Skin Suit / Dive Suit choices

[Monkeyface]

Total newbie here and I'm about to do my OW cert in Monterey this month (April.)
I am a thin 5'10" at 150lbs (38" chest/30" waist) and I frequently get cold. Working outside in the triple digits of summer doesn't bother me in the slightest though.
I have a 5mm farmer John style but I think I need to get a 7mm either full or farmer John. Are the farmer Johns that much warmer in the chest and back?

Anyway, skin suits- I plan on using a skin suit of some kind to aid in donning the wetsuit and hopefully add some thermal protection. I see a lot of choices out there, 2 piece or one piece with chest zipper, multiple fabrics also. I also see quite a difference in price. I would like to get something useful without breaking the bank as I am rapidly realizing just how expensive this sport is to get myself and my son going.

Are there any tried and true skin suits out there or are they basically all the same?

 

[Magnus Lundstedt]

If you have a farmer john and a jacket/top you have double thicknes over your core. If you look at the free diving suits they often have chest-high or farmer john throusers and a sweater type top with beaver tail and integrated hood. Often without zippers.

The zipper is a place water can circulate and make you loose heat.

If you have double layers in the whole core it is warmer.

Also a top with integrated hood is good, you do not get cold neck and you usualy loose much heat from your head.

Another solution can be to add a shorty over a full suit for getting more protection of your core, there are some with integrated hood.

In my experience, adding anything under the wetsuit don't add insulation, just get it harder to fit well.


For me, if i need anything more than a thin wetsuit, i go for dry, i don't like the changes in boyancy from thick neoprene, also it do not keep warm at depth.

 

[Resqdivemedic]

I use a Henderson Hot Skin under my 7mm one piece and do notice some difference. Its a one piece lycra suit with a front zipper. You could also use a vest with integrated hood that way your core will have triple coverage if using a 2 piece farmer john.

 

[Monkeyface]

I ended up wearing a 7mm farmer john with lycra skin suit and was comfortable in Monterey Bay until being in the water for 1.5-2hrs.