How cold with a 7mm?

[hartl0602]

I just bought my 7mm wetsuit. What temperature of water would you feel comfortable diving in with this suit? The seams are all taped and sealed. It has the double seal in the legs and arms. I want to hit the quarries, but I don't want to freeze if this suit is no adequate. Also, should I stick to 7mm gloves, hood, etc?

I dived this weekend out at haigh quarry in kankakee, il in a 7 mil hendersen and marino core warmer..water was 42 on average 39 in the deep hole and my only complaint was my feet and hands (5 mil gloves). Would recomend neoprene socks and wool socks.

 

[CPH]

I used to ice dive in a Waterproof Aries semidry. Used the wWaterproof boots, 5mm gloves and hood aswell. Used to be fine. It's all relative though. I really don't feel the cold.

 

[joe8mofo]

It is all up to personal preference and cold tolerance. I used to dive wet in water that was in the low forties all of last winter. I dove a 7mm with hooded vest and 3mm gloves and 5mm boots. I would often emerge shivering from the water and my hands and toes were numb. A cooler full of hot water was a requirement after those dives. The day I didnt bring the cooler is the day I was hit with mild/med hypothermia. I have dove wet in cold water to 90' in the winter. I switched to a drysuit this winter and haven't shivered yet, even at 90'.

In the summer though a 7mm suits me well for diving deep in freshwater as you will eventually hit low 50s or high 40s at depth (around 113 ft is the depth of that last thermal where I dive) and you are cold for about a minute and then you just don't notice that you are cold for the rest of the dive. Having warmer thermals to go through also helps with the cold tolerance as well.

 

[warmwaterturner]

I know you didn't ask but anything below 70f and I going dry.....that's because I am a

 

[HowardE]

I wear my 7mm suit down to about 70 - 72 degrees... then I go dry.

 

[longshotgene]

Thanks. Here is Northern Indiana it was about 40 degrees last night. I noticed I was outside in a t-shirt and shirts. Since I have been hitting the gym on a regular basis, my circulation has improved quite a bit. I will give it a go with the 7mm and all of the other gear you guys recommended. Here is another question. Without spending thousands of dollars on a dry suite, what would be a good brand with good quality to look at? I like DUI, but can't help thinking I am buying a name for a large part.

 

[tbone1004]

what size are you? used drysuits are usually the way to go. Can get them real real cheap

 

[longshotgene]

I am not sure on what my size would be for a drysuit. As far as wet, I currently have a DeepSee Titanium sized XL. I love the wetsuit, but the compression issues really make sense. I am planning on getting my advanced open water and go diving around some of the lakes here in Indiana. Some of them have 120+ holes I would like to explore just for the sake of it.

 

[Dirty-Dog]

The only real way to answer these questions is... "it depends". Different people tolerate temperature variances differently.
My wife and I, for example. In 74 F water, she will wear a 5mm full, 5mm hood, 5mm booties and 5mm gloves. On repeat dives, she's likely to add a 5mm jacket on top of that.
In the same water, I wear a 3mm full, hood and booties, with 1.5mm gloves and I'm fine.

 

[drbill]

The coldest I've dived a 7mm in was 47 F and that was cold (mostly on my face and hands). I routinely dive a 7mm down to 50 F which is my lower limit for comfort. However, thanks to lots of video editing, I've acquired a few layers of bioprene.