Warmth questions and Vest under or over the fullsuit?

[nvert]

On my last liveaboard, I was diving 5 dives/day in 79 water in December. I wore a BARE 5/4 fullsuit with a 1mm hooded vest and I still got very chilled by the late afternoon and night dives. So, would the BARE 3mm vest with 7mm hood paired with my 5/4 fullsuit be noticably warmer than the 1mm vest and hood or should I look into getting the zipped 7mm SGS hood/vest combo? I'm doing another liveaboard in March - again probaly temps in the upper 70s, 5 dives a day.

Also, I started off the week wearing the vest under the fullsuit but I found that air exhaled from my second stage would creep into the hood, down the vest and then into my suit causing me to go fin up to release the air. This was annoying so I ended up putting the vest over the fullsuit and never had the problem. One of the DMs pointed out that this was usual and he too wore his hood/vest over the fullsuit.

1) Will the 3/7mm hood/vest be significantly warmer, or should I purchase the BARE 7mm SGS zipped hood/vest? Would this be overkill?

2) Any pros/cons to wearing the vest over the fullsuit?

Thanks!

Brad

 

[spectrum]

If it's the Bare 3mm Vest it wants to be under the suit. It has a skin-in surface and will cling to your skin trapping warmth. The hood should be vented to release any air that enters. Check the fit of the hood, some tailoring amy be need since not all heads are the same.
The SGS won't do much good because the slick material ends up on the wetsuit. Consider the 5mm version of the hooded step in vest, I bet that would be great.

Pete

Pete

 

[Green_Manelishi]

Pete is right. The vest ideally should be between you and the full suit. However, if doing so means you can't comfortably breathe then you will have to wear it over the suit, or use a larger vest. The only disadvantage to the hooded under the suit is that it might 'loosen' the neck seal area and allow water to flow through. It's all about fit

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Another very simple and logical solution is to buy another hood, say 3mm. a 1-mm hood is so thin that it provides little thermal protection. An extra 3mm hood over top of the hooded vest will make a big improvment and will not affect your bouyancy much and will cost you only $20.00-$30. Get one that is a little large so it comfortably fits over the hood of the 1 mm vest. You can even cut the bib off the hood if you like

Wearing a good hood is the cheapest and most effective means to conserve heat (and it will have the least amount of bouyancy affect of any other peice of wetsuit).

I now wear my hooded vest over the outside of my one-piece, back zip suit (it took me 25 years to discover that I like the vest better on the outside).

 

[Cacia]

I use a 3mm hood under a 5 mm Henderson when the water gets below 78 (winter) here in Hawaii. A couple other suggestions I have, since I am an expert at comfort are:

1. make sure you get warmed up between dives. Take everything off, even though its a hassle. dry off and put on a jacket. get out of the wind. A lot of work for 30-40 minute interval, but I have to. night dives? get a microfiber watch cap. Drink hot tea in between.

2. The henderson hyperstrech fits so close on my head (easy to get on though) that it does not trap air and might even have a little vent in the top, if I remember right.

3. Change into a dry wetsuit (thats right folks). I have several because ...they will last three times as long, so in the long run its not more expensive. Putting on a dry wetsuit by dive #3 will make you very cheerful, but people will give you a very hard time. because they are wishing they had one.

I4. Eat enough food. If I get really low on calories to burn, I get very cold. Eat cashews or peanut butter...something like that will make a big difference.

I had to get serious about hypothermia. My heart rate was going into the 40's and I would be "kind of out of it". I knew it was an issue because sometimes I would warm up for 15 minutes BEFORE I could begin to shiver.

 

[Green_Manelishi]

I had to get serious about hypothermia. My heart rate was going into the 40's and I would be "kind of out of it". I knew it was an issue because sometimes I would warm up for 15 minutes BEFORE I could begin to shiver.

Cripes. It was more than an "issue" ... if you have to warm up before you can begin to shiver you are well on your way to ...

 

[nvert]

Thanks guys for the replies. I like the vest on the outside too and I really like the idea of getting a second wetsuit for liveaboard diving. I'm probably just going to borrow my friends 2pc O'neil - if not buy a new one for myself - for the trip and alternate it every afternoon or other day with my BARE suit.

If an excuse exists to buy more SCUBA equipment then I'm the biggest LOSER!! There must be a support group for this. And dude! Watch out for those shivers...I've been close both under and above the water and it's NOT fun.