Wet Suit Advice

[wilbo_1999]

I have been looking online for wetsuits but im not sure exactly what I am looking for. I live in West Texas and most of my diving will be in the mid 70's F range in fresh water, springs and some lakes, with occasional dives in Panama City Fla, Cocoa Beach, Daytona and Padre Island areas. What Mil thickness should I go for? My instructor in Cancun said get a 5mil suit and I am thinking of sticking with his advice just because of the fresh water diving I will be doing. Any advice would be welcome.

 

[msg]

Being in Texas, you should look up the ScubaToy folks. They can give you the advices that you need. They can also hook you up on a suit.
Personally, I would go with a 5mil one piece suit. You should be comfortable enough in that, so long as you are not cold natured. you might be able to do a 3mil one piece, with a hooded vest.
I would give Larry a call, though. Good luck.

 

[diveprof]

5mm fullsuit sounds right for these areas. You didn't specify if you would be dive the "other than freshwater" areas in the winter months. If so, 5mm is good. If diving them in the dead of summer only, might could get away with a full 3mm or my personal fav - a 4/3.

 

[Thalassamania]

5 mil is, maybe, slight overkill; but 3 mil is likely not enough.

 

[Wayward Son]

I can dive the springs with an ancient 3/2 fullsuit. A 5mm if you get cold easy.

 

[spectrum]

5mm. As you settle down and you really relax on longer dives you may want to add a hooded chicken vest. 3mm will not go the distance unless you have extraordinary cold tolerance or are in denial.

Pete

 

[Doc Intrepid]

Remember that if you do 2 or 3 (or more) dives in one day, you're likely to still be chilled from #'s 1 and 2 when you drop in for #3.

Don't purchase a wetsuit for only "1 individual dive" if you routinely do multiple dives in one day...

Just a thought. YMMV.

 

[diveprof]

The common problem with wetsuit recommendations is that wetsuits are specific to limited temp ranges (yes these ranges differ from diver to diver depending on a variety of individual variables and number of dives planned per day). Most divers who dive a range of temps branch out into multiple suits. If you only dive carribean in 79+ waters, one suit works. But if you add in local diving with significantly different temps, using just one suit for all is not very efficient. Personally, I dive a 4/3 in the carribean in 80 degree water. Overkill some might say, but if you are diving 3-5 dives per day and do not have adequate exposure protection:
1. air consumption goes up=shorter dives
2. you are not as comfortable
3. you are more tired at the end of the day

If the water isn't 98.6 you are losing heat.

Most divers end up with a "warm water suit" (shorties for those who want to appreciate sea lice, fire coral, and bruising from ladders when getting back on the boat in rough seas, 3/2mm, 3mm, or true folks from God's Country (South) who like even more - like the 4/3 mm I dive) and a local diving suit (5mm, 7mm, drysuit, etc with all the bells and whistles that go with them - gloves, hoods, vest, etc.). It comes down to using the correct "tool" for the job.

 

[spectrum]

The common problem with wetsuit recommendations is that wetsuits are specific to limited temp ranges (yes these ranges differ from diver to diver depending on a variety of individual variables and number of dives planned per day).
1. air consumption goes up=shorter dives
2. you are not as comfortable
3. you are more tired at the end of the day

true and
4. You will still be cooled at the start of your next dive day (it is cumulative don't count on fully recovering overnight)
5. You are getting in silent hypothermia

6. Head coverage is essential
7. A hooded chicken vest is a great way to cover your noggin and extend the range of a full suit or even a shorty.

It's far better to be a few mm over than under.

Pete

 

[diveprof]

Hey, preaching to the choir here (I add my hood - or hooded vest -when diving West Palm on night dives). Fully agree with the above. I still laugh about a Labor day trip to W.P. a couple of years ago when folks teased me about my "exposure protection" during the day only to ask if I had any extra hoods of the night dive.