Wet suit purchase

[gypsyman45]

I need to purchase my first wetsuit(s), but I'm confused about layering. Could someone please describe some layering options beginning with what to wear in 80's and working down? I will be diving most often off of the NC/SC coasts. Thanks for any help you can give me.

 

[Garrobo]

If 80's you mean water temp you (I) don't need a wetsuit unless you get cold easily or are worried about getting scratched up. Between 75 and 80 I personally use an armless 2mm shorty.Between 70 and 75 I use a full 3mm suit. Between 65 and 70 I wear the shorty over the wetsuit. I've never dove below 65 degrees and hopefully never will. I don't like to use gloves, a hood or booties except I wear a beanie and gloves if I'm going down a rope or into a wreck. I don't want to scratch up my bald head or cut my hands. Lotsa nasty stuff down in that ocean bottom.

 

[Bottomfeeder Brodie]

I am a sissy with no body fat. I wear a skin suit with shorty in 80*F -90*F , a 3mm full suit in 75*F -79*F, a 5mm full suit in 70*F with gloves and hood and a farmjohn below that. Many configurations for many people. You have to look at the dive you are doing. Myself, I wear what most would consider "over dressing" because of the dives I go on. Here in the Gulf coast of Florida, we have warm water but it is very shallow. Shallow means long bottom times on a single tank. In 87*F water at 25 ft, I'll spend an hour and a half on the bottom and by the end of the dive I am very cold. If I dive 50ft and am down for 40 mins, I wear less. Judge you apparel by temp AND time on bottom. Over dress first and pull off extra on second dive. It really sucks being on a cool wreck or reef and shivering. You'll figure it out. Just collect wetsuits of all types and enjoy your dives. I was never like that in Maryland. Its what you get used to!

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

From a physiological standpoint, water below 88 deg F is cold to the skin. At 88 the water feels the same temp as skin. Above 88 feels warm. As with all data of this nature, each body is different and this is the norm or average.

When the skin feels a colder fluid against itself, nerves tell the body to pump more blood to the skin to keep it warm. That extra blood flow increases O2 use, so you breath faster and your tank does not last as long.

Not many dive sites have 90 deg water at depth, so a 2/3mm full is what I would use in most fire coral country. With no fire coral here in Hawaii, I often do shallow summer dives in a 3mm long sleeve shorty (82-85 deg), but I know I could stay longer in my 2/3.

Multiple dives and deeper dives I prefer full coverage (except gloves & hood), with 3mm farmer john that can go under the shorty, or my 5mm Aqua Stretch which I wear almost year round.

 

[gypsyman45]

Thanks for some great advice!

 

[highdesert]

You'll get answers all over the place. I don't get really cold, but I'll wear a full 3mm from about 78-83 degrees. Above that, a 2mm shorty OR a full skin suit will work ... but the shorty means exposure to stingy things. At 80 and below, I'll add a beanie, below 78, also a 3mm vest. Below 75, it's 5mm time. But that's me ... someone else might be in their board shorts at 77 degrees. I say err on the side of being too warm ... you can always flush a little water thru your suit.