Wetsuit advice: Freediving vs. scuba suits, thickness, temperatures

[kevindsingleton]

My current wetsuit is a Neosport 3/2mm jumpsuit in 3XL. It was inexpensive to purchase and fits me well, and I find it abundantly comfortable in 72 degree water without gloves or a hood. In general I don't get cold easily, and can recognize my limits after decades of living, motorcycling, skiing, and generally being outside in this climate.

I wore a 3/2 wetsuit on our dive in the Keys, last week, and I was freezing! No way I would describe that as "abundantly comfortable", dood! You must have been a polar bear in a previous life!

I think you're going to find that frozen lakes are pretty cold, even after the ice melts. Go with the most suit you can find and afford. No way you're gonna get too warm diving in the Great Lakes in a wetsuit. If you do, just jump back in!

 

[Bohemian Coast Dive]

Scubapro's Nova Scotia is a good choice for warmth. Mine is designed as a semi-dry 6.5, which is also perfect for layering.

 

[2airishuman]

I wore a 3/2 wetsuit on our dive in the Keys, last week, and I was freezing! No way I would describe that as "abundantly comfortable", dood! You must have been a polar bear in a previous life!

Maybe. There were people on those dives with 3mm suits and extra layers of neoprene, and I recall my instructor earlier in the week complaining of being cold, and them encouraging the use of 5mm suits at the rental counter.

The last time I was really cold was when the starter went out in the pickup I use for plowing snow. I had it parked in the middle of a snowy, icy gravel driveway on a windy day in 0 degree temps. I didn't want to pay for a tow truck so I crawled under the pickup and replaced the starter myself. It was a dirty job so I didn't want to wear my fancy goose down jacket, so I was in my heavy lined canvass coveralls, with thin gloves so I could feel what I was doing. The wind was whipping through there and the cold from the ice was coming right through the coverall. I had to take a break halfway through and come inside to thaw out.

I think you're going to find that frozen lakes are pretty cold, even after the ice melts. Go with the most suit you can find and afford. No way you're gonna get too warm diving in the Great Lakes in a wetsuit. If you do, just jump back in!

Thanks. I'm going to end up with a two-piece freediving suit, either from Florida or Europe, in either 7mm or 8mm.

 

[kevindsingleton]

You know your coldness, no doubt! I'm originally from Texas, so I'm pretty wimpy when it comes to being cold!

 

[BFRedrocks]

I wore a 3/2 wetsuit on our dive in the Keys, last week, and I was freezing! No way I would describe that as "abundantly comfortable", dood! You must have been a polar bear in a previous life!

I'm headed to the Keys (West) in a month and was interested in your comment. Would you say that the minimum wetsuit thickness you would recommend for us "thermally challenged" divers is a 5mm for that diving?

 

[kevindsingleton]

I'm headed to the Keys (West) in a month and was interested in your comment. Would you say that the minimum wetsuit thickness you would recommend for us "thermally challenged" divers is a 5mm for that diving?

I was chilly in my 3/2, but not shivering. A month from now, it would probably be fine. Water temps were around 74 degrees, so use that as a gauge. If you run towards the cool side, a 5mm would be better, I think. The Conch Republic Divers web site will send you daily diving reports that include water temps, so you can keep an eye on it.

Enjoy a margarita at Pepe's, for me!

 

[2airishuman]

I want to thank everyone for the advice. I did end up with a 7mm freediving suit, and took it out to a local lake yesterday for a weight check and to see how it did in the cold. Air was 42 degrees, water 44 degrees.

I called the dive shortly after entering the water because my gloves were way too thin. I had either forgotten or never realized that they just have lycra between the fingers, not neoprene, and that simply won't work in cold water. The suit itself seemed warm after the initial flood of cold water. I doubt if I'll get out on Easter weekend but I'll get some better gloves and go out the first weekend in April.

 

[2airishuman]

I was out in the same location yesterday and today with new gloves and new fins. Today's dive was 62 minutes in 46 degree water, 28 feet deep, and I was warm and relaxed. At some point I'll try it in some of the deeper lakes below the thermocline and see if it's good enough for that.

With practice the freedive suit has become easier to don and doff. I like it. As with any transition the buoyancy characteristics take some getting used to. There's a lot of neoprene to compress.

I understand the allure of drysuits but am in no hurry to get one.

 

[Rusty Roo]

fourth element proteus 7mm

 

[TMHeimer]

A note about gloves. For years I used my 5 fingered gloves on all but the coldest dives. Now I'll use the old 3 fingered lobster mitts from temps. in the 30s to high 40s. Have yet to have cold hands with these. Feet, etc. is another thing.