West Palm exposure suit

[FrankF]

I am going to be moving to the West Palm area this fall and I was wondering what type of wet suit to get. I was down last December and dove in 10 year old 3 mil and was a little bit cold. I figure I will probably dive in my drysuit durning the "cold" months and was thinking about picking up a 3 mil hyperstretch. This would work well because I could still use it in the carribbean. What advice would you guys have? Is a good fitting 3 mil enough?

Thanks!

Frank

 

[Scubakevdm]

Is a good fitting 3 mil enough?

Thanks!

Frank

No. Once you've been down here you'll freeze your butt off. I typically wear a one piece 7mm in the winter, sometimes a drysuit if the air is really cold too. I have worn two piece 5mms and been quite comfortable.

 

[Padipro]

A trilam drysuit in the winter is great and a 3mil suit will be perfect for the rest of the year.

I dive a 5/3mil semi-dry with a hood in the winter and a 3/2mil the rest of the year and I'm very comfortable. Water temps down here get into the lower 80's in the summer so unless you're doing some serious deco hangs you shouldn't need anything more then a 3 mil in the summer.

 

[CAPT HOOK]

Now that you've heard from the "COLD" crew ...............

I use a nylon skin most of the year. In the cold winter months {both of them ;-)} a 3 mil with maybe a 2 mil hooded vest.

Now I don't dive every day, but most of the rec divers I dive with get by fine with a 3 mil and hood.

 

[Padipro]

Now that you've heard from the "COLD" crew ...............

I use a nylon skin most of the year. In the cold winter months {both of them ;-)} a 3 mil with maybe a 2 mil hooded vest.

Now I don't dive every day, but most of the rec divers I dive with get by fine with a 3 mil and hood.

When I first moved down here, before I became a true Floridiot, I dived year round with a full 3 mil. Then after the first year I had to add the hood, the next year I added a 3mil shorty under the full 3 mil with the hood, the year after that I bought the 5/3 semi-dry, the next year it was the 5/3 semi-dry and a hooded vest. In preperation for next winter I just bought a trilam dry suit. I got the thermal undies as well but I'll probably save them for the year after next.

I guess it's all in what you're used to. The longer I'm here the colder it seems to get, and they're worried about global warming. HA!

 

[bullshark]

I am going to be moving to the West Palm area this fall and I was wondering what type of wet suit to get. I was down last December and dove in 10 year old 3 mil and was a little bit cold. I figure I will probably dive in my drysuit durning the "cold" months and was thinking about picking up a 3 mil hyperstretch. This would work well because I could still use it in the carribbean. What advice would you guys have? Is a good fitting 3 mil enough?

Thanks!

Frank

Having read your whole post, I say a 3mil jumpsuit is fine. That assumes you mean to use the drysuit in winter. If not, then a 3/5 hooded vest is a mandatory addition. I dive that all winter and find it cold. A "TruWest"/"Warmwind" for the SI gets me thru, but a 5 or 7 Mil would work better.

Avoid Hyperstretch. It sucks. It will be the most comfortable wetsuit you ever put on, and also the wettest, and coldest. We've done A/B comparisons between it and Goldcore and it's just not in the same league. Comparing it to GoldCore might be unfair [GoldCore is effectively "semi-dry"] but hey, a 3mil is a 3mil and they cost about the same. It is a serious step down in warmth/mil.

If anyone tells you they don't need rubber here in the winter, ask them how long their dives are. I see these people all the time. The Buffalo Bigshot talking how 74F water is warm...their first dive is over in 20 minutes; I get on the boat 45 minutes later, and they're standing there shaking so hard it's about to start the motors, and they're swearing they're not cold...yeah, right.

safe diving,

bullshark

 

[fldivenut]

I am going to be moving to the West Palm area this fall and I was wondering what type of wet suit to get. I was down last December and dove in 10 year old 3 mil and was a little bit cold. I figure I will probably dive in my drysuit durning the "cold" months and was thinking about picking up a 3 mil hyperstretch. This would work well because I could still use it in the carribbean. What advice would you guys have? Is a good fitting 3 mil enough?

Our water temp range from high 60 to mid 80 over the year with 80s+ from Memorial Day until Thank's Giving. You don't need a dry suit due to water temp but it is nice in the middle of the winter on the boat when there is 50s in the air and a North East wind of 20 knots or more.

I dive a 5/4mm in the winter and spring, a 2/3mm summer and fall and even a lycra skin on shallow dives in Jul and Aug. I add a hood as needed due to temp, activity and dive length.

I think your right with starting with a 2/3mm, then you might get a thicker wetsuit to not have to deal with the dry suit during Mar-May when we have 80+ in the air but still need some warmer stuff to dive in.

And of course we have exceptions here as well. I droped my 4/5 for the first time last weekend and used my 2/3 without hood and it ended up being 68 at the bottom, the coldest I have had during the whole winter.

--A

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

I agree with Padipro, the longer you are here, the more you need. I broke down and bought a hood and a 3mil farmer jane last year, and won't go in the water if its under 73 and a beach dive (longer times in the water and surface swims)..

 

[Orlando Eric]

Florida Diving. I like the farmer john combo in 3mil. I dive a 3 mil in summer with long sleeves. If it is very warm that day and the dive in the 60 to less depth then I will use a skin only. In the winter time the 3 mil john adds the chest (trunk and to the mid thigh) a 6mil with 3 mil lower legs and arms, somtimes a hood. IF you venture to the west coast a hood is needed it is very cold over there in winter. The great thing about the john is you can change up if needed one you get on the boat. If the morning divers say man it was cold or if they say wow it is nice down there I got hot this morning.

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

I've lived on the Gulf my entire life and I don't have anything more than a 3mm which I use for about 4 months of the year between November and February. The rest of the time I dive in 0.5mm. Some people simply handle colder water better than others.

If you already have a drysuit, use it during the winter. Even for a cold-natured person, I would say a 3mm is pretty safe for the hotter months. Then again, you can be the only person to tell us what makes you comfortable. A 3mm suit would work fine in conjunction with a vest, hood, gloves, ect if you need the extra neoprene...