water temperatures are nice and high, but as I don't plan to dive any colder than the 75-78F (24-25.5C) trip I'd rather not go down that route just yet.

Cheers for the advice about avoiding the disposable handwarmers as well! I've not seen diving ones here in the UK but I'll keep looking! Think I've seen ones for surfing but not sure how they'd be at depth - I think they were the reusable/boil ones.

What would you advise regarding the fit of a hood? How snug should it be around the neck - I've tried a couple that were pretty tight around my chin (might be problematic when using a reg?) but sealed well around my face, and another that was more comfortable around the jaw but seemed a little loose around the temples...?

Thanks again!

 

[rmssetc]

I highly recommend a heated shirt. I wear a 5mm wetsuit and also get chilly in water colder than 25~26C, particularly after several days with multiple 75min+ dives.

I've been using a Thermulation heated shirt and it's terrific. It's got high/med/low settings and I typically turn it on about 1/2~3/4 way through the dive. One set of batteries will last me 2 dives, and it adds very little bulk under a wetsuit.

The heated shirt is also terrific during the surface interval, when I often feel colder than during a dive.

More expensive than adding a 2mm vest+hood, less expensive than a drysuit, and you can layer a heated shirt under a wetsuit of almost any thickness, so it is very versatile.