How cold can I get away with a 7mm wetsuit?

[Mtbr]

I know it differ from people to people, but generally speaking, at what temperature is the cut off point for a 7mm wetsuit?

 

[24940]

I've done ice dives in a 7mm farmer john, but that was a custom suit. Off the rack fits me pretty well and I've done dives as cold as 35, but BT was limited to about :20. If I'm just doing a single dive or have a long SI, I can dive wet and comfortable, with :60 BT in temps as low as 56. I have a bit of a chill after that, but it's not bad.

 

[El Orans]

I've done 8C/46F in a standard 7mm suit (semi-dry).

I wouldn't recommend it.

 

[Teamcasa]

What's your tolerance for cold? What’s the surface interval conditions?

The majority of divers here in SoCal wear full 7mm wetsuits, but then again, many would rather dive a drysuit if the price was not an object.

The water temps in winter here can get down to 51 +/- The 7mm full suit is cold for me at those temps. I now have a nice brand new Whites Drysuit.

 

[300bar]

As long as your daddy was not a polarbear....
Get a drysuit,you'll love it.

 

[carolrose]

Get a drysuit as soon as you can. I am still diving wet, and last dive up here even though it was an interesting dive and I had a good buddy, I was seriously miserable after about 20 minutes. The bottom temp was 46. I'd say the lowest to be reasonably not miserable is somewhere in the 50's--depending on what surface conditions are like, and whether you can warm up between dives.

 

[Rainer]

Waters in the 80s I'll dive wet.

Having used a 7mm suit (*and* 4/6mm hooded vest and hood), I was marginally ok down to about 50F. I could do two 45 minute dives in that configuration, but was rather cold by the end.

The real killer is the surface interval and then second dive.

 

[The Anchor]

I dive a 7mm Wetsuit and 7mm vest here in Vancouver. Coldest dive I have done so far was 38-37 F in April (bottom temp) the SI had a balmy 78F with nice sun.

I also had warm food on my SI and I tend to be a warmer person to begin with. (I am one of those lunatics that go tent camping with 3 feet of snow on the ground)

 

[nereas]

It is different for every body (pun).

For me, a fairly beefy guy, not a thin pretzel, I can do the following:

1/2 mm for 80F+

3mm for 75F to 80F.

5mm for 65F to 75F.

7mm for 60F to 65F single piece suit.

7mm for 55F to 60F farmer-john double suit.

drysuit for below 55F.

drysuit with argon for below 50F.

I hope this will help you to decide for yourself.

 

[RaiderSwim]

What is your cold tolerance? I've dove in 34 with a 7 mil and fine. Depends on how your effected. Where are you dive? How many dives? What is the air temp? Many people will dive the Great Lakes in a 7 Mil. What temps have you dove in already with the 7 mil?

I dove a 7 mil for years until I got a dry suit. If the temp of the water is above 50 I usually opt for the wet suit.