Wet or Semi-Dry to dive in Florida? Recommendations badly needed

[CaffeineFlo]

Hey ScubaBoard!

I just "recently" moved to the US from Germany and desperately need some help and was hoping to get some recommendations and tips from you guys.

I brought my Pro QD Jacket and my Apeks Reg over with me from Germany but haven't had enough space to bring my wetsuit and fins. So I'm searching for recommendations on what to buy.
I'm used to wear a Mares IsoTherm Semi-Dry suit, but I'm unsure if that isn't "too warm" for Florida waters.

I'm planning to dive the waters of Pensacola and the caves I've seen around Gainesville, FL. What suit could you recommend and what brand?
Genderwise I'd love to get recommendations for both genders as I need to buy a Wetsuit for my SO as well.

Thanks in advance! Your input is much appreciated!

 

[tbone1004]

water temps in the caves are basically always 70F. Maybe a degree or two warmer in caves like Ginnie in Gainesville, a degree or two cooler in the caves in Marianna. Year round, same temp.

Water in Pensacola swings from about 65 to 85 depending on time of year.

For the ocean, a semi-dry is probably too warm, especially during the summer. I'd be wearing a good 3mm and hooded vest if I had to choose one exposure set for the ocean.

For the caves, it all depends on how long you plan on being in there. There is no sun, so you don't get any sunbathing opportunities while you're diving so I find that I get cold faster in the caves than I would in comparable temp open water.
I have seen people diving in the caves with bathing suits, all the way up to drysuits with headed vests *though no drygloves*. It all depends on your exposure time. I will dive wet in a 5mm with a hooded vest for up to about 90 minutes in the cave. Anything longer than that and I am in a drysuit.

 

[CaptainCalamari]

At 65-75deg and a 5mm semi would be perfect above that a 3mm would be appropriate. At 70 in a 3mm and you won't be comfortable.

 

[CaffeineFlo]

water temps in the caves are basically always 70F. Maybe a degree or two warmer in caves like Ginnie in Gainesville, a degree or two cooler in the caves in Marianna. Year round, same temp.

Water in Pensacola swings from about 65 to 85 depending on time of year.

For the ocean, a semi-dry is probably too warm, especially during the summer. I'd be wearing a good 3mm and hooded vest if I had to choose one exposure set for the ocean.

For the caves, it all depends on how long you plan on being in there. There is no sun, so you don't get any sunbathing opportunities while you're diving so I find that I get cold faster in the caves than I would in comparable temp open water.
I have seen people diving in the caves with bathing suits, all the way up to drysuits with headed vests *though no drygloves*. It all depends on your exposure time. I will dive wet in a 5mm with a hooded vest for up to about 90 minutes in the cave. Anything longer than that and I am in a drysuit.

Thanks for that explanation, that already helps a lot.

I don't like Dry Suits, I even dove the valleys of the valle verzasca in my IsoTherm. Given, it was cold but I never found a dry suit that fitted me well.

So looking at a 3-5mm wetsuit, do you have any specific recommendations?

 

[tbone1004]

Thanks for that explanation, that already helps a lot.

I don't like Dry Suits, I even dove the valleys of the valle verzasca in my IsoTherm. Given, it was cold but I never found a dry suit that fitted me well.

So looking at a 3-5mm wetsuit, do you have any specific recommendations?

I'd honestly see if you can get your wetsuit shipped to you if you like it. Other than that, it's one that fits. I usually buy cheap wetsuits so I can beat them up without caring about them. I've recently purchased a nice O'Three wetsuit that is built like a tank, but there is no way to verify fit in the US. If I were you, I would probably go to one of the Divers Supplies around Atlanta and try a bunch on.

 

[Doby45]

Divers Supply Atlanta

They will take care of you. Great people!

 

[Flotsam]

For some reason, the springs are running a few degrees cooler - I got 69F & 68F in Orange Grove and Troy Springs last weekend, and 68F in Ginnie a couple weeks ago. I dive cold anyway, and have been freezing in my too-big Bare 5mm but ok if I add a hooded vest. Aqualungs (Hydroflex 3mm & Aquaflex 5mm) fit me better and are great suits, so I'm ordering a 5mm and hope it's warm enough without the vest. I think your SO will be best off trying on suits to find one with a great fit. The Bare Nixie I have seems well made and I like it, but it lets too much water down my back to keep me warm.

 

[SeaHorse81]

I get nervous at the idea of defining a level of exposure protection that will be appropriate for a given water temp unless you know the person who's asking very well, because individual needs vary so widely.

Most of my diving, for example, has been done in Caribbean waters where others were wearing 3 mil suits if they were wearing exposure protection at all, whereas I was barely getting by in a 7 mil and never really got comfortable until I started diving a dry suit with enough undergarments to keep most people warm in 60 degree water.

I'm an outlier by a huge margin, obviously, and discrepancies among people aren't usually that large, but the point remains that everyone's different. If in doubt, I might recommend going for the choice that might be on the warm side because you can easily cool down if you need to, but you can't so easily warm up if you get cold.

 

[CaptainCalamari]

I was basing my opinion on the averages of myself and son, where we regular dive water temps from 65-75deg. He feels the cold, me not so much. We both have 5mm semi's. We add a 3mm hood below 71deg. We also run 5mm boots and 2mm gloves.

 

[CaffeineFlo]

Thanks everyone for the recommendations! I'll stop by the Atlanta Dive Supply shop and see what they have