I purchased a 3mm suit, was it a mistake

[Lastparrot]

I recently purchased a 3mm Aqua Lung Aqua Flex from my local dive shop. I purchased this on their advice with the info I was planning to use it in the Gulf Shores, Orange Beach areas and the Caribbean. Current water temps are mid 60's and by the time I hit the water it may be around 70 on Memorial Day. After speaking with some charter captains they are concerned my suit will not be thick enough. This has caused me to freak out a bit, after spending so much on a suit have I wasted money here? What are my options?

I have been told layering is a thing, something like a shark skin. I can't imagine fitting something under this suit that seems pretty tight as is. Help!?!

 

[MaxE]

I recently purchased a 3mm Aqua Lung Aqua Flex from my local dive shop. I purchased this on their advice with the info I was planning to use it in the Gulf Shores, Orange Beach areas and the Caribbean. Current water temps are mid 60's and by the time I hit the water it may be around 70 on Memorial Day. After speaking with some charter captains they are concerned my suit will not be thick enough. This has caused me to freak out a bit, after spending so much on a suit have I wasted money here? What are my options?

I have been told layering is a thing, something like a shark skin. I can't imagine fitting something under this suit that seems pretty tight as is. Help!?!

Cold tolerance is a very individual thing and I won’t comment on that. Water temps at 90 ft were 69 Sunday off of orange beach. By June it will be around 80.

 

[Lorenzoid]

I'm a wuss, but a 3 mm is only suitable to me for temps approaching 80 F (or above). For me, a 3 mm is good for the Caribbean at any time of year except maybe mid-winter, when I prefer a 5 mm or at least layering a vest under the 3 mm. The Gulf of Mexico is tricky because in mid-summer it's nice and warm, and a 3 mm would be fine. But the last time I dived the FL panhandle in the spring and the temps were in the mid-60s I used a drysuit. I learned to dive on the west coast in water that cool, and we all used 7 mm. I rarely dived when I lived out there because it was too chilly for me, even in a 7 mm.

 

[Tank601]

I recently purchased a 3mm Aqua Lung Aqua Flex from my local dive shop. I purchased this on their advice with the info I was planning to use it in the Gulf Shores, Orange Beach areas and the Caribbean. Current water temps are mid 60's and by the time I hit the water it may be around 70 on Memorial Day. After speaking with some charter captains they are concerned my suit will not be thick enough. This has caused me to freak out a bit, after spending so much on a suit have I wasted money here? What are my options?

I have been told layering is a thing, something like a shark skin. I can't imagine fitting something under this suit that seems pretty tight as is. Help!?!

You can always use it later and get a thicker one for now - water on the panhandle is cold this time of year, warms up in June. Just remember thicker you go you will need more weight. I dove Pensacola Bay in March with a 7mm and a Hoodie and it sucked because I don't like cold!

 

[Ministryofgiraffes]

I wouldn’t really freak out to be honest, if you haven’t been diving in it yet, I’m sure that the shop will refund you or give you store credit etc... you can also layer on top as a solution...

Personally anything over a 1mm waterproof neoskin is too much for me in the Caribbean, but it’s all relative as I’m 6ft, 245 lbs and don’t have boobies...(my wife says that’s the cold water sweet spot for the shivers)

 

[Esprise Me]

I have a Sharkskin jacket that I layer under my wetsuit. It's very thin; I wear the same size wetsuit with or without it, and it keeps me noticeably warmer. (I did multiple dives with and without it under a 5mm on subsequent days in water that was in the low 70s and was much more comfortable with it.) That said, for me personally, I don't think a Sharkskin would be enough to bring a 3mm up to snuff in 70 degree water. But individual cold tolerances vary; I'm admittedly a wuss.

 

[tbone1004]

Mid 60s can be done in a 3mm with a good hooded vest. You’ll need a hood for that temp anyway so just get a hooded vest and call it a day. Personal favorite is the merino lined from pinnacle. Cave adventurers keeps them in stock

 

[NAUI Wowie]

I recently purchased a 3mm Aqua Lung Aqua Flex from my local dive shop. I purchased this on their advice with the info I was planning to use it in the Gulf Shores, Orange Beach areas and the Caribbean. Current water temps are mid 60's and by the time I hit the water it may be around 70 on Memorial Day. After speaking with some charter captains they are concerned my suit will not be thick enough. This has caused me to freak out a bit, after spending so much on a suit have I wasted money here? What are my options?

I have been told layering is a thing, something like a shark skin. I can't imagine fitting something under this suit that seems pretty tight as is. Help!?!

in 70 degree water you need at least a full 5 mil with hood and gloves and many like me would still be cold if i do 3 or 4 dives a day. At 70 ill just use my 7 mil Bare brand suit without a hood or gloves. I wouldnt use a 3mil until close to 80 degrees.


edit after thinking for a while. if its 70 degrees use a 7 mil and hood and gloves, boots of course too. You wont overheat at that temp. you could always unzip the back of the wetsuit a bit if you run hot or take off the gloves and hood.

everyone would freeze their bojangles off in a 3 mil at 70 degrees

 

[NAUI Wowie]

Mid 60s can be done in a 3mm with a good hooded vest. You’ll need a hood for that temp anyway so just get a hooded vest and call it a day. Personal favorite is the merino lined from pinnacle. Cave adventurers keeps them in stock

thats a very out of the box solution. You are an expert so it probably works fine for those that dont get really cold easily but im not risking it lol. Im a wuss in cold water. I use an 8/7 semi dry in my 52 degree monterey water and sometimes I feel a bit of a chill when it drops below 50

 

[scubadada]

Yes, you would be cold in a 3 mm. For temps in the high 60s, low 70s, I would be wearing my 7 mm, probably with my hooded vest. My advice, get a 7 mm, 5 mm, and your 3 mm. Get yourself a 5/3 hooded vest. You will be good to anything you can dive wet, probably down to the low 50s