How thick for Caribbean...

[StephM]

I'm looking for advice on wetsuits! I'm going to be diving in Curacao in June and then *hopefully* doing a lot of diving in the Bahamas next January/February...

Last year I dove in Curacao in March in a shorty 3 mil and got goose bumps - I couldn't find a full suit to rent so it was suggested that I try 2 shorties because I was getting seriously cold. That threw off my weights, uhg. I still got very cold by the end of the dives (we were diving pretty shallow so we were down for a while.) Now that we're going back and looking at doing a lot more diving I'd like to have my own suit. I was thinking of a full 3 mil but talking with some women at the local dive shop, they recommended a 5 mil. Any thoughts?

Steph

 

[tstormdiver]

In my case I'll dive the Bahamas in the summer in a 3mm with at least a beanie & am pretty comfy, but then I also wear a 3mm when assisting with classes in an indoor pool. Wearing a 3mm in fresh water I use 10- 12lb of wight, in salt water about 16- 18lbs. Diving the Bahamas in the wintertime, it is suggested that you wear a 5- 7mm suit. It all depends on how cold you actually get. I just dove in the gulf off of Panama City Beach about 6 weeks ago. The water temps were about 65 degrees. I wore a drysuit with 200gram undergarments & only was very slightly chilled, but not enough to really affect my dives. Yes, the extra neoprene will affect your buoyancy & weighting. I dive primarily fresh water & if I wear my 2pc. 7mm wet suit (gasp! why dive wet, when I can dive dry?:11 with 5mm hood & gloves, I will wear 28- 30lbs of lead just to get down, I couldn't guess how much weight it's take for salt water.... maybe about 34- 36lbs, but then, I have plenty of my own "natural buoyancy" built in that I have to compensate for.

 

[RICHinNC]

It really is an individual thing. How easy do you get cold?? How many dives a day??

I wear a set of skins and a 3mm shorty and am fine. I have seen others in 6mm john boys and some in shorts and tee shirts.

Better to take it and have it than have to rent it.

 

[dl348]

We were in Bonaire in March and pretty much our entire group wore 3/2 full suits, one person in our group wore a shorty and he was fine. It's all a matter of how easily you get cold, everyone's different.

 

[jamiep3]

I don't get cold easily, but to extend the range of my 3mm, I have a 3mm hooded vest. This has 3 advantages to my way of thinking. First it covers the head, 2nd it gives double protection over most of your core, and three, my vest has a smooth skin at the neck where it meets my one peice suit, giving a better seal and slowing water exchange.

 

[drl]

the Bahamas in January can be pretty chilly. Last time we were there at that time of year the water temp was 72. I had a 3mm fullsuit and a 2.5 mm vest and froze. As others have pointed out, it depends on individual cold tolerance, but from the clues you gave in your post, you probably want at least a 5mm suit for the Bahamas, maybe with a vest or core warmer to layer. And the 5mm wouldn't be too warm for Curacao in the spring either (in August, maybe).

Deborah

 

[gypsyjim]

The 3mil suit with the 3 mil hooded vest suggestion might be a good choice, as you'll need to experiment a little to find your comfort level. Depending on the frequency of my dives I've dived the Caribbean in swim trunks, a shorty, my 3/5 wet suit and a 5mil , one trip only, but as I am a bit heavy and male I don't tend to get cold easily. Most female divers I've know tended to get chilled more quickly then most of the men and it is a lot better to start out warm and comfortable, especially if you have the option of removing a layer of insulation if desired. Layering is the most flexible approach, as you then have the ability to add or sutract.

 

[scubadiver888]

I'm looking for advice on wetsuits! I'm going to be diving in Curacao in June and then *hopefully* doing a lot of diving in the Bahamas next January/February...

Last year I dove in Curacao in March in a shorty 3 mil and got goose bumps - I couldn't find a full suit to rent so it was suggested that I try 2 shorties because I was getting seriously cold. That threw off my weights, uhg. I still got very cold by the end of the dives (we were diving pretty shallow so we were down for a while.) Now that we're going back and looking at doing a lot more diving I'd like to have my own suit. I was thinking of a full 3 mil but talking with some women at the local dive shop, they recommended a 5 mil. Any thoughts?

Steph

I dove in Bonaire and Aruba in December with a 3mm shorty and it was okay. I dove in Aruba and Curacao two weeks ago with a 3mm full and I was cold in Curacao. The dive guide and one other person were wearing shorties. I could see the goosebumps on their arms from 6 feet away. The dive guide (local) was absolutely freezing in a shorty. There was something about Curacao in April that was colder than Bonaire in December.

If you consider that the water is around 80F around March in Curacao and the human body is 97F, the more coverage you have the better. I honestly believe I could have been wearing a 5mm full and it would have made the dive even better.

The Bahamas in January/February is definitely going to be colder. If you are doing repetitive dives over consecutive days you want at least a good 3mm full. If you get cold easy you might even want to consider a 5mm full.

 

[StephM]

Thank you for your replies!

I'm going to go with a 5mil. It really seems to vary from person to person and I seem to get cold very easily - and we'll be doing multiple dives daily for 10 days... Better a bit warm gearing up than uncomfortable/unsafe in the dive!

Steph

 

[RJP]

The only way to go...