How cold is too cold for wetsuits?

[northen diver]

But not everybody is uncomfortable in the cold deep water. I dive both wet and dry, min temp to date 36*, and I have had the same comfort level in the water in both types of suit.

Ken

Ditto.....I get just as cold in my dry suit as my 7 mm suit. I dive mostly wet when Ice diving for my sons dive with me and they are still growing and I dont want to purchase a dry suit for them until they are done growing. I have a 5000 watt generator with a 250,000 btu ready heater and a small military GP tent I set up. We stay very warm on the windy/cold days. Usually make around 3 dives per day lasting around 30-40 minutes per dive. Lots of hot fluids, and hot meals during the day.

 

[Scubakevdm]

I dive dry up to 75F.

Correct!

 

[nereas]

Thanks all

This is going to be expensive, went to rent gear and ended up buying a BC.

My wife and I spent a very enjoyable hour in 58F water between 20 & 30'. I think being an excited newbie may have helped make the water tolerable anyway, but with 7mm, hoods, etc, we were toasty for ages.

I did briefly consider peeing in the wetsuit, but it was a rental, then I wondered what the etiquette was with rental suits, then I wondered who might have peed in it already, then I stopped thinking about it! :11:

With the wind topside I see what you mean about the SI, as soon as I took that wetsuit off, brrr...

Most rented wetsuits stink. That is because they never get properly washed.

Properly washed means turning them inside-out and putting them in your washer with lots of detergent and on a gentle cycle.

If you are going to regularly pee into your wetsuit, you need to wash it like this regularly. Or it will stink too, just like a toilotte.

 

[Derek S]

[Yoda] Very subjective, this topic is... [/Yoda]

When I was first certified back in '04, I bought a 2-piece Henderson 5mm suit. I dove it from July until the week before Thanksgiving that year. On that particular dive, I remember the temps hovering right about 50-54*F. I was freezing when I got out of the water, went home, took an hour-long, near scalding hot shower, got into my thickest sweatsuit, climbed on the couch and was cocooned up to watch NFL football. At about 6-7pm when the 2nd games of the day ended, I was still cold.

I walked into the LDS and bought a drysuit the very next day. Now I only dive wet (3mm) when I go on vacation to the Bahamas.

 

[FoSheZZie23]

anything below 70 degrees i dive dry

 

[superstar]

I did a 40 min. dive in 60*F water wearing a 10 year old 3mm wetsuit last summer in Lake Michigan. I won't do that again.

 

[Guppie]

I did my AOW a couple of weeks ago in 6.5 FJ wetsuit. 13mm in the double layer area, but could still move fine. Felt like the Michelin Man though. I get cold FAST so I was concerned about the 40 degrees at 85 feet. I did fine except my hands froze. Thus, I think a wetsuit may work for me, I just need better gloves. I will go dry eventually just to eliminate the experience of coming out of the water in cold weather.

 

[Scubakevdm]

I did my AOW a couple of weeks ago in 6.5 FJ wetsuit. 13mm in the double layer area, but could still move fine. Felt like the Michelin Man though. I get cold FAST so I was concerned about the 40 degrees at 85 feet. I did fine except my hands froze. Thus, I think a wetsuit may work for me, I just need better gloves. I will go dry eventually just to eliminate the experience of coming out of the water in cold weather.

I know what you mean. The water gets down as low as 71 degrees here in the winter, and the air can be in the 50's. What a slap in the face that is after a dive, eh?

 

[TheTrickster]

Not from 'around here', but water temp, is water temp! So I'll chime in

Its also depends on how 'big' you are, if you have a bit of natural 'installation', then you may get away with a thinner suit, like I used too...

Coldest I've dived is 14'c / 57'F in a 5mm one piece (last Dec) and I used be able to dive all year in it without problems. I've lost a load of weight since then (70+lbs) and now have a 6.5mm semi - its 17'c / 62f (water temp) here at the moment and I'm FREEZING! - Almost uncontrollably shaking at some points!

I would recommend a dry suit for anything cooler than 65f if your BMI is normal to low...

 

[Twiddles]

I think 46 degree is my limit for 7mm wetsuit, possibly for diving period. Have not intention of going dry at this point I enjoy contact with my environment. Curious how many people have removed thier mask at depth in water colder than 46? My wife and I do mask and OOA drills anytime we have been out of water more than a month. Last time we did it, it was 48 degrees. Removing the mask literally steals the breath from your lungs and pins and needles is very common feeling. How people can do that in colder water amazes me.