Sharkskin + xxxx

[Shonankuma]

I am reasonably new to diving and have yet to purchase any form of exposure protection.

In my training we have been diving in waters around the 20ºC mark, mainly wearing 7mm wetsuit and warm water gloves, no hood. I have been fine at these temps with this setup.
So what I was wondering was instead of buying 2 wetsuits (warm and cold water) was to buy a full body sharkskin and combine it with a 5mm for winter diving (which gets down to about 16º).

I could also use the sharkskin with a drysuit. Any thoughts from those more experienced than me?

 

[g1138]

At that temp 16C, you'll want a 3-5mm hood/hooded vest and 1-3mm gloves. Hoods & gloves adds a lot of warmth retention.
I wouldn't recommend ever going above 3mm gloves unless you're diving below 10C. You can learn pretty good dexterity in 3mm, but once you go above you pretty much are relegated to being a bit fumbly at your best.

If you liked the 7mm for 20C and consider that your warm water setting, then I would suggest owning a 7mm & 3-5mm hooded vest for your warm & cold water diving. You can always cool down when underwater, but you can never warm up.

Another thing that's not so apparent, you need a good overcoat and hot beverage mug for your surface interval. Often cold water divers don't get that cold underwater, it is the surface interval that really makes the huge jump from warmth. You'll need to strip at least halfway and put on a waterproof rain jacket or parka on to insulate you. Then drink a warm low to non-caffeinated beverage. Black Tea or Green tea with honey was my favorite. You can also pour that in your gloves and hood before you put them back on; takes the cold bite away.
The wet wetsuit will evaporate and suck a lot of warmth from you, even on a sunny day.

 

[Satrekker]

Best $100 you'll spend for a while:

https://www.amazon.com/Hyperflex-Pl...id=1498496977&sr=8-1&keywords=hyperflex+playa

 

[OldPhotog]

I bought a 3 mil farmer john and a 3 mil shorty. The latter is great for temperate climes, and if I layer them, I've got six mil in all the important areas, with 3 on the arms and below the knees. Add gloves and boots and I'm good to go - anywhere I'm going. Not brutally cold in other words. YMMV

 

[dmaziuk]

pinnacle v-skin series includes hood, gloves, and socks. might be worth checking out if you find a retailer in Syd.

 

[Spudlet]

some people dive 7mm all year round in Sydney, depends how much you feel the cold. I had a dive the other weekend at Bare Island and wore a sharkskin vest under my 2mm short arm steamer i surf in so in theory that should have been 5mm on my body well not so much, I was doing some photography and after an hour it looked like I was jack hammering underwater I was that cold hahaha, generally in summer I am in a shorty arm spring suit winter 7mm but don't forget gloves and hood keep extremities warm that's where you lose the body temp

 

[stuartv]

At 16C, I'm totally comfy in a 7mm plus a good hood. But, everyone is different. If you were comfy at 20C in a 7mm with no hood, you would probably be comfy at 16C with a good hood.

However, you need to keep in mind it's not just the temp and the suit. It's also how long you're in there. What is comfy for 20 minutes might have you shivering after 40 minutes.

As for Sharkskin stuff, I have a bunch of it. I don't find it very nice to swim in by itself. Mine is quite snug when I put it on, but once in the water, it gets a little loose in certain areas and feels like it drags when I swim. However, it's great when worn under a wetsuit, which keeps it snug.

I would definitely NOT wear my Sharkskin gear under my drysuit. It claims to be breathable, and it's fine when worn under a wetsuit and on the surface. But, it is not at all the kind of wicking and breathability that you want under a drysuit.

As such, I would suggest that you might be happiest if you start where I have ended up. Buy a 7mm (or a drysuit) for colder water and buy a good 3/2 or 3mm wetsuit for warm water. I started with a 3/2 and a bunch of Sharkskin gear, thinking the modular approach would let me minimize gear purchasing. I now have a 3/2, a 5/4, and a 7/5 wetsuit, and 2 drysuits. And I kind of wish I had not bothered to buy the 7/5 wetsuit. If it's cool enough that I want more than the 5/4 wetsuit, I would rather just go ahead and wear a drysuit.

The only time I wear my Sharkskin gear at all any more is when I am working with an OW class at the local quarry and feel like I need to dive in a wetsuit to match the students. In that case, I would wear my Sharkskin sleeveless full suit under my 7/5 wetsuit, with a good hood (Seasoft Ti Pro 6mm) and 3mm gloves.