Temperature Ranges

[CVDev]

What thermal protection does everyone wear for varying water temperatures? For example, what’s the range of temperatures that you would wear a two piece 7mil, a full 5mil or a 3mil shorty? Of course this is just a small subset of the possible options but I am curious. I also realize that this is a highly subjective question and the answers will vary greatly from member to member. Also, I am primarily interested in the answers for those diving wet. I realize that many on these boards dive dry but a dry suit is really suitable for any temperature range.
With that said, what do you wear and when?


CVDev

 

[Rafael]

I been diving wet in the North East, temps around 40F, in a wet suit, i will use my dry suit for more comfort in anything under 60F, but that is just me, i know guys in the Boston area who are diving wet year around as well as people diving dry during the summer, i guess is all up to you, your tolerance to cold water could be better or worse than mine.

 

[spectrum]

As you said it's highly subjective. Dives per day also weighs in heavilly for the sake of cumulative heat loss.

50F is a common temperature where I hear folks wanting to dive dry. As mentioned many can dive wet to 40F and below but below 50F dry starts to sound appealing. I was fine in 7/7 to 50F.

That being said now that I own a drysuit I may find my choice made more by topside conditions in the swing seasons. Diving 50F water is one thing. Dressing down from a wet dive in a raw 30 something degee wind is quite another experience. By the time the air is any colder than that I will be diving dry.

As for the lighter suits I think that is even more of a wildcard. There are many threads you can find such as 3mm for Bonaire? review some of those and you'll see what I mean. Suits, vests and hoods mixed and matched makes it even more complex.

Pete

 

[CVDev]

Rafael, how thick of a wetsuit do you wear before you switch to dry? One piece seven? Two piece seven?

I'm looking for the actual specifics so I can get a feel for what is appropriate for given temperatures.

CVDev

 

[cummings66]

OK, I'll give you some of my specifics from the past. I'd use a 3mm full suit and hood and be fine with temps in the mid 60's. From there until 42 which is my coldest I used a 7mm full Akona with hood and gloves and was fine. I could do a couple dives of an hour each down to about 80 feet and be fine.

How's that?

That said, I now dive dry because it's easier on me during the surface interval and will probably dive dry this coming summer as well. I use a shell suit so I can easily taylor the temps and not get hot except for the surface interval. It's a tradeoff...

 

[Tavi]

over 75f 3/2 fullsuit
70-75f 5/3 fullsuit
45-70f drysuit w/ 300g insulation
below 45f drysuit w/ 400g thinsulate

YMMV

 

[kidspot]

I think the best rule of thumb I've heard is "If you're cold, add more"... not very profound, but it seems to be about the only truism when it comes to temperature and comfort in the water... so I guess that means you just have to dive in varying conditions and see how much you need/want. On my last boat dive I was in my drysuit, and the diver next to me was in a pair of speedos... we were both comfortable, even though everyone else on board probably thought we were both "certifiable" lol

Aloha, Tim