Need advice on wetsuit, please help!!!

[Jim Ernst]

Mike.....

You sort of know me...

I am a cold wussie.

I was in Lauderdale last year (July/August) and I dove a 3mm. Very thin gloves, No hood, And I was VERY WARM, to warm in fact.

Some of the Florida divers were waring a 7mm, I don't know how they didn't die of over heating!!!

I am telling you buddy, You are used to getting/diving 48 degree water, You are going into 75/90 degree water.

Get a 3mm full suit, paper thin gloves, no hood, and go have a great time!!!

If you want to confirm my recommendations, Contact Ron (Brewski) Chip (onespeed) or Scott (Fisheyeveiw) the last two live there.

 

[mobeeno]

I dove Key Largo in early April last year using a 3 mil full wetsuit no hood and it was just nice for me. Also, whenever the visibility is at least 40', I tend to forget about the temperature.
You cant go wrong with a 5 mil full suit with no hood either.

 

[Dive Junky]

Hmmm. Hey Mike. Why not check online water temps down there. Surface temps alone can deviate as much as ten degrees from Ft. Lauderdale and Key Largo to Tampa Bay in early April.

 

[Peter_C]

I could but then I need to purchase another undergarment for those waters. I'm trying to cut down on cost since I own the 7mm wetsuit. I would only spend on a 5mm hood.

MG

Fleece is cheap at Ross Dress for less. It does not have to be a DUI branded or dive specific base layer. Shoot I wear a roughly 100 gram base layer of fleece with the sweetshirt (Columbia) from Ross and the pants (No name) from Costco, under my 400g thinsulate undies for cold water. When I first started diving a drysuit, I pulled my fleece for backpacking out and put it on. A drysuit is easy to adjust for any temperature and adds in a second level of redundancy with the suit inflation.

For around 75 degree water I would be comfortable in a 4 mm with a 7 mm hood. I use my same pair of XL Jet fins for wetsuit or drysuit and just use my 7 mm booties when diving a wetsuit. My drysuit has Turbo Soles. If I only had a 7 mm wetsuit then that is what I would use. It is easy enough to let some water in and cool down. Much harder to get warm once you are chilled.

 

[Dive Junky]

Current surface temperature one month before your trip is 60 degrees. Klystron 9 - Bay News 9

 

[Peter_C]

Current surface temperature one month before your trip is 60 degrees. Klystron 9 - Bay News 9

Brrr...drysuit!

 

[mselenaous]

NOAAs bouys online for Tampa area. Just click on a bouy to see current info, including water temps (not every bouy measures the same parameters).
NDBC - Central Florida Recent Marine Data
Current temps are in the low 60s in FL west coast (which can vary significantly from No. FL, So FL or the Keys). I wouldn't expect a huge increase in temp by next month. Best to get advice from the locals by posting in the Greater Tampa Bay Forum. http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/greater-tampa-bay-area/

Have fun!

 

[mselenaous]

Wow just noticed Tampa Bay forum has a whole sticky thread on local water temps.
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/greater-tampa-bay-area/215852-area-gulf-water-conditions.html
So there you go, that should answer your questions...

 

[mikeguerrero]

Jim,

With the Gulf reading 60 degrees today about one month before I head out, I might consider that 7mm suit.

I'd hate to burn $100 bucks on the 3mm suit just to get it out there and say brrr!! I need my 7mm suit...

I do own a 3mm heated torso so I could go with the 3mm full suit and have my torso at 6mm with extremeties 3mm, no hood...

I have dove Monterey with no hood at 54 degrees at Break Water and did fine... It was a fun shallow dive but no more than 30 minutes...

Jim, I need to send Ron an email can you see if he'll respond to this thread? Or how about your two other buddies?

I did send an email to the local dive shop in Brandon which is where my mom lives, asking them what the temps are and what they recommend.

MG

 

[zen_man]

Hey Mike,

I haven't dove Florida. I did dive the Bahamas and it was stupid warm. But I have done several 60-65 degree waters dives in my 7mm wetsuit. The first time I did it with a 5mm hood and I was too hot. Took the hood off and I was perfect. Whenever I got a little warm, I would let a little water in. Peter makes a good point that it's better to be too warm and be able to cool yourself off than to be too cold. Good luck and I hope you have a good time!

:zen: