Suitable wetsuit

[Trace Malinowski]

By the way, after the car accident on Cayman Brac in 1999, I discovered I felt better after freediving once I returned to the northeast USA because I preferred a 3mm wetsuit for reduced drag. I figured the cooler water "iced" the joints and reduced inflammation. I started diving my 3mm even into 40 F water when scuba diving to see if it would help reduce pain and swelling. It did. While 40 F was freaking cold (but felt good after), I found temperatures in the 60's F & 70's F range to be quite comfy in 3mm wetsuits. So, it didn't start out as thumping my chest. It started out as a way of feeling better. Lots of my freediving students found they liked 3mm better than 5mm too. A couple of my cave students shed their DUI TLS-350's and steel 104's for 3mm wetsuits and AL80's and enjoyed being light and slick in flow caves.

 

[Compressor]

@Compressor

What exposure protection did I wear during our coaching sessions the other day? What was the temp.? 70°F?

The water temp was 21.1 C at surface and about 20 C at depth. Actually it felt colder on on land as there was a stiff wind creating a wind chill. And no hood or gloves for one of the best instructors I've had.

 

[Trace Malinowski]

Water temperature rating on the O'Neill Reactor II is 65 degrees Fahrenheit and up. I'd agree with O'Neill on that.

 

[outofofficebrb]

Something that has not been mentioned is how well it fits you. No matter how well a wetsuit "tests", it won't work as well as in tests if it doesn't fit you well. I looked into Scubapro's Everflex line and when push came to shove, the Aqua Lung Aqua Flex fit my body much better. In a sense, that will also be warmer.

I would definitely try some on to see what you think. I dive mostly 28C water in my 5mm and as @Diver0001 already mentioned, most of my diving is back to back repetitive diving. I'm thankful for it and have yet to be too hot. If that does happen, nothing a quick flood won't fix. We've had some thermoclines down to 24 or 25 and I was thankful to have it! I also bring along a vest or a hooded vest just in case. It's always better to be comfortable than cold during a dive. I hate diving while cold.

 

[MrBigfins]

It depends on the person and the fit of the suit. I will dive 70f in a 3 mil full no hood or gloves, 75f in a 3 mil shorty. On a 4 dive day I will do first 2 in a 3m shorty and next 2 dives in a 3m full. Dove SC this spring and summer and others were hooded up in 5m suits. I was fine in my shorty. I will dive to low 40s f in a 7/8m hooded semidry and be comfortable. Surface time has a bigger effect for me personally than my time in water.

 

[MrBigfins]

I should add that due to my abnormally long body and disproportionate torso, all suits fit my core rather snugly and that tight fit aids in keeping me warm.

 

[pepperbelly]

I have a SP 5/4 Everflex. It is very comfortable giving easy range of motion.
It also has tight neck, wrist and neck seals that keep water from flushing through. In fact until I went through a cool enough thermocline I kept pulling the neck dam open to let in water so I wouldn't be so warm- the water temp was about 75*F. It was very comfortable when the temp was around 65*F to about 60*F.

 

[chillyinCanada]

I've been comfortable in my 3mm Bare at wayerctemps down to 78F but they no longer produce the style I prefer. That said, as days of diving go by, I add a hood and then a chill guard. For colder temps, I use my 5mm and add hood and chill guard as necessary.

As was stayed earlier, it is important to keep yourself warm between dives.

 

[Beau640]

You southern boys are babies. I was diving in 81 degrees 5x a day for a week in just a rash guard. Felt like bathwater. Anything in the 70’s 3mm is fine and as it gets to lower and mid 70’s add gloves and hood.

The quality of the wet suit and the fit matter so much for this though. Crap wetsuit with crap seams and you may need a thickness up. Nice wetsuit and you can be comfortable in less.

Also Trace dove all week in a 3 for 1.5 hour high flow cave dives. The never ending optimism keeps him warm.

 

[rhwestfall]

25c (77f)? I'm in a 3mm shorty for hour drift dives (so little body movement)...

YMMV