Staying Warm

[pops]

Hi. I'm a newbie diver. I need some help with staying warm. I usually dive in water about 79-80 degrees and usuallg start shaking in 30-40 minutes. I bought a 2mm oneill wetsuit jacket which helps but still, I get cold.
What I'm wondering is, would a hood make a big difference? The dive course stated that 75% of heat loss can come from the head and I don't want too much wetsuit, just enough. I probably will never dive water under 75.

 

[JimC]

I wear a 3/2mm full suit down to about 72. Adding a 3mm hood/vest and I can go down to about 65.

A hood adds a LOT of warmth.

 

[detroit diver]

Pops,

As JimC states above, the hood will make a HUGE difference in your warmth. Most of your body heat will get lost thru your head. A thin (or not so thin) neoprene hood will make your diving very comfortable.

You don't feel as "free" with a hood, but then again, when you're shivering, that's not much fun either!!

 

[jeffsterinsf]

A 3mm shortie is barely enough for me in 76-80 deg. F waters. I now have a well-fitting, smooth-inside full 3mm suit that makes a lot of difference. Going to booties may have helped too. I have 7mm booties, and don't roast with them in warm water. I have a 3mm beenie (and 3mm gloves) as well, but haven't found that I've needed it in tropical water yet.

As for the suit, fit is key! The less water moves under the suit, the warmer you will be. I find the "new" smooth-inside suit I have tends to seal better that the "nylon 2" suit I used to have. It also dries faster, keeping me warmer between dives. Took me a month to find an off-the-rack suit that fit, but was worth it!

 

[jbd]

with the recommendations on getting a hood and would also suggest that you get gloves if they are allowed in the areas that you dive in. My personal opinion is that if you get cold as easily as you do then it would be a good idea to go with a full wetsuit as well. I think the 3/2 that JimC mentioned is a good choice.

 

[pops]

that helps. i already have pretty warm booties, though I don't know how thick. I will probably almost never dive below 80 so I'm going to try the hood and gloves - then if that's not enough a thicker full wetsuit. i'll post the results.

 

[redacted]

As Jeff mentioned, a bennie is another option in tropical waters that doesn't limit your movement as much but stll provides much of the protection.
RSD has reviews of a number of light hoods and beenies at this link:http://www.scubadiving.com/gear/wetsuits/beanies.shtml

 

[Ontario Diver]

a hood is a cheap way of keeping heat in. One of the major ways of staying warm is by keeping warm the parts that get cold. For instance, if your feet are cold, you will be cold.

A hood is a good start, but if your hands or feet feel cold then a good set of booties or gloves. If you are shivering, then your core temp has already dropped below optimal. You can't gain that heat back underwater.

I think that you'll have to either:
1) eat a lot and build up a layer of blubber
2) invest in more exposure protection. Either a dive skin plus your 2 mm suit or perhaps a 3mm shorty and a dive skin.

Please note that once you start shaking, it is too late. You cannot regain that heat while underwater.

There is another option - be born in Canada and learn to swim in 60F water. I swim in a 7mm shorty with no hood in water that is 60-65F at 100 ffw - of course even the other Canucks think that that is strange...

 

[pops]

Ontario - I'm a long range runner - nearly a dozen marathons - you can guess how much blubber I have - none at all! Formerly I was happy with this but as a fledgling diver it appears to be a setback.

 

[pchelp]

I get cold easily also, while on vacation in HI, water temp 78 at the surface, I would start to get cold in my fingers after 45-55 minutes. My wetsuit has detachable arms, adding the arms made all the difference, the 74 degree bottom caused no problems (gloves and booties of course). Suit is 3 or 4 mil. and old.