Right exposure protection for CSSP?

[humanphibian]

I dove a 3 mil and a hood last weekend. I started getting cold about 30 mins. in. Keep your dives short and you should be OK. In the summer you can dip below the thermocline for a while, then come up and get into the bathtub water for the back half.

 

[Debraw]

I dive a drysuit at CSSP from about November through April. Then I switch to a 2 piece 3mm with hood and gloves from about May-June. July through September I wear a 3MM with a beanie ( keeps the perch of the ears) . October I go back to a 2 piece 3MM again. If I get hot during the summer I just dip down into the thermocline and open up my suit a bit and "swish" the water in and out. If I did not have the luxury of a dive shop, and ability to get as many suits as I wanted, I would wear my 2 piece 3mm May through October and do the "swish" thing to keep cool. A 5MM would be a great choice for diving at CSSP for April- October. It's getting geared up, walking down the hill and getting in the water when it's 105 degrees in that thing that is the real problem! The thermocline will keep you cool in your 5mm.

 

[sealskin98]

Jim,

I used to wear an old 2 piece beavertail 3mm, then went to a 6.5mm. It's still chilly below the themo. but you can always go back up to about 25ft. or so and you actually get rather warm after being below the thermo. A good bet would be a 5mm if you chill easily, then a core warmer and hood. The old layering thing. Just get down there once with whatever you have and check it out; you'll have fun and then you can decide what you need. I haven't gotten a hood yet but I think I will this year. Like Truckdriver said, those piranha perch can be vicious!

 

[BetterLateThannever]

Ok. Thanks everyone. I am looking forward to getting wet again. Gotta pull out the training videos and give myself a refresher.