Warm water weenie?

[DTB1981]

I have been diving in 84 F water here with a 3/2 mil full suit. It is now 77 and I am starting to get cold by my second or third dive. I think it could have something to do with the air temps dropping from 95 to 73 though. I got a 5 mil hood and it seems to help a lot on the later dives. Is it too soon to get a 5 mil suit?

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

I dive a 5 mil in waters up to the low 80's.

 

[Dive-aholic]

The ambient temp and cumulative hypothermia are both probably playing a role in you getting cold. When the air temp is in the 80s or lower, I'm usually in a dry suit. I can deal with water in the 70s wet, but getting out of the water into 70 deg air temp isn't very pleasant wet.

 

[dkktsunami]

I switch from a 3/2 full suit to the 5 mil with hood and gloves at 78 degrees. A slender build will cause fairly rapid heat loss - I am 6'0, 155 lbs.

 

[Santa]

I dive a hoodless 5 mm in the 23-25 C range. Above I go 3 mm, below 7mm or various two-piece combinations. Don't really bother with heavy gloves until about 10-12 C.

 

[dkktsunami]

Correcting former statement - I switch to 5 mil at 75 degrees.

 

[HowardE]

It's not too early to switch to a warmer suit, if it makes you feel comfortable. I wear a 7mm suit when the water is in the 70's. If I am too warm, I let some water into my suit. I'd rather be too warm, and add water, then be too cold...then you're stuck being cold.

 

[natural]

84 and a 5 mil? 84 and I'm naked. Don't see how people can dive with anything more than a swim suit in 84+, but then that's me. Course there are those like, Lynne Cox, who swam the Berring Straits in just a bathing suit and cap! Not me - I almost froze swimming a tri. in a shorty-Farmer John suit in 51 degree water.

 

[bubblemonkey]

i wish you would use centigrade, farenheight is like sooooooooo medievil )

 

[HowardE]

i wish you would use centigrade, farenheight is like sooooooooo medievil )

http://www.wbuf.noaa.gov/tempfc.htm

Temp conversion formula.