I'm in the process of getting OW certified. I don't own any wetsuit yet. I am planning a trip to the Caribbean in December, where I will dive in the Cozumel area, including doing a cenote dive. I have read that the cenotes are typically 76 degrees and the OW temps generally range from 78 to 84.
I would kind of like to have my own wetsuit to take, instead of having to rent something that doesn't fit well and is PPI (Pre-Peed In).
From the water temps, I was initially thinking I might be comfortable in just a 2.5 or 3mm shorty. But then the cenote temps make me think I might want more than that. OTOH, I was reading some reviews and looking at a 3/2 full suit and one reviewer said he loves his but it's too warm for Caribbean diving.
So, I started thinking about maybe getting a shorty and then one of those 1mm jumpsuits to wear over or under it. Or a long sleeve shorty and a farmer john. Or... or... or...
I started reading stuff here and found a post that referred me over to Wetwear. I read what they have to say about suit configurations and temps. It seems the Wetwear always recommends a full wetsuit and then putting a shorty on over the jumpsuit, if more warmth is desired. (The "over" part surprised me. I'd have thought wearing the shorty under the jumpsuit would be warmer, but anyway...)
The shorty appeals because it would be easier to pack for a flight to MX. The LS shorty appeals because it would give me more protection from stings/scrapes than a normal shorty and because my sizing is funny. I tend to wear XL jackets and L pants. So, a LS shorty sized to fit my upper body, eventually mated to a FJ (or even just pants?) sized to fit my lower body might give me the best overall fit. The full jumpsuit appeals for the protection from scrapes and stings.
I'm to the point of thinking I should either pick a LS shorty that is thick enough to be warm enough on its own (3mm? 5mm?), or pick a full jumpsuit that is thinner but would be equally warm due to more coverage.
If I go by what Wetwear recommends, I guess I would go with either a 3mm or 2mm full jumpsuit.
Wetwear - How Thick A Wetsuit Do I Need?
Any thoughts anyone can share would definitely be appreciated.
If it helps give me advice, I can say that I've done a lot of motorcycling in cold weather and my legs are generally the last thing to get cold. And it has to get pretty darn cold before my legs start to feel cold. OTOH, I have a full electric liner these days for when it's cold on the bike. And, when riding with buddies, I am usually the first one to turn on the electrics. But, is that because I get cold more easily than them? Or just that I choose to pamper myself with warmth when they are being tough guys and telling me they're not cold?
Oh, and I went to Maui last year in February and went out on a dive boat. They gave me a full wetsuit to wear, but I don't know what the thickness was. I snorkeled in it while divers did one dive. Then we moved to a different spot and I did a discovery dive for most of one bottle, at 25 - 30 feet. I was never cold while in the water, but by the time I got back on the boat after the discovery dive, I was starting to feel a little chilly. But, it was rough weather and a little drizzly that day, so I was inclined to wear a fleece or something when in street clothes anyway. I don't know if any of that helps, since I don't know what kind of suit I was wearing then.
I would kind of like to have my own wetsuit to take, instead of having to rent something that doesn't fit well and is PPI (Pre-Peed In).
From the water temps, I was initially thinking I might be comfortable in just a 2.5 or 3mm shorty. But then the cenote temps make me think I might want more than that. OTOH, I was reading some reviews and looking at a 3/2 full suit and one reviewer said he loves his but it's too warm for Caribbean diving.
So, I started thinking about maybe getting a shorty and then one of those 1mm jumpsuits to wear over or under it. Or a long sleeve shorty and a farmer john. Or... or... or...
I started reading stuff here and found a post that referred me over to Wetwear. I read what they have to say about suit configurations and temps. It seems the Wetwear always recommends a full wetsuit and then putting a shorty on over the jumpsuit, if more warmth is desired. (The "over" part surprised me. I'd have thought wearing the shorty under the jumpsuit would be warmer, but anyway...)
The shorty appeals because it would be easier to pack for a flight to MX. The LS shorty appeals because it would give me more protection from stings/scrapes than a normal shorty and because my sizing is funny. I tend to wear XL jackets and L pants. So, a LS shorty sized to fit my upper body, eventually mated to a FJ (or even just pants?) sized to fit my lower body might give me the best overall fit. The full jumpsuit appeals for the protection from scrapes and stings.
I'm to the point of thinking I should either pick a LS shorty that is thick enough to be warm enough on its own (3mm? 5mm?), or pick a full jumpsuit that is thinner but would be equally warm due to more coverage.
If I go by what Wetwear recommends, I guess I would go with either a 3mm or 2mm full jumpsuit.
Wetwear - How Thick A Wetsuit Do I Need?
Any thoughts anyone can share would definitely be appreciated.
If it helps give me advice, I can say that I've done a lot of motorcycling in cold weather and my legs are generally the last thing to get cold. And it has to get pretty darn cold before my legs start to feel cold. OTOH, I have a full electric liner these days for when it's cold on the bike. And, when riding with buddies, I am usually the first one to turn on the electrics. But, is that because I get cold more easily than them? Or just that I choose to pamper myself with warmth when they are being tough guys and telling me they're not cold?
Oh, and I went to Maui last year in February and went out on a dive boat. They gave me a full wetsuit to wear, but I don't know what the thickness was. I snorkeled in it while divers did one dive. Then we moved to a different spot and I did a discovery dive for most of one bottle, at 25 - 30 feet. I was never cold while in the water, but by the time I got back on the boat after the discovery dive, I was starting to feel a little chilly. But, it was rough weather and a little drizzly that day, so I was inclined to wear a fleece or something when in street clothes anyway. I don't know if any of that helps, since I don't know what kind of suit I was wearing then.