Looking for suggestions on proper wetsuit/exposure protection

[scubadada]

I'd be wearing my 5mm, likely with my hooded vest, at 77 degrees. I have a 3, 5, and 7 mm full suit at my home in Boynton Beach, and wear all of them each year at some point in the season. I dislike feeling cold and it increases my gas consumption.

You could add a hooded vest to your 3 mm and see how you do, wear gloves also, helps a little. A Henderson Thermoprene 5/3 hooded vest runs about $85. Or, you can wear your 7 mm and certainly be warm. Might still be good to wear a light hood or beanie. You'll probably get yourself a 5 mm at some point to increase your flexibility to be comfortable in a spectrum of water temps.

 

[Nianne]

Same as everyone here, a 5mm is great in 75-77. For successive dives, I put some 3mm gloves on, on the second dive.

Also, I always dive with a 3mm hood (so much easier when you have long hairs).

 

[Nianne]

Below 72 and it's drysuit for me.

Wow ! Drysuit for 72 ? You must be freezing when the water is really cold !

 

[stuartv]

Wow ! Drysuit for 72 ? You must be freezing when the water is really cold !

For single tank, recreational diving, I am very comfy in 72 degree water in my 3/2 wetsuit (no hood, reef gloves). But, if I were doing a deco dive in 72F water, I would totally be wearing my drysuit. Partly to stay warm on a (presumably) longer dive, and partly because a deco dive would mean I'm wearing doubles and carrying a deco cylinder and would want the drysuit for redundant buoyancy.

I dived my drysuit (a breathable trilam) a few months ago in NC. The water was 80 degrees. I wore nothing under it but board shorts and a thin t-shirt. That was still borderline on uncomfortably warm. But, I wanted the redundant buoyancy, so....

 

[Lorenzoid]

Wow ! Drysuit for 72 ? You must be freezing when the water is really cold !

Yep. I have spent a good bit time taking classes and just practicing stuff and messing around in the Florida springs, where the water is a constant 72. So far, no deco dives, but still, hour-long dives, preceded by gear checks while floating on the surface, followed by debriefing while floating on the surface, followed by, in some cases, chilly (for FL) surface intervals. If it's cloudy and drizzly on the SI, it can be hard to fully warm back up. By the end of the day I was shivering in a 5 mm plus 3 mm hooded vest. It just wasn't enough. In one class that occurred during a particularly chilly and drizzly day, I recall after the first couple of dives spending the surface interval in the car with the heater turned up full blast. It seemed clear that stepping up to a 7 mm, while it may have done the trick, would be just putting off the inevitable. For dives of any significant length in 72F water, yep, it's going to be a drysuit for me. Dry, comfy and cozy in my "pajamas" on those surface intervals.

 

[full fin]

Thanks all for your replies! It has been years since I have posted and forgot how helpful the forum is.

I decided ultimately to just start with my 7mm. It is a Henderson H2 and my understanding is these suits are a little more stretchy but a little less warm than average, so it may be a little closer to a 5mm suit in some ways.

 

[TMHeimer]

I agree with the info. presented on the 7 mil. If I know water temps. will be in the 50-or less to 70F range the 7 mil farmer john goes with me. Usually the shorty goes as well if I think I can get away with that. If the water is maybe 60+ and the air is 70+ I may do something probably few others do--wear just the top to the 7 mil farmer john. Less to rinse off. It does of course throw my trim off more than I like, but I usually dive solo so if my fins hit a little sand who cares. I keep the same weighting because it's good enough and I just can't be bothered to alter it. I've done 5 days in a row of 76 water temps. (Panama, January)--2 boat dives and maybe a shore one--each day with just a body suit (rashguard, whatever).
As on many other threads, personal cold tolerances varie so much it is pointless for anyone to really advise another what to wear. But it won't take long to find out. Then you can write up a list of what you need for this or that water and...And Air...temperatures.

 

[archer1960]

Personally, I'd go with the 7mm, with no hood, booties or gloves. It would likely be a bit warm, especially if you're working hard (fighting current, etc), but if you're on long dives and not doing much (drifting, taking pix, etc), it would likely work.

 

[Spdcrazy]

I'm a newbie (very much newbie) but I rocked a farmer john 3mm bottom. and had a 3mm long sleeve top. this was perfect for the 76* water temp. as I had 6mm on my core, and 3mm on my arms/legs. but its a layer thing so I could take off the top if I got really hot, or add a vest, hood, etc for extra warmth if I felt the need.

When backpacking, hiking, hunting, I always use layers so it just made sense to continue this with diving. I just need to keep in mind my amount of weight I need to add depending on amount of layers.

fwiw i'm a thin guy, and my fiancé is as well. she wore the same setup and she has a hard time regulating her body temp, she was happy with the setup.

 

[Nianne]

For dives of any significant length in 72F water, yep, it's going to be a drysuit for me. Dry, comfy and cozy in my "pajamas" on those surface intervals.

You never tried a semi dry-suit first ? I fear that the day I'll be too cold in 72 in a semi dry-suit, it'll be terribly cold to dive in the lake in winter ! (4°C)