Is 5 mil too much suit?

[Nevis Diver]

We are heading down to Blue Angel Dive shop/hotel for the last in February- should I be thinking about something besides my 5 mil wetsuit? Works great in HI but is it too much in Cozumel? I tend to get a bit cold and we are planning 3 dive a day/night. Suggestions?

If you are really going to do 3 dives a day and need a 5 mil for 79-81 degree water then wear the 5 mil and have a fleece top or parka with a lining to put on after the dive. Some of the coats the dive ops do okay to block the wind but with no lining don't do much to keep you warm.

 

[PARADISE HUNTER]

Given the info in your op, I would suggest the 5 mil. I use a 3 mil and a beanie and most of the time I'm fine. But usually I'm only diving two dives a day. During the surface intervals, I make a point of taking off my wet suit completely and drying off in the warm Caribbean sun. :cool2:

By the way, how is Grumpys? I love the Sun Valley area. The skiing and flyfishing out there is great.

Have fun in Coz!

 

[love2fishfork]

I have both a 3 and 5 but always take my 5 to Coz because you never know if you might run over to the mainland and dive a Cenote

 

[DandyDon]

We are heading down to Blue Angel Dive shop/hotel for the last in February- should I be thinking about something besides my 5 mil wetsuit? Works great in HI but is it too much in Cozumel? I tend to get a bit cold and we are planning 3 dive a day/night. Suggestions?

Yep take it, depends on the diver, but based on that - yeah. I used to know one who had to wear a dry suit there in the summer; it varies by divers. Extra is much better than not enough.

 

[Zman96]

Yep take it, depends on the diver, but based on that - yeah. I used to know one who had to wear a dry suit there in the summer; it varies by divers. Extra is much better than not enough.

A dry suit in 83+ degree water, hate to see what they would need to dive in the quarries in the midwest, a snowsuit under their dry suit. WOW

Brian

 

[jupitermermaid]

I'm a warm water weenie, so I usually use a multi-mil suit (5-4-3 in winter, 3-2 in spring, and 1 mil for summer), plus carry a 3 mil vest with me on all dives just in case I need that little extra warmth. If you get too warm during SI's you can peel down the top of the wetsuit and don it when you're ready for the next dive. The parka is a great idea for the cool nights and if you get chilly in between. It's good to be prepared for anything.

 

[DandyDon]

A dry suit in 83+ degree water, hate to see what they would need to dive in the quarries in the midwest, a snowsuit under their dry suit. WOW

Brian

Tolerances range from for needing nothing but a skin to protect from ladder scrapes even in winter to dry suits. I'd wear a 3 mil in winter there, but can't really say for anyone else. I do know that when I took my 3 mil to Exuma in the winter, I ended up wearing it over a 1 mil - wishing I'd taken the 5 or 7. Extra is not a problem; not enough is.

 

[Charlie99]

My transition from 3/2mm + beanie to 5mm + beanie is around 79F for boat dives and 77F for shore dives. The boat dives tend to be deeper and therefore more suit compression and come in pairs of 60 minute dives. The shore dives are shallower and less suit compression so 3/2 is good for a couple degrees cooler even though my typical shore dive is 90-110 minutes.

If you pretty much automatically adjust for wetsuit compression and buoyancy changes, then there isn't much downside to having more suit than needed -- other than having to haul a bit of extra lead to and from a shore diving entry point.

 

[FishOutUvH2O]

I just did 2 afternoon dives here in Cozumel today with a 3/2mm on and was comfy. I really don't think a 5mm would be overkill at that time of year. Like others have said, each person has their own comfort level. There's always going to be the "hardcore" people who try to sound impressive with how thin of an exposure suit they can wear in the coldest of environments. . .Well good for them. If I have to wear a heated submarine to stay warm in water they would wear a shorty, oh well! I may be called a woosie, but I'll be warm woosie and that's all that matters to me and my dive buddy.

 

[Nevis Diver]

I just did 2 afternoon dives here in Cozumel today with a 3/2mm on and was comfy. I really don't think a 5mm would be overkill at that time of year. Like others have said, each person has their own comfort level. There's always going to be the "hardcore" people who try to sound impressive with how thin of an exposure suit they can wear in the coldest of environments. . .Well good for them. If I have to wear a heated submarine to stay warm in water they would wear a shorty, oh well! I may be called a woosie, but I'll be warm woosie and that's all that matters to me and my dive buddy.

Thanks for rubbing in the fact that we aren't there and you are !
Hope your dives and days are going well there, can't wait to get back.