Upcoming winter season help

[Tyler2142]

Well i figured im going to go ahead and start gearing up for the upcoming winter season and seeing as this will be my first winter season diving, I dont know what wetsuits/semi-dry i should get. I am use to the cold water from jet skiing and multiple other water sports during the cold water months but never diving. I have read very little about dry suits but from what ive read, i dont expect to need something that intense. So im really clueless to what i should get. Like i said, im usually just jet skiing so a 3/2 wetsuit with a windbreaker is sufficient throughout the winter. Thanks in advance guys.


Btw i will be getting certified starting tomorrow. Sooo excited!!!

 

[Hetland]

Your 3/2 will not be sufficient for scuba diving in the Winter.

• The pressure of the water at depth will compress your suit, making it less efficient
• Your head will be submerged while diving, which will accelerate heat loss
• You will be breathing compressed air, which will accelerate heat loss (and dehydration)

You can expect Gulf temperatures to run low to mid 50's from around December to February. The closest freshwater springs will run a considerably warmer 68. The length of time that you plan to stay underwater and the surface air temperatures will also have significant impacts upon your comfort.

I wouldn't consider diving Winter without a 5mm jumpsuit and a hooded vest. I've dove in a 2-pc 3mm and a thick hood, and I'll tell you it was an exercise in masochism.

You will probably be able to tolerate Winter temps in a lesser suit but your body will silently and steadily weaken as it works to preserve your core temperature. At the end of the day, you will have less energy than the guy that wore a thicker suit, as it will take hours and hours for your body temp to return to normal. This is true even in the warmer months if you're doing multiple or long dives without adequate thermal protection.

Your dives will also be more enjoyable if you're properly protected from thermal fatigue.

 

[Tyler2142]

Your 3/2 will not be sufficient for scuba diving in the Winter.

• The pressure of the water at depth will compress your suit, making it less efficient
• Your head will be submerged while diving, which will accelerate heat loss
• You will be breathing compressed air, which will accelerate heat loss (and dehydration)

You can expect Gulf temperatures to run low to mid 50's from around December to February. The closest freshwater springs will run a considerably warmer 68. The length of time that you plan to stay underwater and the surface air temperatures will also have significant impacts upon your comfort.

I wouldn't consider diving Winter without a 5mm jumpsuit and a hooded vest. I've dove in a 2-pc 3mm and a thick hood, and I'll tell you it was an exercise in masochism.

You will probably be able to tolerate Winter temps in a lesser suit but your body will silently and steadily weaken as it works to preserve your core temperature. At the end of the day, you will have less energy than the guy that wore a thicker suit, as it will take hours and hours for your body temp to return to normal. This is true even in the warmer months if you're doing multiple or long dives without adequate thermal protection.

Your dives will also be more enjoyable if you're properly protected from thermal fatigue.

Yeah i didnt expect to be able to use my 3/2. I have a 5mm semi-dry with a separate hood that i figured would be ok til the water dropped below 65. That be ok? Im thinking im going to end up buying a 7mm semi-dry with hood and just using that throughout the whole winter. Would i be comfortable in that when the water got around low 50's?

 

[GLENFWB]

It is all about your personal tolerance and insulation. I have dove a 5mm with a hood on a regular basis during the winter. Depending on how much you will dive, a 7mm may be over kill. I have found layering to be a better option. For instance I will use my 5mm, add a hood, and then put my shorty 3mm under it on really cold days. Now, my 5mm is so old that it is probably closer to 3mm now. The advantage of layering to me is that I can use all those wetsuits in different conditions. I can always eliminate some layers depending upon how cold the water gets. If you get a 7mm, you are pretty limited in when and where you can use it. If you intend to do a lot of spring diving, a 7mm for winter and springs may come in handy. That is my two cents.